New Scene — After Swimming Naked…
Lina lifted her cellphone, her lips curving into a smile when she saw Phil’s name on the display. “I just turned into our neighborhood.”
“I know. I’m right behind you.”
“You’re behind me?” Her eyes lifted to the rearview mirror to see his BMW.
“Pull over,” Phil said. “Don’t turn into our driveway.”
“What? Why do—.”
“Just pull over,” he repeated before ending the call.
Moments later Lina was looking up in confusion at Phil who had opened her car door. “What are you doing?”
“Greeting my wife,” he answered, holding out his hand. “I haven’t seen you in a week.”
“It’s been three days.” She laughed as she placed her hand in his and let him help her out of the car.
“It feels like a week.” He pulled her flush against his body as one of his hands cupped the side of her jaw and the other splayed over her lower back. “Fuck I missed you,” he said before covering her mouth with his.
She wound her arms around his neck as he pressed her back against the car, one of his legs moving between her thighs. She kissed him back, forgetting momentarily that they were standing on the side of the road. “What’s gotten into you?” she asked when he finally lifted his head, her whole-body humming in awareness.
“I told you. I missed you.” His hand stroked down her back to her butt.
“Phil,” she laughed, pressing her hands into his chest. “We’re on the side of the road. Anyone could drive by.”
“So?”
“So, our house is right here. Let’s go home.” She brushed her lips over his.
“Let’s go out to dinner—just the two of us.”
“What about the kids?” She’d been looking forward to seeing Liam all day.
“They’ll survive.”
“Who’s going to watch Liam. It’s almost six. Isn’t Katie expecting us?” Katie usually relieved the babysitter by five each day and then watched Liam until Lina or Phil arrived home.
“She’ll survive. I’ll pay her to survive.”
“But I’ve been gone for three days. The kids are–“
“Their fine. They’re all fine. When was the last time we had dinner alone together?”
Lina frowned, trying unsuccessfully to remember.
“Exactly,” Phil said. “I don’t remember either.” He shifted her slightly so he could reach around her into her car. “I’m not ready to share you yet.”
Lina watched him take the keys from the ignition and grab her purse from the passenger seat. “Are you sure they’ll—”
“Positive,” he interrupted. “I’ll text her from the restaurant.”
“Stop thinking about him,” Phil said an hour and a half later. He’d just topped off her wine glass and was leaned back in his chair watching her. “He’s fine.”
“I’m not thinking about him,” Lina lied. “I just—I want to see him before he goes down for the night.”
Phil raised his eyebrows. “Do you actually think Katie is going to make him go to bed? He’ll be up.”
“How was he last night? Did he sleep through the night or—what? Why are you shaking your head?”
“Because you can’t go five minutes without asking about him.” He motioned to a passing waiter for the check.
“I just want to make sure he’s okay. It’s only been a few weeks. It’s a big change.”
“He’s fine. I promise.” He clasped her hand on top of the table. “I’m the one you should be worried about.”
“And why is that?”
“Because I need you.” He squeezed her hand. “Let’s go home and put Liam to bed. And when we’re done with that, you can take off all your clothes and put me to bed.”
“Momma!” Liam scrambled off the couch as soon as he saw Lina.
Phil slowly followed Lina into the family, watching her embrace Liam who she’d picked up.
“I missed you,” she gushed, brushing her lips over cheek. “Did you miss me.”
Liam’s response was a vice like grip around her neck as he buried his face into her hair.
Phil watched them, taking in the obvious bond between them. It was clear Lina thought of Liam as her own son.
“You’re late,” Katie said. “You owe me another twenty.”
Phil reluctantly pulled his gaze from Lina and Liam. “No. I told you fifty and I’m giving you fifty.”
“You said you’d be home by 7:30. We agreed.”
“It’s been two hours,” Phil said. “Fifty is more than fair.”
“Daddy!” Logan finally noticed him.
