Rumors: Brianna & Hunter

by Rachael Brownell

  Thankfully pictures are over, or Emerson may have killed me, though.

  "Now, go find your husband. You two have done everything the coordinator has asked of you today; you deserve a little alone time. I'll meet you for breakfast in the morning before we leave for the airport."

  I like his plan.

  Just me, Hunter, and his promises until morning.

  Looking around, I spot him in the corner talking to his brothers. They're laughing and tipping their glass to toast whatever is so funny.

  I'll get him in a minute. I want to thank Megan and Emerson for all their help today. Without them, my father's presence wouldn't have been a surprise. Not to mention all the hard work Emerson put into making today perfect for us. I felt bad for the wedding coordinator until I saw her masterpiece.

  White chairs, each wrapped with a teal, silk bow. A runner to match. The trellis we were married under was adorned with white linens that blew softly in the wind and our original wedding flowers. Fake, but still beautiful.

  It was more elaborate than the plan I discussed with the coordinator. All I wanted was a plain white trellis, a set of chairs, and Hunter. Simple and easy.

  When I notice Emerson standing in the doorway to the resort, I head in her direction.

  I hear my name as I approach. Then I hear Megan's voice followed by Ally's.

  This can't be good.

  "Hey," I state firmly, announcing my presence.

  Ally and Megan come out from around the corner, a sheepish look on their faces.

  "I'm sorry," Megan quickly replies.

  "For what?"

  Looking at the other two, she shrugs her shoulders and looks away.

  "Someone tell me what's going on? I heard my name. What did I just walk in on?"

  "It's not important right now," Emerson says, reaching for my hand. Taking a step back, she hesitates before continuing.

  "The fact that the three of you look like you've… I don't know, been caught in the act of something… I think it is important right now. So someone tell me what's going on."

  All three of them are silent. Emerson and Megan avoid eye contact by staring at their feet. Ally is the only one who looks indifferent at the moment, and I use that to my advantage.

  "What did you do?" I accuse.

  "Me? I didn't do anything."

  "Right. You're so innocent. You asked to bring a date and then sent him packing as soon as you saw someone you liked better. You even managed to get her to leave. So, tell me, what else did you do?"

  Ally doesn't bat an eye at my accusations. Her only reaction is the rise of her eyebrow as I shake my finger in her face and yell at her in hushed tones so as not to draw attention to us.

  "This isn't even about me," she says, causing Megan to poke her in the side. "What? I'm not going to have her thinking that I did something, or someone, I didn't."

  "Ally, I swear to God—" Emerson starts before I turn toward her, my glare cutting her off.

  "Speak. Now." I demand.

  "First off," Ally begins. "I didn't do anything to chase either of them away. They left on their own. Second, Zane is a big boy. He can make his own decisions. Nothing’s happened between us, for the record, but if that changes, it's not your business. Not that I'd be sad if something did change. And finally, I was kindly informing your best friend here that I was unable to extinguish the rumors at the office and that a new one has popped up."

  "Damn it, Ally," Megan mumbles.

  "What is so fascinating about me that people feel the need to talk? I don't even work there. Why don't they talk about you for a change?" I direct my question to Ally. Her only reply is to shrug her shoulder. "Oh, wait. I know why. You're the one behind all the rumors. You can deny it all you want, but we all know the truth. You're so unhappy with your life that you make shit up about other people to keep things interesting. So people will want to talk to you. You're the center of the gossip, so if people want to know something, they go to you to find out. It's obvious at this point, so you can give up the charade."

  My voice begins to rise the angrier I get. At Ally. At the fact people are talking about me. The rumors. All of it. It's high school bullshit all over again, and there's no reason I should be involved in it.

  "I think we should—"

  "Should what, Megan?" I interrupt. "Change the subject? Ignore the rumor? That's worked out so well for everyone else. No, I'm not letting this go, so someone needs to tell me what people are saying."

  No one speaks up. Ally's still staring at me, unamused by my outburst, while Megan and Emerson stare at each other.

  "Now!" I demand.

  "Hunter's cheating on you," Ally spits out. She's watching me for a reaction she's not going to get. This rumor is as far-fetched as any I've ever heard.

  Not only do I not believe that he would cheat on me but I can't believe anyone else would buy that rumor for even a second. Not if they know Hunter. If they work for him. He's one of the most-stand-up people. He's honest to a fault.

  They all are, the Dixon brothers. Their parents raised them to always do the right thing.

  "That's funny," I finally say, staring Ally down and daring her to say more.

  "Is it? Because from what I've been told, he's taken three meetings with the same woman, outside the office, this past week. Off the calendar. During his lunch hour."

  "So, you're saying he's meeting with clients outside the office, and because of that, someone seems to think that means he's cheating on me. Wow! Is it that boring around there?"

  "No, I'm saying that he's sneaking around. He's keeping secrets. From everyone at work. From you. It's not that hard to believe if you really think about it."

  Ally's words strike deep.

  I don't want to think about it. I can't imagine my husband with another woman, and the thought of it makes me want to puke.

  Is he with her during the day and me at night?

  Am I a consolation prize now? Did he only agree to renew our vows as a cover for what's really going on?

