The Adulterer's Unofficial Guide to Family Vacations, A Novel by Leslie Langtry Page A

“Sorry?”
    He shifted uneasily in his seat, removing his arm from my shoulders, “For all of this.I started…”
    “Something I was just as willing to do.You can’t take all the blame for this.It’s my fault too.”Alan looked down at his drink, and then slid it aside.
    “So,” his eyes focused on mine, “what are we going to do?”
    I wanted another drink.I really did.However, that wouldn’t solve anything and I would have a nasty hangover in the morning.Not that I didn’t deserve it.
    “I don’t know.What are the options?” Perhaps it was unfair to throw the ball back into his court.
    “Well,” he began thoughtfully, “we could go home, and pretend this never happened.”A sharp pain developed in my stomach at the sound of that.
    “Or we could leave our spouses and move in together.”The flip-flop in my heart outranked the aforementioned stomach cramp.
    I licked my lips slowly.The bartender shot me a look.I shook my head and he turned away.
    “The first option is definitely the easiest.The second requires complete chaos.”
    Alan nodded, waiting for me to go on.
    The problem was, I didn’t really know what I wanted.Between the hectic days with the kids and the steamy nights with my lover, I hadn’t really done much thinking.But here he was, waiting for me to say something brilliant.The problem was that I drank away any chances of being brilliant quite a while ago.
    “Alan, did you mean it last night when you said you loved me?”
    He looked again at his wedding ring, as if hoping for some kabballahistic wisdom to appear as an inscription.How very Lord of the Rings.
    “Yes.”His voice was very quiet, “I don’t think I ever stopped loving you, even after all these years.”
    “Oh.”
    Alan glared at me, “Oh?!Is that all you have to say?”
    I shook my head, “No.It’s just that I haven’t had any time to think about it.I’ve kind of been swept up in the romance and lust.We haven’t talked about it, so I didn’t think your feelings were that serious.”
    His eyes grew wide, “I suppose you’re right.I turned down every opportunity to discuss this.”Alan placed his hands on mine, “Do you love me Laura?”
    This would have been a good time for that terrorist attack.Hell, I even wanted Terry to return!Maybe in a G-string with a dozen yellow roses and my name tattooed across his chest.That would be a lot easier to handle than this one, simple question.
    “I do love you, Alan.But I also thought I loved Nick.I just don’t know what to do.”My fingers interlaced through his and I thought I could sense relief.
    “We should get back.” Alan threw a couple of twenties on the bar and took me by the arm, leading me out to the street.As if by magic, a cab appeared and we rode silently back to the hotel.Somewhere, in the boozy fog, I thought I heard a motorcycle engine.My drunken brain was adding paranoia to the evening’s events.
    Once again, the kids were asleep and we sent Martha home.My buzz was wearing off and I was jittery.Alan ran down to the gift shop and returned with a six pack of beer and we set up the chairs in the darkness outside.
    “I think I should be honest with you,” he began unsteadily, “it might help.”
    “I wish you would.”It wasn’t a rebuke.This whole mess would be easier to sort out if we were absolutely truthful.Right?
    He sighed heavily, weighing his words, “I’ve never really gotten over you.I love my wife, but I used to think of you.All the time at first, then less and less.But you were still a major fixture in my heart.”Those eyes looked deeply into mine, “Does that make sense?”
    “Of course it does.I’ve never forgotten you either.And I really love being with you here.”
    Alan took one of my hands in his and began stroking my palm with his thumb.“But you’re wondering if this is real?”
    “Yes, I am.”My fingers moved slowly, caressing his skin.There definitely was an unmistakable chemistry between us, “I mean, this place isn’t