“Hey buddy.” Phil held out his hands, but Liam tightened his grip around Lina’s neck. “No!” He frowned at his father.
“Alright.” Phil held up his hands. “I won’t take you.” He stroked his hand down his back. “Did you miss Mommy?”
“Want cookie,” Liam said to Lina. “Cookie.”
“Okay.” Lina kissed him again as she headed toward the kitchen.
“I’m going to go change,” Phil called after her. “Bedtime in fifteen minutes Liam.”
“No!” Liam yelled. “No bed, Daddy.”
A week later……
Phil became conscious of an object poking into his side. Barely awake, he reached under the comforter, encircling his hand around a small foot. “Lina,” he groaned without opening his eyes. “Why is Liam here?”
“He came on his own,” she said her voice husky with sleep. “It’s almost morning. Just go back to sleep.”
“I would if he’d stop kicking me.” He rolled onto his side and away from a sleeping Liam. Moments later Liam’s flailing arm smacked him in the back. “That’s it.” Phil threw off the comforter and got out of bed. “He’s going back to his room.”
“Phil?” Lina pushed herself up on her elbows as Phil reached for Liam. “You’re naked. You can’t leave the room like that.”
Phil sighed before crossing to his wardrobe, reappearing moments later in lounge pants. He carefully scooped Liam off the bed and into his arms. He padded to the door and left the room, making his way to Liam’s nursery where he gently laid him back into his bed. After watching him for a few seconds to make sure he remained asleep he returned to the master bedroom.
“I don’t know why you bothered,” Lina said as he stretched out beside her. “It’s almost six. He’ll be back in an hour.” Without fail, Liam appeared in their room at seven each morning.
“Yeah,” Phil agreed, sliding his hand up Lina’s thigh and beneath her silk nightgown. “There’s a lot we can do in an hour.”
“I thought you were trying to sleep.” Lina stroked her hands up his bare chest as he moved over her.
“I was, but now I’m awake. And I’m going to take the opportunity to fuck my wife.”
“Maybe I’m not ready to wake up,” she said even as she lifted her arms so he could remove her nightgown.
“Why were you wearing this.” He tossed her nightgown on the floor beside the bed.
“I put it on when Liam came into the room.”
“You have to stop letting him do that,” he said as he turned his face into her neck. “He thinks it’s okay.” He began to kiss a trail toward her ear.
“He’s a baby.”
“The other kids didn’t sleep with us.” He nipped her ear.
“They did the same thing.” She gripped his shoulder’s, tilting her head to give him better access to her neck.
“God you smell good,” Phil said before thoughts of everything but Lina left his mind.
“What are our plans today?” Phil asked a couple of hours later after coming out of the bathroom with towel wrapped around his waist, beads of water on his chest and back from a recent shower.
“Daddy!” Liam yelled throwing a tennis ball toward him.
“We have dinner with Adele and William at seven. My mom is watching Liam. I’m going to a nine o’clock yoga class and then stopping at the grocery store.” She stopped before him, placing her hand on his chest. “You need to stop letting him throw balls in the house,” she said before brushing her lips over his. “I’ll be back by eleven.”
Phil watched Lina leave the room and then his eyes were dropping to Liam who had picked up the ball. “Don’t throw that.” He held out his hand, but instead of handing it to him, Liam launched the ball toward the sitting room. Phil raised his eyebrows, impressed with how well Liam could throw. “Let me get dressed and we can go outside and do that.”
Ten minutes later, Phil carried Liam down the stairs and into the kitchen. As soon as Liam saw Logan sitting at the table, he demanded to be put down, making his way to his brother who was leaned over a bowl of cereal.
“Lo Lo.” He held out the tennis ball he’d been clenching like it was his favorite stuffed animal.
Logan sighed as he held out his hand and let Liam place it in his palm.
Phil crossed to the coffee pot, watching Logan patiently toss the ball back to Liam who tried unsuccessfully to catch it.
