Chapter 41: Forgiveness is an F Word, Too


    Monica opened the door wearing a long, white nightgown made of silk, her dark hair hanging down


    past her shoulders, her makeup perfect, and her expression innocent. “Hi, babe,” she said, stepping


    aside so Trent coulde in. “What’s going on?”


    He took a deep breath and crossed into the room, thinking the threshold was a point of no return he


    couldn’t go back from. “I have something important to talk to you about, Monica, and I need the truth


    from you, okay?”


    She studied him for a moment, her eyes narrowed before she nodded. “Okay. What’s going on?” She


    gave a nervousugh, and Trent ran his hands down his face as she sat down on the sofa.


    He didn’t feel like sitting. He wanted to pace, possibly il his hands irrationally. But he needed to keep


    his head on straight, so he sat down a good two feet from her, folded his hands, and breathed deeply.


    “Monica, it’se to my attention that you might be… seeing someone else. Behind my back.”


    An eyebrow lifted and she studied him carefully for several moments before she said. “Who told you


    that?”


    “That’s your response? Not a denial?”


    “No, of course, I’ll deny it. I just wonder who in the world would dare say something like that to you.


    Who would dare stick their nose into our business and make up such awful lies? Was it Hank? Was it


    when he was drunkst night? You know how he gets when he’s drinking.”


    Trent couldn’t possibly sell Bree out. If he told Monica it was her, she’d lose it, and Bree didn’t need


    Monica’s wrath in her life right now, even if she was right. “It doesn’t matter who told me. What I want to


    know is why you’re not being honest with me now. Monica, I can tell when you’re not beingpletely


    honest. Your upper lip tightens. Are you saying you’ve never slept with anyone else since we’ve been


    seriously dating?”


    She ran a hand through her hair and scratched her head, and Trent’s heart melted. He knew what that


    meant. She had cheated on him. “All right. I’ll be honest, Trent. It’s true. I did sleep with someone else.


    But it only happened once. We were both drunk, and it was a long time ago, back when you and I first


    started dating. I’m so sorry, baby. But believe me, it meant nothing. And I wanted to tell you. But I didn’t


    want you to be mad at him.”


    Trent’s mind was swimming. He leaned his head back on the top of the couch and stared up at the


    ceiling, trying to get his head to stop spinning in circles. At least she’d told him the truth. She hadn’t


    denied it, at least not for long.


    Monica’s thin fingers wrapped around his wrist. Her hand was cold. It was always cold. When she


    touched his hand, he never felt that warm excitement, that tingling sensation, he’d noted earlier when


    Bree’s hand had been in his.


    “Believe me, Trent, I’ve regretted that day since it happened. There’s been so many times I wanted to


    He looked at her. “Because it was Hank or because it was you?”


    “Both! He’s supposed to be your best friend. He should’ve never put me in that situation. I mean, I do


    take responsibility. I also made a horrible choice. If I hadn’t been with him before you and I started


    dating, I never would’ve even considered it.”


    “I thought you said you were drunk.”


    “Yeah, I was. But I think it was because he was so familiar that made me lose my mind. I’m so very


    sorry, baby.” Tears started rolling down her cheeks. “Please, please don’t call the wedding off. I know it


    was wrong. It’ll never happen again. God, if you were to call things off now, it would be so


    embarrassing. For both of us.”


    “Is that the only reason you don’t want me to call the wedding off, Monica? Because you’ll be


    embarrassed?”


    Her face went white. “No, of course not. I love you, and I want to be with you. I just meant… I can’t


    even fathom you ever walking away from me. I know we can work this out. But please don’t call off the


    wedding while we figure things out. Trent, I love you so much. More than anything. Please, believe


    me.”


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    He opened his mouth to argue with her, but no words came out, and Monica took the opportunity to


    kiss him. Pushing her off was moreplicated than it should’ve been. She deepened the kiss, and


    Trent wrapped his arms around her.


    Believing her was the easy thing to do. It was the straight and narrow path, with no twists or turns, no


    steep hills to climb, no treacherous drop offs. But he needed some time to think.


    Putting his hands on her shoulders, he pushed her back slightly and freed his mouth. “I need to go


    think this over, Monica.”


    The tears were back now. “Are you sure?”


    He nodded and stood before she had a chance to kiss him again. “I’ll talk to youter, okay?”


    “Before the rehearsal?”


    “Yes.” Trent walked to the door, his hands in his pockets, hoping he could sort all of this out before the


    rehearsal dinner because it seemed like a further waste of everyone’s time to practice for a wedding


    that wasn’t going to take ce.