By Saturday afternoon, I'd checked Lauren's location twice.

She'd sent me a photo from a gas station three hours away. I knew exactly where she was.

At seven, I changed outfits three times and drove to her house.

Richard answered on the second knock.

“Natalie?” His eyes dropped to the wine in my hand. “Everything all right?”

“Is Lauren home?”

He stared at me.

“Oh,” I said. “Right. The concert.”

“The one she's been talking about for a month?”

“Some of us have lives, Richard.”

“Clearly.” He stepped aside. “Come in.”

I'd visited hundreds of times. Tonight even my footsteps sounded different.

Richard took the bottle. “I'll get glasses.”

“You don't have to entertain me.”

“You're already here. Seems a shame to waste a perfectly good trespass.”

I watched him open the wine. Excellent decision, Natalie.

He put on a record. I told him about a colleague who'd complained about meetings in an email sent during a meeting.

Richard laughed into his glass.

I liked making him laugh. And not talking about Daniel.

After a glass each, I stretched out.

“I'm revising my review,” I announced.

“Of the kitchen?”

“Of the owner.”

Richard glanced over. “Should I be concerned?”

“I'm weighing the pros and cons.”

“Any pros?”

“Good wine. Excellent listening skills.” I looked him over. “Decent-looking.”

“Decent?”

“For a man your age.”

He laughed softly. “Careful.”

“Or what?”

Richard set his glass down. When he turned to face me, the smile had gone.

“You knew Lauren wasn't here tonight.”

My stomach gave a delighted little drop. “I forgot.”

“No, you didn't.”

I couldn't quite look away.

“You came here to see me, Natalie.”

“What if I did?” I asked.

Richard stood. For a terrible second, I thought he'd show me the door. Instead, he stopped in front of me and held out his hand.

“Then stop making me guess.”

I took it.

He drew me to my feet. Up close, his gray hair and laugh lines were even more attractive. He waited.

“Are you going to kiss me?” I asked.

“I was hoping you'd ask.”

And then he did.

I forgot everything I'd planned to say. I kissed him back without hesitation.

When we pulled apart, Richard smiled.

“Still revising that review?”

“Shut up,” I told him, and kissed him again.

We went upstairs. His bedroom door closed, and for once I stopped thinking about what came next.

Near midnight, I lay beside him grinning at the ceiling.

It had been wonderful. I couldn't remember feeling so wanted, so happy in my own skin. I wasn't about to admit that aloud.

Richard brushed hair away from my face.

“What?” he asked.

“Nothing.”

“You've been smiling at the ceiling for five minutes.”

“It's a very nice ceiling.”

“Thank you. I chose it myself.”

I laughed and curled closer. His arm came around me. I was warm, pleasantly tired, and very pleased with my terrible decisions.

Downstairs, the front door slammed.

Richard went still.

“Dad?” Lauren called. “They canceled the whole concert!”

I sat upright.

“She's not supposed to be home,” I whispered.

“I know.”

Something hit the hall floor.

“Dad? Why's Natalie's bag here?”

My shoes. My bag. Two glasses downstairs.

Footsteps on the stairs.

Richard swung his legs out of bed. “Lauren, hang on—”

The door flew open.

She stared at us, then at our clothes on the floor. Her face changed.

“You have got to be kidding me.”

“Lauren,” I started.

“Don't.” She looked at Richard. “And you? Seriously?”

Richard stepped toward her. “We're both responsible.”

“I'm talking to Natalie!”

I clutched the sheet to my chest.

“How long?” Lauren demanded.

“Tonight,” I said. “Just tonight.”

Lauren let out a sharp laugh. “You knew I was going away. You knew exactly where I'd be.”

I couldn't deny she'd caught me lying.

“Lauren, please.”

She looked at me for a long moment. Her eyes were wet, and somehow that was worse than the shouting.

“I brought you into this house because I thought you were family.”

Well, that Saturday night certainly didn't go according to plan. Whose reaction hit you hardest when Lauren opened that door? Would you have reacted the same way she did? Tell us below, because this one is going to divide people.