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She sat, feeling conspicuous because the food was in front of her, the sh her nostrils Where was Tate?

She pulled out her phone, checking for texts since she’d silenced it once she entered the restaurant She could very well havecall or text

There was nothing Taking a deep breath, she dialed his nu She frohen he didn’t iut clenched when it went to voicehorrible happened? Had he been in an accident? He never let her calls go to voicethe day She kne busy he was and she didn’t want to appear clingy or needy Even if she was just that Needing She needed her husband back

Her anxiety level reached epic proportions while she watched the food grow colder as more time passed She should just eat Let hiot there She refused to believe that he could be hurt so for him

When an hour passed, the waiter hovered, obviously waiting for her to vacate This was a popular restaurant and they were always full on reservations An hour was h time to eat and even enjoy dessert and yet her husband wasn’t here and two plates of food, wasted, sat in front of her and her stomach was too tied up in knots to even take one bite She feared if she even tasted the entrée that she’d have to bolt for the bathroo her eyes Worry warred with anger The only excuse for being over an hour late when he had said twenty minutes at theequally horrible

She dug into her clutch, counting out the cash she had, praying she had enough She didn’t have time nor did she want to wait on the waiter to collect her credit card and have to spend preciousthe bill

To her relief she had the cash and even enough for a tip, though the waiter had done little but deliver their food Uneaten food She tossed the cash down on the table and strode rapidly to the door, tears pooling in her eyes at Tate’s betrayal

Then she felt guilty because he could have been in an accident He could be in a hospital somewhere, but ouldn’t she have received a call?

She nearly tripped when the elegant carpet turned into slick marble that led past the upscale bar and to the exit She was alht her attention out of the corner of her eye

She stopped in absolute shock, her mouth open as she stared--at Tate In the bar with a wo broadly at her And the woant Obviously of htly resting on his arm in a distinctly intimate fashion

God, he ith a wo his anniversary dinner with his wife How dare he flaunt this woman in this restaurant, their restaurant