Free The Hidden Life by Erin Noelle

hurt for both of them, wishing more than anything this would all go away.
    But it wouldn’t.
    “Holy shit is right,” I agreed with a sigh. “I went for a run first thing this morning and saw those outside the first newsstand I passed. When you check your phone, you’ll see I tried calling you, but I figured you guys were passed out cold after yesterday, so I sprinted straight back home and headed over here.”
    Neither of them said anything, and though I figured the shock would take a while to wear off, we didn’t have a while. Acting fast was key. And someone needed to take the lead. By process of elimination, I became it.
    “Okay, guys, we’ve got three separate issues we need to deal with,” I explained. “I’m assuming you haven’t told Colin?”
    Oliver held up a hand and shook his head. “Hold on, man. I know we’ve got a lot to talk about, but give us a minute or two to catch our breath.”
    Again, my instinct told me to not waste time, to make prompt decisions and to move swiftly, but when I got a glimpse of Monroe’s detached, heartbroken eyes, I couldn’t bring it in me to interrupt Oliver from his attempts to calm and comfort her. I would’ve done the same thing for Colin had the roles been reversed.
    “I was waiting until the end of the season so I didn’t add to the stress of everything else he had going on with you guys and then the injury,” Monroe suddenly peered up at me through her watery eyes and answered my previous question. “After he came back from Miami, he practically moved into the team facility, and now they just keep winning, prolonging it.”
    I lifted my hands in surrender and offered an understanding smile. “You don’t need to explain anything to me, Roe. I get why you haven’t, and you also know how I feel about the whole situation. I just needed to know what level of pissed-offness we’re gonna be dealing with when he gets home… which is at what time exactly?”
    “I think the team plane is scheduled to land early this afternoon, around one or two.”
    Pacing the floor, I rubbed my hands rapidly up and down my face. “Right, okay then. So back to the three issues. First is dealing with an enraged, completely irrational, ready-to-turn-into-the-Incredible-Hulk Colin when he gets home. Second, we need to figure out how someone was able to get that picture from your backyard. We can call the security monitoring service and get the video feed from last night. If you know about what time this was taken, that’ll help. It can’t undo the damage that’s been done, but if you can identify who took it and have evidence he was trespassing, you can press charges.”
    “What’s the third?” Monroe asked.
    “Figuring out how to get him out of here with the media already camped out in the front,” I replied, tipping my head toward Oliver.
    “In the front?!” Monroe yelled at the same time Oliver declared emphatically, “I’m not going anywhere!”
    I stopped pacing mid-stride and scowled at both of them. “Yes, out front,” I snapped. “What did you expect? Your face is plastered on the front page of every daily in print and on every news channel you turn to, locally and nationally.”
    “But — ” she attempted to argue, but I quickly cut her off.
    “No but anything!” I whisper-shouted. “This is a huge fucking story, Monroe. Your husband is the starting quarterback for one of the teams in the upcoming Super Bowl, and last night, while he was off busy winning the city an AFC Championship, you were banging your coworker in your house, using a sick kid as an excuse to stay here with your lover. The whole story is right here.” I snatched one of the papers from the table and lifted it in the air, pointing at the printed words beneath their picture. “Somehow, they knew all of it… about JoJo and everything. They’re going to massacre both of you, your families. Mending Hearts is going to be called into question. I know you’re in shock right now, but I