“You have to keep your eyes on the ball,” Logan said. “Give it back to me.”
Liam retrieved the ball before throwing at Logan. “Ball!”
“Woah.” Logan reacted quickly, catching the ball before it landed in his cereal. “Good throw. Knight?” he called out. Seconds later Knight was trotting into the room. “Watch Knight get the ball,” he said to Liam. He threw the ball up and Knight plucked it out of the air.
“No! Mine,” Liam said to Knight as he scampered after him. “Mine,” he said again as Tyson ran past him and back Logan. “No Knight—mine ball!” Liam yelled.
“Here.” Logan took the ball from Knight and handed it back to Liam. “He’s just playing. You can throw it and he’ll bring it back.”
Phil leaned back against the counter, drinking his coffee and watching as Logan continued to interact with Liam.
“He can really throw it,” Logan said, his attention turning to Phil. “Could I throw like that at his age?”
Phil nodded, a vision of a young Logan throwing a ball flashing in his mind. “Just like that.”
“Cool.” Logan returned his attention to Liam. “Here. I’m going to throw the ball and you catch it. Don’t take your eyes off it okay?”
“Ball.” Liam said, holding out his hands.
“I want you to catch it.” He tossed the ball at Liam, who managed to catch it against his stomach. “Good job!” Logan said.
Phil felt a surge of feeling as he watched Logan pat a beaming Liam on the back.
The new scene is up and I started a new post
Flashback scene coming this weekend…
Oh yes!!!!
Book #3 too about Lina and Phil? ???
Book #3 yessss!!!! Lolll
YES!!! Can’t wait…..Thank you Laura…
??????
This is soooo gonna make my weekend loll
I looking forward to it.
The goddesses of kitchen avenue by Barbara Samuel is a good book. The husband cheats on his wife, but he is a still a good man. It has a good ending.
[email protected]
Thank you Murlene, will check it out! ??
ooh, I will check it out too. Thank you Murlene! I’m reading Jewel E Ann’s Jersey six. It’s angsty for sure. Not sure if I love it yet though.
This was a great book!
thanks Judy 🙂
I just one-clicked this, it’s by Barbara O’Neal. It sounds really good. Thanks so much for the recommendation!!
Hi ladies, so, I’m piggy backing on Murlene’s msg because I will never figure out how to start my own…
A question to ponder…at what point in Liam’s life are Lina and Phil going to explain to him who Kim is and why he has 3 sets of grandparents instead of 2? At some point Liam will notice that none of his friends have 6 grandparents lol…will this discussion/reveal be painful for Lina and Phil to have? Do you think once Liam gets older he and Kim might discuss it? Will Kim give him “her version” (like maybe she was misled by Phil, etc – we know she has no scruples)…?
Hi Miri,
Phil does not regret Liam but he also knows that what pleasure his unfaithfulness with Kim produced cannot in any way compensate for Lina and his family’s suffering. Having said that the conversations with Liam will take place at different stages/ages for Liam. The conversations will be honest from the beginning without the awful details. I imagine the first conversation takes place after Kim asserts her rights in
Liam’s life and tells him something like Lina is not your mother, I am. Then Phil or Lina has to say that’s correct but in our hearts you are our son. Now when he is older Phil will tell him that he had a family already when Liam came into the world and that he was married to Lina at that time, I am assuming this around age 10 to 13.
Now when Liam is teen like 16 to 19, Phil might express regret for affair and pain caused to his family but will make clear to Liam he does not regret him and Liam would feel the love and be confident in Lina’s love for him.
I know Lina is a almost a saint but I can’t help but to think that the fear, the anger,and resentment from Phil’s betrayal, may come back but Lina will do her best to move past it.
I think Liam will initially feel anger towards Phil and Kim when he is old enough to fully comprehend what happened but he will eventually move past it. But I think like Logan he will have trust issues or women issues. I also believe Liam will be in awe of Lina.
Wow Holley. You know Phil! I like your answer to Miri’s question!