  My mind is running a mile a minute with possible scenarios, all of them worse than the previous one. I can't seem to justify his actions. I want to, there should be a reasonable explanation for this, but every thought I have brings me closer to the darkness.

  "B," Megan calls, shaking me by the shoulders. "B, snap out of it. It's just a stupid rumor. You have to know that. People are assholes."

  "People are assholes," I repeat, my words muttered as if I'm on autopilot.

  "Nice going, Ally," I hear Emerson say. "You just ruined her entire day."

  "I'm not the one that started the damn rumor, no matter what you want to believe. Blame me if you have to, but she wasn't going to let it go, so I told her. None of this would have happened if you two hadn't cornered me and made me tell you to begin with. I didn't even want to bring it up here."

  Their conversation fades into the background as I attempt to process everything. First, people thought Hunter was having problems at home because he was working so hard. They didn't take into account that he was promoted, that his work load increased. If they had, they would never have speculated about troubles at home.

  He's always been the first in the office and the last to leave. Even before Herman retired.

  Now, since he was having 'troubles' to begin with, apparently he's cheating on me. He's having an affair with a woman no one has met or seen. All they know is that he's meeting with someone outside the office secretly.

  Well, I have news for the gossips in that office. I'm not going to take their shit lying down. They can either stop talking about me, my marriage, and my husband, or they can find new jobs.

  As soon as we're home, I'm putting my foot down. Right after I confirm that my husband’s not actually cheating on me. Just to ease the doubt that's managed to creep its way in.

  Chapter Eighteen

  For the first time since I can remember, I turn down sex. Hunter and I head back to our room as the reception begins to wind down, my min
d still reeling from the things Ally accused him of.

  Hunter falls asleep with me wrapped in his arms, but I lie awake most of the night, the last month on replay in my mind. Searching for any clues as to whether Ally's assumptions are true or not.

  When dawn begins to break, I'm left with zero answers and a headache from lack of sleep. I passed out for a few minutes sometime in the middle of the night, had a nightmare about Hunter and Ally together, and woke right back up, drenched in sweat, clenching the sheets. Anger coursed through my veins. It was so strong I punched the bed, needing to get out some of my aggression.

  As I sit here, with our family and friends, picking at my breakfast, I'm trying to focus on anything other than Hunter possibly cheating on me or the fact I may fall asleep in my eggs. My eyes want to close, and my heart aches.

  "Are you feeling okay?" Hunter asks, nudging me with his elbow.

  It startles me slightly. My eyes were, in fact, closed, and I was leaning on my hand, my elbow planted on the table. I'm surprised my father didn't say something. He always had a thing about elbows on the table when we were growing up, and he's on the other side of me.

  Avoiding Hunter's question, I look in my father's direction to find him engrossed in conversation with the good doctor. He's smiling, laughing, and genuinely happy.

  I'm glad one of us is.

  "Brianna," Hunter calls my name after a few minutes of silence. There's a hint of concern in his voice. I'd recognize it anywhere. He's taking the same tone with me he's taken a million other times, generally when we're with the doctors and they've just given us bad news.

  "I'm fine," I state flippantly.

  "You don't seem fine. Maybe you should go rest, skip snorkeling this afternoon."

  Maybe I should. That would give me a break from him. I can't help but look at him in a different light right now. I can't help but wonder if there's any truth to the rumors circulating.

  Hell, they see him more than I do during the week. He could have a second family, and I wouldn't know it.

  Shaking my head, I realize my thoughts are getting out of control.

  Hunter is a great man. He has his faults like anyone else, but he's still good inside. He'd never do anything to purposely hurt another person. In fact, he goes out of his way most of the time to make sure the needs of others are met before his own.

  "Yeah. I think I will," I say, tossing my napkin down on my untouched plate and pushing my chair back.

  Without saying goodbye to anyone, I leave the restaurant and head back to the room. I can feel people staring as I walk away. It makes me curious if they are looks of concern or contempt.

  I can guess which look Ally is sporting.

  My phone chimes the second my head hits the pillow. Reaching over to turn it off, I notice it's a text from Megan and decide to answer it.

  MEGAN: You okay?

  ME: Fine.

  MEGAN: You can lie to everyone else but not to me. Is this about last night?

  ME: I didn't sleep. I'm going to take a nap.

  MEGAN: B, don't let this ruin the last day of vacation. This is supposed to be one of the happiest days of your life.

  That was the day I originally married Hunter. Yesterday, not so much. It started off great, but then Ally found a way to ruin it. She seems to find a way to ruin everything.

  ME: I just need some sleep. I'll see you tonight for dinner and drinks. Have fun.

  Before she can reply, I turn my phone off and roll toward the center of the bed. Toward where Hunter would normally be.

  When we first got together, we'd spend hours lying awake at night, facing each other, talking about anything and everything. We still do it from time to time, but at the end of a long day, he has a hard time keeping his eyes open. I can't blame him for that. He's up before the sun rises most days, works anywhere from ten to twelve hours, and is practically a zombie by the time we crawl under the covers.

  Most of the time we skip talking, have sex and then go to sleep.

