In the seventh year of my marriage to Kevin Sterling, I gave in to temptation and fell for his best friend. This guy wasn't just good-looking and ripped, he was loaded. He laid all his cards on the table, begged me to ask Kevin for a divorce, and I said yes. Bringing it up with Kevin was surprisingly smooth. He put up a token protest or two, then just agreed. That same day, the other guy and I got hitched at City Hall. And Kevin? He turns around and makes his relationship with his high school sweetheart Instagram official. Then, Kevin finds out I'm married and suddenly he's crying, wants me back. Too little, too late, buddy. 1. I watched Kevin pack my stuff with a stone face. He's always been the picture of consideration and thoughtfulness. Anyone who didn't know the real story would think I was a total jerk, blowing off the perfect boyfriend. Just a little while ago, I confessed I’d cheated and wanted a divorce. Kevin put up a fight, said a few things about how we could work it out, but I stood my ground. Finally, he gave me this wounded puppy look and that was the end of the charade. I didn't have much stuff, just one suitcase. Kevin opened the door for me, Mr. Manners as always. "If you ever need anything, you can call me," he said. "Just because we're breaking up doesn't mean we're enemies." I gave him a tight smile. "I'll be fine." I dragged my suitcase out the door, not looking back. Kevin stood there watching me go, and I have no idea how long he kept looking. Downstairs, Jason "Jay" Weber was waiting for me in his car. When he saw me, his eyes lit up. He practically leaped out of the car to grab my suitcase. Jay hefted it a little. "That's it?" he asked. "You didn't keep much at Kevin's?" I shook my head. "I didn't stay there all that often." I barely got in the car before Jay’s phone rang. It was Kevin. "Take care of Emily, will you? She's quiet and a little shy.” Jay cut him off. "Got it, Kev. You don't need to worry about her." They chatted about something else for a minute before Jay hung up. Jay turned to me. "What are you in the mood for tonight?" "Mac and Cheese, maybe? I've been craving some comfort food." Jay grinned. "Sounds good. I'll whip some up for you." Jay, my own personal ray of sunshine, is the guy I cheated with. He also happens to be Kevin's best buddy. Unlike a lot of people, Kevin's still trying to be friends with him. I rolled down the window and rested my chin on the edge, letting the wind mess up my hair. It was like the breeze was blowing away all the crap in my head. The thing is, they both think I’m oblivious but I’ve known for a while that Kevin's been stepping out. Kevin and I were together for seven years. I know him inside and out. For the last six months, he’s been lying about going on "business trips." Really, he's just been hooking up with some chick at a hotel. Every time, I’d get an anonymous text message with the details – Kevin and his girl's hotel reservation. When we were shopping, he always stopped at the perfume counter to try stuff out. He told me this "Daisy" perfume smelled amazing and asked if I wanted it. But Kevin conveniently forgot I’m super sensitive to smells and really don't like perfume. He also started buying me dresses that were a size too small, saying I'd gained weight and needed to sign up for a gym membership. I knew my weight; I hadn’t gained an ounce, maybe even lost a few. In the end, he gave me the perfume and the dress anyway, determined to make me take them. I met Jay at the gym, of all places. The gym Kevin signed me up for and the best friend who was conveniently visiting from out of the country. It's kind of embarrassing, but after all those years, Kevin never formally introduced me to his friends. I was never a part of his circle. After that, Jay started helping me at the gym, gave me advice on clothes, and showed me how to be confident. I started to open up, try new things, and stopped obsessing over Kevin. Deep down, I knew Jay showing up in my life wasn’t random. It was all part of Kevin’s plan. He wanted Jay to seduce me, to give him an out. The gym was just the stage where it was supposed to happen. The first day we met, I accidentally saw a text exchange between Jay and Kevin. Mr. Nice Guy Kevin didn't want to admit he was cheating, so he was making me the bad guy. I couldn't figure out why he was going through so much trouble. I don't have anything to my name, and no family to rely