Taking Chances by Cosette Hale Read Free Book Online Page A

looked up to see the pictures on the wall I had painstakingly chosen the loveliest frames for. Each picture showcased us, whether it was with our families or us alone— at a bed-and-breakfast a few hours away, on our honeymoon skiing in Vermont, on our wedding day.
    I stared at that picture of our wedding, and the whole day played before my eyes like a movie. It was such a glorious day, everything perfect to a fault. The weather cooperated after there had been threats of a tropical storm, but it veered to the west just in time. The bridesmaids, including Natalie, all looked beautiful in their dresses and were such a joy to me. I smiled the entire night because I couldn’t help it. I was so wonderfully happy to be marrying my best friend surrounded by my family and friends. It was incredible how many people took the time to come to our celebration and danced the night away with us. Greg and I took center stage most of the evening as our friends danced around us. I don’t think I’d ever felt more loved. When we said our vows Greg choked up, and I’ll never forget how that made me cry all throughout my own vows. I’d never seen the video of our wedding again. I’d have to search for that someday. Someday… if we didn’t get divorced.
    The harsh reality blindsided me, as it always did if I didn’t think about it for a while. It was like a bucket of cold water hitting my face every time I remembered. I needed to decide what I would do so I could be prepared for what I might hear from the PI. But for now, I wanted to forget again, about Greg, even about myself. I found my favorite sitcom on Netflix, settling in for a binge session since I had the afternoon shift again the next day.

    T he next two days were spent without Greg. I better get used to this , I thought. My mind shifted from divorce to forgiveness every five minutes. I was unsure of what to do with the information once it was laid out in front of me. I wanted to think that I could give Greg a sassy speech, and he would feel ashamed for the rest of his life, but I was afraid that I would be overly emotional and hurt. It was exhausting not knowing which way to act once I learned the truth. When I sat down to eat dinner alone on Wednesday night in front of the TV, I came to a conclusion. I would not teeter on the edge of indecision anymore. I knew what I would do.
    The next morning I woke up still in agreement with what I had decided upon the night before. I could move forward now that I had a plan. Living in uncertainty was way more draining than anything else, like living in limbo. Once I was presented with the proof, I would adhere to my course of action because it would ultimately make me happy.
    The PI was on the same flight back as Natalie and Greg. He was to meet Harvey and me again at the same restaurant Thursday in the early afternoon. The plane landed at 10 AM, but I told Greg I couldn’t meet him at the airport because of work. It was important I didn’t see him again until I saw the PI. I had arranged it so I could start my vacation from work one day earlier.
    I was at the restaurant first, taking off my sunglasses and picking the first booth by the door when Gus and Harvey walked in. We said hello to be polite, but we all knew what we were there for, and there was no reason to delay. Harvey was staring at the manila envelope in Gus’s hand, and I was too. We sat down, and I waited for Gus to drop the bomb.
    “I’ve been on two plane rides with them both. I’ve seen them at the hotel, at dinner, at the business meeting, at the airport. All hours of the day I kept watch, I took pictures…” he said as he pulled out several photographs of Greg and Natalie at dinner, at their meeting, at the hotel lobby. The pictures showed my husband and my best friend as they always looked. “… And I saw nothing to suggest either of them was having an affair, not with each other, not with anyone else either,” he concluded. It was quick, and it was over. And