“You were saying?”

“Nothing.” Hadley faltered. Whatever courage she had earlier had already melted. Her tone turned light as she forced a smile, lifted her injured hand, and said, “I just wanted to thank you.”

Was that really all she had wanted?

Eric’s expression dimmed.

“You’re welcome.”

Just then, Ernest’s car pulled up nearby.

“Guess I’ll get going!” With a grin, Hadley raised her uninjured hand and waved.

“Bye.” Eric didn’t move. He kept watching her until she reached the car.

His phone buzzed once more. The caller ID flashed Phillips.

“Ugh.” A flicker of annoyance crossed Eric’s face. He accepted the call with a sharp swipe.

“What now? Spit it out.”

Silence followed. Phillips didn’t answer right away. Was Eric sounding too harsh?

“Sir, Miss Aston has already been taken home,” Phillips said.

“That’s it?” Eric snapped.

“If that’s all, don’t waste my time.”

Without waiting for a response, he hung up, then shoved the device deep into his pocket. Turning his head, he scanned the road. The car Hadley had entered was already pulling away.

“Thank you?” The words rolled off Eric’s lips in a low, puzzled tone.

Could it be he misunderstood her? Something told him those weren’t what she really meant to say.

Up front in the vehicle, Ernest gave Hadley a sideways glance before letting out a quiet sigh. His voice lowered as he said, “Megan wants Eric to meet her parents. Are you really just going to sit back and let it happen?”

“Ernest…” Hadley’s brows drew together as she bit her bottom lip.

Ernest could tell she wasn’t as detached as she tried to seem. He said gently, “You know, you can always talk to him about what bothers you. Ask him to change if it matters that much.”

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“Change?” Hadley said, her voice laced with pain.

“That doesn’t erase betrayal. That kind of wound doesn’t just disappear.”

“Hadley.” Ernest turned toward her, urgency creeping into his voice.

“Calling him unfaithful might be taking it too far. Look, I’m not here to defend Eric, but long before you came into his life, he and Linda shared a history of years. He felt he owed her for saving his life, at the very least.” He thought for a moment and gave an example.

“Think about your bond with Elissa. You haven’t known her nearly as long as Eric’s known Linda, yet you’re always invested in her problems—because you’re friends, because you care about each other. Isn’t it only fair to believe Eric would feel the same toward Linda?”

With sincerity in his tone, Ernest added, “Maybe the only real difference is that you and Elissa are both women while they’re not. But friendship is friendship. Does that make it easier for you to look past it?”

Hadley stayed silent, absorbing his words as they slowly began to make sense. Even so, a troubled look crossed her face.

“But…” Hadley muttered, lips twitching.

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