Page 92 of Want to Know a Secret?

“Yeah…” She squeezes her hands together. Maria is attractive, but not as attractive as April. April is beautiful. And several years younger than Maria too. “But she could hire an exterminator. Sean doesn’t have to come running over there every single time. I mean, do you think she would… Do you think it’s possible…”

“Well,” I say slowly, “you trust Sean, don’t you?”

“Yes,” she says firmly.

“So there you go.”

But it’s clear Maria still feels anxious about the whole thing. I can see it on her face. She trusts Sean, but maybe not more than she mistrusts April.

“Why don’t we go over there?” I suggest. “We can make up some excuse.”

She must be truly suspicious, because she agrees to go over to April’s house. As we walk next-door, my stomach turns to butterflies. I’m not even sure what I’m hoping we’ll find. Part of me wants her to discover Sean and April going at it, so she’ll see what April is really like. But mostly, I don’t want Maria’s marriage destroyed. She’s had a hard life, and she doesn’t deserve that. And I also want to believe Sean is a good guy.

As we approach the front door, I can hear the voices coming from the backyard. Sean and April talking. Even from far away, I can hear the flirtatious tone in April’s voice.

Maria looks pale, and I get a sinking feeling in my stomach. This doesn’t sound good.

We don’t end up knocking on the front door. I motion to Maria, and we walk along the side of the house so we can hear directly into the backyard. We can make out every word perfectly.

“I don’t know how to thank you, Sean.” April’s voice is dripping with suggestion. “You have been so kind. I don’t know what I would do without you.”

“Uh, well, no problem.”

A long pause follows. I imagine April running her hand along his biceps. I look at Maria and know she’s imagining the same. “If there’s anything I can do for you. Anything at all…”

“It’s fine.”

“I have an idea. Why don’t we go inside and have a beer together? I got this amazing beer from Amsterdam. You would love it.”

“April…”

“Oh, come on. Maria won’t mind. One beer.”

Maria’s eyes are wide as her husband contemplates following his sexy neighbor into the house. I want to reach out and hug her.

“I better go,” Sean says. “It’s getting late.”

“Don’t be silly. It’s still early. And I made cupcakes too. Come on.”

“No, I really… I have to go.”

Maria and I barely have time to scramble out of the way before Sean bursts through the gate out of the backyard. His own eyes widen when he sees us standing there. All the color drains from his face.

“Maria,” he murmurs. He looks mortified. “I…”

She just blinks at him. She’s holding back tears.

“I’m not going over there anymore,” he says firmly. He glances at me, then picks up Maria’s limp hand. “Okay?”

She nods silently.

He runs a hand through his messy hair, and I notice his hand is shaking. “I’m sorry,” he says softly.

Of course, Sean hasn’t done anything wrong. He was just trying to be a good neighbor and April was the one who tried to lure him over. He turned her down although I suspect part of him was tempted. In any case, I don’t think he’s going to eat any more of her brownies.

Oh, and Maria hates April now.

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