on. He could've dumped me without a second thought. All he had to do was break up with me. 2. "Em, want to get married, like right now?" Jay's voice snapped me back to reality. I nodded, a little dazed. Jay gave me a happy grin. We were stopped at a light, and he squeezed my hand, like it was the most precious thing in the world. I used to doubt Jay's intentions, thought he'd dump me the second he got what he wanted. Because he's just too good to be true. Unless Kevin had something to do with it. Getting the marriage license went smoothly. At the same time, I saw Kevin's Instagram post. He was making his relationship official with Chloe Baker, a sophomore from my old college. I remember her. When I lost my diploma and went back to school for a replacement, Chloe was the driver's daughter that worked for Kevin's family. She was really helpful, running errands for me. But Chloe wasn't the girl Kevin had been cheating with. I frowned, staring at the screen for too long. Jay saw me looking at Kevin's Instagram post. "I know her," he said casually. "Kevin brought her around once or twice. I could tell there was something going on." He watched my face carefully. I just laughed. So Kevin does introduce girlfriends to his friends. He just didn't think I was worth it. In seven years, I'd never been on Kevin's social media. "Let's go home and make that mac and cheese." Jay's face lit up. He took my hand. "Okay, let's go." I glanced at Jay's profile. What would Kevin do if he knew I was really with Jay? Jay had agreed to Kevin’s scheme, but I doubt he ever expected to fall for me. Because of the differences between Jay and I. Jay’s from the wealthy Weber family. They’re practically royalty in this town. I'm just a girl from the wrong side of the tracks. Back at Jay’s place, he cooked me mac and cheese. It was awesome, the recipe came straight from his grandpa. Just two months ago, my grandpa died. Kevin was "traveling for work". When Grandpa was sick, he saw Jay by my side and thought he was my boyfriend. He taught him the family mac and cheese recipe, showed him all the tricks. Grandpa said, "When I'm gone, you can make it for my granddaughter." Jay grabbed Grandpa's hand and promised, "I'll take care of her, I swear." That's the day I decided to take a chance on Jay. If only to make Grandpa happy. Because of Jay, my grandpa passed away peacefully. I suddenly teared up. Jay got concerned. "Em, you and Kevin are over. You're my wife now." I looked up at him, realizing he'd misunderstood. "I was just thinking about my grandpa." Jay visibly relaxed. He pulled me into a hug, and I buried my face in his chest, letting the tears flow. Jay paused. "Em, I promise I won't let you get hurt." 3. Jay’s friend, Mike, was throwing a birthday party, and he invited both Kevin and Jay. Jay asked me, "You want to go? If you don't want to, I'll stay home." He was looking at me with such worry and tenderness. I know that even though we're married, Jay's still a little unsure. He thinks I'm still hung up on Kevin. Those seven years leave a mark that's not easily erased. I have to admit, I still think about Kevin sometimes. And I always end up comparing him to Jay, and Jay always wins. The more that happens, the more I know that Kevin doesn't deserve me. "Sure, it's your friend. He'd be bummed if you didn't go." Jay smiled. "I'm married now. I should be focusing on my family." I poked him on the nose. "Kevin told me you used to be a player." Jay paused, defensive. "What player? I didn't play anyone. You know that. You're the only one I've been with." Jay might have gone to some clubs and knew how to act but I think it was all an act. I thought he was a player too. But the first time we were together, he was awkward and sweet. As expected, I saw Kevin at Mike's birthday bash. When he saw me, his face changed, but then he saw Jay beside me, and he relaxed a little. Chloe stood silently next to Kevin. Kevin introduced her to everyone. "This is my girlfriend, Chloe." Chloe gave Kevin a shy smile, and they looked at each other like they were the most in love couple in the world. Mike didn't know what was going on. All he knew was that I'd cheated on Kevin with Jay, and Kevin had been gracious enough to forgive us. He gave me a dirty look, but kept his mouth shut out of respect for his friend. I went to the bathroom, and Kevin followed me, and warned me. "Em, we can't be together. Don't make things