Hannah spoke first.
“He came over because I called him.”
Ethan slowly turned toward her.
“At ten-thirty at night?”
“It wasn’t supposed to be this late.”
Ethan glanced at her clothes.
“Apparently it became late.”
Hannah pulled the robe tighter around herself.
“Nothing happened.”
Ryan looked at the floor.
That was the wrong reaction.
Ethan saw it immediately.
He turned.
“What happened?”
“Ethan…”
“I’m talking to him.”
Ryan looked up.
His face was full of shame.
“We kissed.”
Hannah closed her eyes.
Ethan said nothing.
The silence somehow felt more frightening than shouting.
Ryan continued.
“It shouldn’t have happened.”
Ethan’s jaw tightened.
“When?”
“Tonight.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
Ryan hesitated.
Ethan stepped closer.
“When did this start?”
Hannah began crying.
“Ethan, please.”
He looked at her.
“How long?”
She shook her head.
“It wasn’t an affair.”
“How long?”
“Nothing happened before tonight.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“It’s true.”
Ryan nodded.
“It is.”
Ethan looked between them.
“So let me understand.”
His voice was almost unnaturally calm.
“I leave town for nine days.”
Neither spoke.
“My girlfriend gets lonely.”
Hannah flinched.
“She calls one of my friends.”
“It wasn’t like that.”
“He comes to my house.”
Ryan looked down.
“You spend the evening together.”
Hannah wiped her face.