I agree with Holley, but add that Liam will always know about Kim. He’ll always be told he has two mommies but one of them is away — they would never want him to find out from Kim without them present. A child would just accept it (because they are too young to understand what it means), plus his grandparents would probably have pictures of her and want Liam to know of her existence. He’s going to probably figure out what happened before they sit him down and tell him — kids are pretty sharp. It’s going to be his unique reality. I don’t know how he’ll handle the information — how he does will define the man he is one day. And I agree — he will adore Lina.
Lina isn’t going to be bitter — she wouldn’t live with that negativity. When Kim pops into the picture occasionally, she will probably worry about Liam. She made a decision to forgive Phil — harboring anger would eat away at the relationship.
Kim popping in would be few and far between. But I wonder if Liam would be hesitant or maybe even a little scared that Kim wouldn’t bring him back to Lina and Phil when she showed up for a visit.
yes, I see it all going down the way Holley and Laura described above…I also agree that Lina will refuse to harbor resentment…either you forgive or you don’t, and she chose to forgive
Tracie I think Liam will be a little scared only when he’s still really little and only for the first couple of times…he will soon realize that he always gets to return home to the Hunters…
Ms. Branchflower, thank you for giving us updates and snippets of the Hunters’ life after SN. I’d just like to comment on your statement that Lina would not live in bitterness because she’s forgiven Phil. I can’t see her not having some anger or disappointment or even brief bitterness about Phil’s betrayal as the years go by, especially when she thinks of steamboat, a place that she dreamed of seeing her grandchildren enjoy, and because she stated that it was her favorite place and she could never go back. In my opinion, she has to think about that with some regret and resentment, especially when they are planning family vacations.However, as the creator of the Hunters, Lina’s attitude is whatever you choose it to be. Thank you again.
Hi Eva! Thanks for your comment! You’re right. Im sure she would feel sadness from time-to-time at losing steamboat, but resentment isn’t something I see her feeling. It just isn’t her.
Laura, Lina has such a humble spirit I can’t see her having any resentment either; however, when it does come to planning a Christmas Ski Trip, I can see her feeling disappointed in the loss of not going to steamboat…But she wouldn’t feel disappointed in Phil,that passed with the pictures in Chapter 7. Phil will find her another place to love, because he said he would spend his life making it up to her and he will! That would be a good flash forward scene…Utah?
Hi Eva, I think it’s really natural for some some anger or sadness to pop up from time to time in the coming years, especially in life’s more stressful moments; but I also think that Lina, just going by her personality that we know, will just kind of mentally swat away such feelings before they have a chance to grow and take over..at the end of the day she wants to be with only Phil and she wants to have a harmonious relationship (that the Libra in her, lol), so she will sacrifice her (very righteous and justifiable) negative feelings in order to have that happy life
*that’s the Libra
I finished the book in the wee hours of the morning. It was a nice story, 4 stories tied in one and it worked. And Barbara McNeal is Barbara Samuel. I may pick at her back list as I liked her writing voice.
Thanks for the rec!
It’s Miri’s turn Tracie — I’m working on a flashback scene – teenage Phil and Lina
Woot woot!!! Omg Laura thank you so much!!!! ?❤️?❤️
Whether we are flashing back or forward it’s still a win win….We get more of the Hunter’s…..
Exactly Tracie!! I just can’t get enough of them! I’ll take anything Laura wants to give ??
I can just imagine how frikken sexy and hot teen Phil is ???
You made some fine points there. I did a search on the subject matter and found a good number of people will have the same opinion with your blog [url=http://rustlers.fun]rustlers.fun[/url].
