Chapter 1: The Table She Took From Me
A woman threw a fit over my reserved table until the restaurant gave it to her — 30 minutes later, my husband walked in and hugged her.
I'd planned a surprise anniversary dinner for my husband and me.
I wore Richard's favorite green dress and even did my hair the way he liked it.
I chose a nice restaurant just a few minutes from Richard's office so it would be easy for him to get there after work.
I booked the table without telling him where we were going.
All he knew was that we were meeting at 7 p.m.
I'd told him I'd send him the address before he left work.
I'd left home early because I was worried about traffic, but for once, the roads were completely clear.
I arrived at the restaurant almost forty minutes before our reservation.
I figured I'd have a drink and wait for Richard.
But when I walked in, another couple was already seated at my reserved table.
At first, I assumed the restaurant had made a mistake.
"Excuse me.
I think this is my table."
The woman barely looked at me.
"We're already sitting here."
"I have a reservation."
"So do we."
A waiter hurried over and checked.
"Martha, 7 p.m., table 12?"
"Yes."
He turned to the couple and politely explained that there'd been a mistake.
That's when the woman lost it.
"We've already ordered!
I'm not getting up in the middle of dinner because someone else showed up!"
People at the nearby tables started staring.
"Then get your manager.
Because I'm not moving."
The manager came over, apologized, and tried to convince her to move.
She refused.
Finally, he turned to me.
"I'm terribly sorry.
Would you mind if we moved your reservation to another table?"
I was furious.
I didn't want our anniversary dinner to start with a screaming match.
So I agreed.
As I walked away, I glanced back.
The woman was watching me.
And smiling.
I sat at another table and checked my phone.
Richard had texted me twenty minutes earlier.
"Running behind at work.
I might be a little late tonight."
Then I heard the woman behind me.
"Just text him.
Tell him we're already here."
The man sitting with her picked up his phone.
A moment later, he said:
"He's running late."
Something about that made me look over.
The woman caught my eye again.
Same little smile.
Then another message from Richard appeared.
"Work's a mess.
Let's just meet at home tonight.
No surprises this time, okay?
I'm sorry."
I stared at the message.
So much for my anniversary surprise.
I was already there, so I decided to stay and have dinner by myself.
Then, barely five minutes later, the woman suddenly sat up.
"Finally."
I followed her gaze toward the entrance.
And my stomach dropped.
Richard had just walked into the restaurant — the man who was supposedly still stuck at work.
The man I'd never even told which restaurant I'd booked.
For a second, I thought he'd seen me.
He hadn't.
Richard walked straight toward them.
The woman stood up.
And hugged my husband.
Richard hugged her back.
I couldn't move.
The man sitting with her stood and shook Richard's hand.
They knew each other.
They'd been waiting for him.
I stood up.
"Richard?"
All three of them turned.
My husband's face went white.
"Martha..."
He immediately looked at the woman.
She didn't look embarrassed.
If anything, she looked annoyed that I was there.
I looked from her to my husband.
"Richard, who is this woman?"
But before he could answer, she turned to him.
"You said she wasn't coming!"
---
Who is she — and how did Richard know exactly where to go?
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