Cheating to Survive (Fix It or Get Out) by Christine Ardigo Page A

frozen yogurt off her spoon, sucking milk up the straw with intense drags and crunching on each grape as if it was a Godiva chocolate truffle.
    “So where do you think Catherine is?” Heather asked. “It’s not like her to call in sick. God forbid she missed one day of work, helping all these defenseless patients. What would they do without her?”
    “Stop, she’s new at this and excited. I’m sure you were like this when you first started.”
    “Oh, I was the ultimate dietitian geek. Stayed late every day, did daily meal rounds, ran down to the kitchen several times a day to get the patients whatever they wanted.”
    “See, Heather the nerd. Who would’ve thought? Now look at you.” Victoria studied her reaction. Heather put down her spoon and examined Victoria’s expression in return. “What’s going on, Heather?”
    Her eyes widened and then glanced at her Styrofoam bowl. She looked back at Victoria and her face changed.
    “You met him, didn’t you?”
    “Who?”
    “That guy. Nicolo.”
    Heather sank into her chair. “Nicolo?” She laughed. “No. I definitely did not see him.”
    “Then what is it? Something’s up, you’re too happy.”
    “I can’t be happy?”
    “Heather, Jean almost mauled you this morning with insults and you just blinked and agreed to whatever she suggested.”
    “I have to do that catering event with her Friday night, what do you want me to do?”
    “Please. Now I know something’s up. You never miss a beat when it comes to slinging it back at her. Spill it.”
    Heather peered over her shoulders and then bent in leaving only six inches between her and Victoria. She opened her mouth and then shut it. Victoria drew her eyebrows together and refused to let her evade the question.
    “You can’t tell anyone,” she began.
    “You’ve never kept anything from me in the five years we’ve worked together. And when have I ever repeated anything you’ve said?”
    Heather flashed a smile. “Okay, but...” She lowered her voice further until barely a whisper crept out. “I slept with Dr. Silvatri over the weekend.” Heather plopped back in her chair and winced.
    Victoria’s jaw plunged. The two of them studied each other. Victoria could not piece together the information. Sleeping with someone else? Cheating on Lance? Sure, she was miserable, sure he was an incredible ass, but she loved her daughters more than anything and to risk her marriage? For what? Some new doctor?
    Heather grinned like a child admitting she pulled the fire alarm in the school hallway. Victoria continued her silence. Was she upset with Heather? Victoria assumed it was that, but disappointment was not what she felt. She was actually…intrigued. Curious.
    “Are you going to give me the details or what?”
    Heather filled Victoria in on Silvatri’s flirtatious visits over the past two months, ending with this weekend’s finale. Victoria’s pulse quickened. She dragged her chair closer to Heather and heeded every word. Heather spared no details and Victoria’s mouth moistened with the vision of fiery sex. Something that no longer existed in her life.
    “How’d you feel during all of this?”
    “You’re expecting me to say guilty, right?”
    Victoria scrunched the napkin until her hand ached. “No, actually. Not at all. I was hoping to hear it was amazing, that he made you walk into walls.”
    Red crept across Heather’s cheeks. The glow colored her face into puffs of cotton candy. She blinked and jiggled her head. Victoria did not budge, she waited for her reply.
    A smirk edged up on Heathers face. “It was amazing, mind blowing. Zigzagging all over the hospital the rest of the day. Skipping through my house all night.”
    “Really? Wow. What’s going to happen now?”
    “Happen? Nothing.”
    “I mean, are you going to see him again?”
    “I saw him this morning. We snuck off into the patient’s lounge and wow, his kiss just leaves me breathless.
    “I’m confused.”
    “Me too. I’m