difficult for Chloe, okay? She's not like you. She doesn't know anything." I kept my face neutral. "I know. It was my fault. I cheated on you with Jay." Kevin’s face twisted for a second, but then his tone softened. "Jay’s not a good guy. After you two break up, find someone who's better for you." "What makes you think we'll break up?" Kevin stared, then laughed. "A guy like that? He's been with everyone." I saw the contempt in Kevin's eyes, and I wanted to ask my younger self, how did I not see this before? Love really does blind you. "Kevin, I finally understand what people mean when they say that about you." I left Kevin there, speechless. Let him figure that one out. Back in the private room, Jay was talking to Mike, and everyone else was hanging out with Chloe, being nice to the youngest one in the group. I walked over to Jay, just in time to hear Mike say, "Dude, why would you steal your best friend's girl? What's so great about her? You can have anyone you want. You're not that shallow, are you?" I instinctively touched my face and smiled. Mike was right, my face is definitely my best feature. Kevin chased after me because of my looks. But why is it okay for Kevin to cheat, but not for me? Jay spoke up. "Mike, you can't just judge people by their looks. And it wasn't her fault." Mike got even more excited. "Are you saying you're in love with her face? Seriously? She used to be Kevin's girl! You just don't do that, bro." He suddenly saw me and his face turned red. I casually sat down next to Jay and whispered in his ear. "Kevin came to find me." Jay's hand tightened around mine, and I smiled. Jay's more worried about me than I thought. 4. Mike saw Jay and I holding hands and looked confused as he wandered off. He was mumbling to himself. I stared after him. Jay tugged at my hand. "Let's make it official," he said. He looked at me hopefully. Jay's the one who's been wanting to go public, not me. I don't really care about being official. I don't even want to. Everyone thinks I'm not good enough for Jay. They think Jay's just messing around and that he'll come to his senses and dump me eventually. But when I saw the look in Jay's eyes, I remembered all the times he was there for me, and helped me through stuff I couldn't have handled on my own. "Jay, do you think I'm fat?" Jay shook his head violently. "Kevin signed me up for a gym membership because he said I'd gained weight." "He bought me dresses that were a size too small." Jay's eyes widened, and he finally understood. His face was panicked, and he started to explain. "I really do love you. I know things started..." Started with a lie. With him trying to seduce me. I put my finger on his lips and smiled. "It doesn't matter." Jay grabbed my hand, his throat working. The next second, everyone gasped. They were playing a game. It was the King's Game, and Chloe had to follow the instructions. She had to sit in Kevin's lap and kiss him in front of everyone. Everyone knows that Kevin's Mr. Proper. He never does anything out of line in public. He never would've played a game like that with me, not even Truth or Dare. Chloe shyly walked up to Kevin and whispered, "Honey, I'm going to kiss you." Kevin smiled and reached for her. "Come here, sweetheart." Chloe sat on his lap, and they started kissing. It was more like Kevin was kissing Chloe than the other way around. I finally got it. Kevin does make exceptions. Jay grabbed my hand. "We're married now," he whispered. I looked at him, remembering the night before I broke up with Kevin. That's the way he'd looked at me, begging me to leave Kevin. He offered me all his money if I asked Kevin for a divorce. Jay said, "I'll always love you, respect you, and cherish you." Those words made me fall for Kevin’s trap, without any hesitation. I took Jay's hand and pulled him up. Chloe and Kevin finished their kiss and glanced at us. Kevin looked icy and Chloe looked smug. I cleared my throat and motioned to Jay. Jay's heart was pounding, and his eyes were shining. His hand was sweaty in mine. "Everyone, I know this isn't the right time to say this." "But I have to." Mike's mouth dropped open. "Because I feel like you're not respecting my wife." Mike jumped up and looked at Kevin, whose face was dark with anger. Jay's voice was calm as he looked at each person in the room. "Emily and I are married. We got married last week."
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