Ladies — I’m jumping on the discussion about how Lina and Phil will do over the years regarding memories of what he did. Lina wouldn’t have taken him back if she ever considered the possibility of him cheating again — she forgave him and she will do her best not to think or mention the affair to Phil again. It’s the past — she does have some of Alice in her after all. I think Phil will do his best not to think about it, but as Miri said Kim will never completely disappear and so he will continue to have to live with the consequences of what he did to his family. Liam will be Lina and Phil’s son in their hearts and mind — I don’t think he will be a reminder of Kim. Kim will be a reminder of Kim.
wait, I thought Phil had full custody. Doesn’t that mean sole custody and he has physical and legal rights? I’m confused. Kim can make decisions regarding Liam?? I did not know this.
Miri, I’m going through what you mentioned below now and make everyones miserable around me according to husband. However, I think Lina has a bigger heart and 10 years down the road, I think she would want Phil to jog more to get rid of the beer gut rather than worry about Kim. haha. I honestly think Kim’s old news at that point. Maybe a new evil nanny trying to pull a wedge trick? Laura?
Phil has physical custody, but Kim has rights. She just doesn’t exercise them. She hasn’t signed them away. I’m sure at some point in the future, she’ll want to see him — not take him, but see him — maybe when Liams older so doesn’t require much effort.
And no, Janet, Phil will never have a beer gut. He will remain perfect — a silver fox as Tracie would say.
A silver fox sounds yummy 😉
I love that you have continued giving us insight to Lina and Phil.
A faithful reader
Hi Janet, I watched my mom go through that time and I got so much TMI I feel like I’ve gone through it myself lol…We were all walking on eggshells at the time haha!! Like it’s not enough that we go through pregnancy and all that that entails, then we get another big gift down the road just to keep us on our toes! Lol…
Lina is lucky though, because I think she has a naturally slim build, so her menopause might be easier weight wise (though my mom was always so petite and slim and then it seemed like overnight she got a thick middle – this is a woman who had never ever struggled with her weight..she was NOT happy lol)
Hi Miri, I am curious. Did your mom lose the weight eventually? That is exactly what is happening to me and I’m not happy about it either. Also, i was pulling your leg. Phil is the golden child and until the affair he could do no wrong. Naturally gifted, physically perfect, and charismatic to boot so it’s hard for me to root for him all the time. Like can he please have chicken legs or even acid reflux so I can sympathize? Oddly enough, I want Lina to stay perfect.
Lol Janet, I totally agree!! As we get older, why is it that women “lose” their sex appeal and men don’t (as much)?! We have enough to deal with already!! I want Phil to get more possessive and jealous of Lina (with regard to other men) and Lina to just glide through her life being confident and secure in herself..so really Phil needs to either develop a gut or get thinning hair or something along those lines…
As for my mom, she did eventually lose the weight, but for the first time in her life she had to actually work for it…she started weight resistance training (she had until then only done yoga and some light cardio), and she had to get a lot more strict with her carbs (????); and in order to maintain the weight loss and not regain she’s had to keep up with this newer regime (as opposed to being able to go back to the way things were before, which was a lot easier)..it just takes more effort now but it’s definitely doable ???
good to hear Miri! Thank you God!
You’re welcome Janet! I promise you once this “phase” passes (and it will), you will bounce right back to your old self…just be patient and keep taking good care of yourself 🙂
Girls, I had a complete hysterectomy at 32 so I’ve had hot flashes and been a bitch for a long time…LOL Janet you don’t make people miserable doll, your tolerance and sympathy meters may be pegged, but that just comes with getting older. I told my husband the other day, just keep on and your fixing to take your last bath at Bishop’s (local funeral home).
Phil will always be a silver fox and have mega sex appeal. Lina will be one of those June Cleaver types that can still rock a form fitting dress while she is signing up for Medicare. I’m just saying….
Laura do you have another idea for a flash forward? I know you are busy and it may be awhile, but we can still dream. I would love to see a scene where Phil cannot get a minute with Lina and every time he tries one of the kids needs her attention. A frustrated Phil would be awesome. I can just see it now, where he just says pack, you mother is coming and I need 72 hours with my wife, where she isn’t needed to get Liam a cookie, cook something for Logan, go to yoga with Katie or check on a new slab of granite for William. Load woman we are out! I can also see him remembering in his mind, how their retirement plans would be null and void now. Not regretting Liam at all, but knowing his actions extended their empty nest phase to a lot later in life.
