Intervene

{if Just Leave = true}

The best defense is a good offense, so rather than think of a reason why you're at the coffee shop, you decide to turn it back on the pair, and have them explain to you exactly why they're meeting together in such a secluded place without your knowledge.

{else}

You have to stop them from talking any further about what's going to happen on Friday. The worst possible thing to happen would be both your wife and friend finding out that you've been lying to and tricking them for the past few days. Even if they think it's strange that you're not in the office like you should be, you're sure that you can think of something.

So, during the silence while Matt thinks about Ariana's reply, you whip around and put on an expression of fake shock on your face.

"Honey? Matt?" You gasp and immediately think you might be lying on the act a bit heavily, so you straighten your face.

Your wife and your best friend look up at you. Matt looks puzzled to see you here at the coffee shop, but Ariana's reaction is worse, as she freezes like a rabbit facing down an oncoming car. She stares at you with wide, petrified chocolate eyes, as if you're a ghost. Then as if only just realizing where her hand is, you see her eyes twitch as she tries not to look down while she snaps her arm back and finally withdraws her hand from his.

"Eric?" Matt says in confusion.

You don't smile, but you feel triumphant. Just making yourself known seems to have completely derailed Matt from thinking any deeper about Ariana's reply.

"W-what are you doing here?" your wife asks, her voice nervous.{endif}

"I think that should be my question," you deflect, and look from your best friend to you wife and back again.

"Uuuuuh," your wife's brain lags.

Matt arches an eyebrow and you realize you may have run into a the same problem but just in a different manner. Since Matt thinks Ariana knows about the sex date, he probably doesn't think there's any problem with the two of them meeting. In truth, it's because of the sex date that you're feeling more subconscious about the two of them seeing each other behind your back.

"We, um, just met up," your wife lies. "You weren't around and I didn't want to sit at home alone."

"You should just tell him, Ari," Matt encourages her. "He's gonna find out soon."

"You think?" she bites her lip as she looks to your best friend. You feel weird, seeing her turn to him for support to tell you something but since your plan is working you don't want to rock the boat. "I mean, I know I should, I...I'm kinda on the spot right now."

Matt just shrugs. "I keep telling you he won't be as upset as you think."

"That's my line too," you say, frowning again at their closeness. "You can tell me anything."

"Well, okay, the truth is, I bought a dress, but you already knew that, right?" Ariana turns her big brown eyes on you. "Matt said he mentioned it to you."

"That's right," you agree, realizing you must have missed that part of the conversation. "He said you sent him a picture of the dress you're wearing on Friday."

You keep your statement vague so that neither Matt or Ariana should be suspicious.

"Well, he needed to see the options I was choosing from," Ariana points out as she seemed to understand that you might have interpreted her sending photos to another man badly. "But if you knew I bought a new dress why didn't you mention it?"

"I was waiting for you to bring it up," you lie, and avoid letting her know that you already peeked at her phone. But with Matt being so supportive, you also have to play the part of understanding boyfriend. "I knew you'd tell me when you were ready.

"Oh really? Thanks for trusting in me, sweetie," her face beams at you. "But that trust is why I had a hard time telling you. Not because I bought a dress, but because it was a lot more expensive than I have intended to spend. I really felt so bad after you said I could dip into the budget to get it."

"You don't have to worry about that," you tell her and open your arms. "I'm sure it was worth every dollar."

Your wife rises and accepts your hug, as she snuggles into your chest with her head against your shoulder You can feel how warm she is next to your skin, but she's also trembling slightly. Is it because she's nervous about telling you about the dress, you wonder? Or is she anxious for another reason? You look at Matt while you hug your wife. He's watching you both, but he has a neutral expression on his face so you can't tell what he's thinking.

The hug ends and your wife sits down again, opposite your best friend. No one says anything and you realize its your cue to leave. This is the worst part of your plan to intervene because now you can't stay to watch them further.

"Well, I'll be off now," you say with disappointment and turn towards the door.

"Wait," your wife calls out to you. "You still never told us why you were here when you told me you were working late."

Now your brain staggers and stalls as your mouth hangs open. You either need to think of a good reason why you're at the coffee shop when you should be working, or you need to get out of there ASAP.