  It has been for a while since we’ve laid here and just enjoyed each other’s company. Talked about our day.

  Since we found out there was no chance we could get pregnant, sex has been our go-to form of interaction. Maybe it's because the alternative, talking about the situation, is scary. Painful. Heartbreaking.

  Every time we do talk about it, it makes the situation real. We both seem to experience the reality of the truth again. The shock and pain of when we first found out are there, suffocating me. My heart aching in my chest.

  Before this trip, I vowed to let it go. To find a way to move on because the alternative is not an option. I can't stay in bed all day and wallow. I need to get back to the person I was before my heart was broken by my inadequate body.

  Before any of that happens, I need to talk to my husband about the rumor. I need to know why he's sneaking around and having secret meetings. Who he's meeting with and why.

  And that's exactly what I plan to do. Talk to him. After I see for myself what's going on. He still thinks I'm going to my dad’s to clean his house after this. And I will, for a day or two. Maybe if he thinks I'm not going to be home, he'll let his guard down.

  I'm going to need an extra set of eyes, someone on the inside, and a place to hide for a few days, but I have a feeling that won't be a problem.

  A plan begins to formulate in my head as my eyes close, the distant sound of the waves crashing against the shore lulling me to sleep.

  "Are you sure you don't want me to come with you? You haven't been feeling good," Hunter says as he hands my luggage to the lady behind the ticketing counter.

  The rest of our party is already through security, probably at their gate. Their plane home leaves in less than an hour while mine won't leave for closer to two hours, giving me plenty of time to get my plan in motion.

  "I'm fine, I promise. It's only for a week. Dad will be home in a few days, and once I'm sure he's settling in okay, I'll book a flight home."

  Zane booked me a one-way ticket to my hometown. I wasn't sure how long I'd have, or want, to stay. It's going to be hard to walk back into my parents’ house and find it empty. The walls are probably still covered in photos of the memories we made growing up. Camping trips. Disneyland. Graduations and weddings.

  With my ticket in hand, Hunter walks with me through security until we have to part ways. His gate is at one end of the terminal, and mine is at the other. Just as he's about to say something, the announcement over the loudspeaker calls for his plane to begin boarding.

  "I have to go. Promise you'll call me when you get there," he demands, pulling me in for a hug and kissing me on the top of the head.

  "Promise," I say, my voice lacking any emotion. Thankfully he can't see my face. I couldn't even force a smile.

  As soon as he releases me, I turn and walk away from him.

  Since we met, we've only said goodbye to each other once under similar circumstances. Aside from short business trips, we've spent a total of maybe two weeks apart in the last twelve years.

  Our goodbyes have always been long, drawn out, emotional.

  I'm keeping my emotions under lock and key right now. There's no time for tears. They don't change anything. Until I have proof one way or the other, there's nothing to cry about.

  Once I'm seated at my gate and the final boarding call for Hunter's plane is announced, I pick up my phone and make the call I've been dreading.

  When I started to work out the details of my plan, I decided I didn't want to ask any of the girls for help. They rely too much on gossip for information. That excluded Emerson, Justine, and Ally as viable options. Not that I would ask Ally for anything. Ever. Especially help.

  Megan was my first choice, but I know she has Amara this week, and with it being summer break, it would be hard for her to sneak around and follow Hunter.

  Angela became my second choice, but I'm not sure I can trust her not to tell Tyler. They don't keep things from each other. I contemplated pulling in Ryder, but his lo
yalty to Hunter is strong. And he detests secrets as much as Tyler. That crossed all of them off the list.

  Which left me with no one.

  At least, that's what I thought at first. It wasn't until Hunter got a call last night that I realized there is still one person who might be willing to help me out. One person who sees everything in the office. Whose job it is to know where everyone is at all times.

  The hub of the office.

  The one who keeps it running day in and day out.

  Dixon Advertising wouldn't be what it is today if Herman hadn't found Helen all those years ago and convinced her to work for him. It was more like begged, but that's neither here nor there.

  "Dixon Advertising, how may I direct your call?" Helen asks as she answers the phone.

  "Hi, Helen, it's Brianna."

  "Miss Brianna," she exclaims with delight. "How was your vacation?"

  "It was wonderful, thank you."

  "Is everything okay with Mr. Dixon?" she inquires, quickly realizing that I'm calling the office when he should be with me. I doubt she’s aware I’m headed to my father’s house and not home with Hunter.

  The office officially reopened this morning but since our entire wedding party is on their way back right now, none of them will be reporting until tomorrow.

  "He's fine, thank you. I was actually calling to ask a favor of you."

  "Of course. What can I do for you today?"

  "This needs to stay between me and you if that's okay. I know some people hate secrets, but this needs to be one."

  I'm not sure why I feel the need to preface this with her. Helen is one of the most secretive people I know. She keeps to herself even though she sees everything.

  "I can keep a secret if you need me to, Miss Brianna."

  "Good, because I think you may be the only person able to help me."

  Launching into my plan with Helen, she listens diligently, asking questions as she thinks of them. Thirty minutes later, we are on the same page. Tomorrow everything is put into motion, and as long as all goes well, I'll be flying home the day after.