Chapter 17
NORA
It rose up so fast it surprised me, some reckless pull toward honesty I hadn't let myself feel in front of anyone since I woke up back in that room with the water-stained ceiling. I almost said, no, actually, my husband is in love with my best friend and has been for years, and I'm building a case against him one quiet night at a time, and I married another man in secret the morning of my wedding to you all, and none of this is what it looks like, Leo, none of it.
I caught myself half a second before any of it made it past my lips, my mouth actually opening around the shape of the first word before I swallowed it back down.
"It's an adjustment," I said instead, which wasn't a lie, exactly, just smaller than the truth by a wide, careful margin.
Leo watched me for a seco
