Between Us (all of us #1)

T H I R T Y

A U B R E E

Two months later

"Roger?" I roam through the house, searching for him all downstairs. I'd spent all morning decorating the backyard in baby blue streamers and confetti and matching blue and white striped table cloth to drape over all six of the fold up tables I dragged out of the shed by myself.

He'd slept in all morning despite me telling him how important it was that he be up and ready to help me get everything set up for the shower this afternoon.

We've been rocky lately—more so than usual. When he came home three months ago, swearing he was going to be a different person, that things made sense, that we would fix our family, etcetera etcetera? That wore off in only a couple months. Now he's back to stomping around like a mean giant, sleeping in, laying around, bossing me and complaining about the nit-pickiest things.

And Diesel absolutely hates me, but there is no way around that one. He looks at me like I attempted to murder him. I've tried to talk to him, but he doesn't want to hear a sound from me. He brushes me off, stays feet away from me at all times.

That's why today is so important.

This shower needs to go well, Diesel needs to see that I'm putting in an effort in his life. I'm doubtful this'll make a difference. I'm really just grasping at straws to get his attention. My regret and guilt over the way he caught us has been the only thing keeping me from thinking about how badly I feel about Trenton.

Their friendship is over and it's all because of me.

"Roger!" I call, swinging my head in through the garage door. He isn't there either. I hike up the steps, wondering if he's in the master bathroom and I missed him when I checked earlier, but he must have heard me coming up because he steps out of his office with a stone look on his face.

"Are you going to help me outside? I need you to grab the ladder and—"

He holds up a pair of black panties that make my heart pound in my throat. "What the fuck were these doing shoved under my desk, Aubree?"

"I don't know—I must've dropped them in there when I was doing laundry."

He stares at them, held tightly in his palm, then shakes his head. "You don't need to go into my office when you're doing laundry. You have no reason to go into my office, period."

"I cleaned up in there months ago, I—"

He draws his arm back and chucks them full force at the wall before going back into his office and shutting the door.

I shut my eyes tightly, covering my face in my palms as I recall Trenton's graduation night. When Diesel came home, we panicked and I only grabbed what I could see. "Oh my god..." It had to be then. Any other time we'd done it in there I was already naked.

I continue up the steps, side eyeing my panties on the ground before I knock gently on Roger's office door. He opens the door so quickly, air whips me in the face as he yanks me inside by my arm.

"Sit the fuck down." He paces to the window, the blinds are open, giving us a shuttered view of the street. "Who is it?" Roger pivots around, then slams a hand on the desk. "Who did you fuck in my office, Aubree?"

"Roger, I didn't—"

"Bullshit! How long have you been bringing men into this house, hm? My house." He tilts his head. "While I'm hard at work, jet lagged to pay for everything we have, you're here fucking in my office!"

I stare up at him, my lips held tightly together.

"That half-assed excuse about the birth control...I'm regulating my cycle," He mocks before blowing out a hard breath.