Raindrops on Roses: Book One of the Favorite Things Trilogy by Millenia Black

eyes,
staring at her now, were so distant. They're lighting up for someone else now , she thought.
    It tore her to pieces.
    "You cheated on me ," she said through
clenched teeth. She pointed a finger at him that may as well have
been a dagger. "And I forgave you ."
    "Yes," he replied. "And
I'm truly sorry that you found out about me dating Priscilla the
way that you did. I really am. I know it was hurtful, and I never meant to
hurt you, but,"—he paused as if realizing it for the first
time—"that had nothing to do with you, Amber."
    " Nothing to do with me? How in the
hell could it have nothing to do with me, Michael? We live together! We're
practically married, and you say you screwing someone else has
nothing to do with me?!"
    "Amber, look. Let's not go any further with
this, okay? It's not gonna change anything. I'm moving out tonight.
You can stay here as long as you like. Renew the lease in your own
name, but this is over," he said, motioning between them. "We can't
go on like this anymore."
    "But...what about the baby?" she croaked in
desperation.
    "Stop it, Amber," he said firmly. "You're
twenty-seven years old—stop with the high school games. We both
know you're not a bit more pregnant than I am."
    She felt the walls closing in now.
Suspecting his disbelief she could cope with, but hearing it
verbalized? Sent Amber careening over the edge and she slapped him
in the face.
    "What the—"
    "How dare you?" she
shouted, getting up. "How dare you dump me now! You have no proof that I'm not pregnant,
Michael, and yet you'd leave me for that fucking slut with a Black
Card?"
    Saying nothing, his jaw red and no doubt
stinging from the slap, Michael left the table and just walked out
of the kitchen. First he went into the spare bedroom, which doubled
as his home office, pulled out his suitcase, bags and carrying
cases, then headed into their bedroom where he quickly started
packing as Amber yelled insults at him the entire time.
    "You're making a huge
mistake, Michael! Do you hear me? And you'll never get away with
it! Karma's a bitch! Do you hear
me? I've given my all to this goddamn
relationship and I deserved no less from you, you asshole!
Especially now that I'm carrying your baby, you selfish bastard!"
She started sobbing, her chest heaving with panic. "Oh, my God! Oh,
my God! When your
fucking mother croaked and life knocked you flat on your
ass—who picked you up, Michael? Me , that's who! How
quickly we forget! Where the hell was Priscilla fucking Bauer back
then, Michael? Where?! " Amber gulped air, near hysteria. "Just you wait! Karma's
a fucking bitch!"
    She was standing in the
living room as he left the bedroom carrying a suitcase and two
shoulder bags. "You worthless bastard! " she yelled, wanting to
provoke him into yelling back. "I can't believe you're doing this!
Where's your conscience, Michael? Where's your goddamn
conscience?"
    Giving no reply, Michael stepped right
passed her and took his things out the front door.
    "Hey!" she shouted from
the doorway. "Are you listening to me?! Karma's a bitch, Michael
goddamn Frost! And you should be fucking ashamed of yourself for
doing this to me! To me ! You won't get away with it!"
    When he came back for his other bags, she
was blocking the doorway, expecting a confrontation. But Michael
just stood there on the steps for a moment, shaking his head before
turning around and heading back to his car. She watched him cast
one last, pitiful glance in her direction before sliding into the
car and roaring away.
    Closing the door, Amber collapsed in the
foyer. It didn't take long for the room to start spinning.
    She knew she should get
up. Get her mom on the phone. Call Elaine. Call someone who could tell her what the
fuck to do next. Someone who'd know how to fix this mess and get
Michael to come back to his senses, because she was not giving up. This was
nothing more than a very cruel—and temporary—lapse in judgment on his part
and she needed help to make him realize