Phil is Lina’s eye candy — it wouldn’t be fair to her to have him less than perfect. And the only thing I’ve noticed with menopause is hot flashes — ugh. I think everyone is different. Lina will have an easy time. 🙂
Tracie, I’ve wondered about that before too, if Phil ever regrets that their retirement plans had to change…they’ve been postponed by about 18 years or so…I remember Lina was musing about that at one point, but maybe it’s never really come up in Phil’s mind? He’s a little more oblivious when it comes to small details like that.
Hi Miri…Phil is oblivious to the small things. But when something clicks in his mind, I think he would remember what he and Lina had planned for after Logan had graduated college. Lina and Phil also had the ability to come and go with teenage kids and now they are more limited. Remember the Dolmar scene where Lina went out with her co-workers and Phil was down. I think he may find his self in those same situations at times. Even though Lina is the primary caregiver to Liam, her job will at times leave Phil on the bench. That is just life. But I can see Phil in a bad mood trying to discuss something with Lina and him crawling all over her like a spider monkey and he just gets agitated. Like Laura said Phil will have the most trouble adjusting to having a toddler in the house. Have another glass of Scotch my Phil.
Clarification…That would be Liam crawling all over Lina…LOL
Lol Tracie, I know this is soooo mean of me but when you mention that scene where Phil is left alone with Liam and is feeling down…I hope it happens often!! Hehehehe…He needs to imagine how much worse it would be if Lina hadn’t taken him back and it would’ve been him and Liam alone all the time..he can’t get grumpy at Lina because it was his bright idea to sleep with Kim without protection! (Not that he regrets Liam, I know)…it’s just, he gets no sympathy from me on that score lol
Laura my mom had really intense hot flashes during that time…remember those little folding paper fans that Karl Lagerfeld used to always carry in the 90’s? My mom had a bunch of them stashed in every room, every crevice ….we’d be talking and suddenly she’d whip one out from out of nowhere and start fanning herself furiously…she looked like a contemporary of Marie Antoinette’s..my siblings and I called her the Empress lollll
Oh Laura, how about a fast forward scene where Lina has a last min dinner with a wealthy client she can’t ignore and he turns out looking like Henry Cavil? Phil gets home, releases Katie and Logan from Liam duty and Katie texts him 10 min later with a picture of Lina and Henry at dinner from someone’s social media post. Hot damn, Phil is jealous! Miri and I can see Phil suffering a bit and Tracie can see Phil “crawling” all over Lina when she gets home at 11 pm. Henry then develops a crush on Lina and sends her flowers and chocolates once a week till Phil says enough already. ?
Miri, I have one of those tiny electric fans that I whip out at restaurants. When my scalp is tingling from sweat I don’t care if I look like a freak.
J-Girl I love your flash forward scene: Phil would go total Alpha on Lina YUM YUM. The battery operated fan made me laugh out loud…I loved it
Hi Janet, that scece is awesome. Yeah, I am all for making Phil jealous!
Omg yes Janet!!! That is diabolical!! I love Jealous Phil haha…what I love even more though is Suffering Phil (sorry Tracie)..this Henry Cavill lookalike is a good 10 years younger than Phil and is prime AAA grade beefcake…Lina laughs it off but Phil is anxious, not used to feeling threatened by other men…as Lina gets to be more in demand due to her brilliance at work, Phil pines for the days when he always came home from work to Lina waiting for him with dinner ready..I like Pining Phil too…
My mom had one of those too but found the paper folding ones lighter and more convenient…sigh..the things we go through
Thank you Laura. This is the one topic I wonder the most about.
Feeling so dumb here but where are these new scenes everyone is referencing. The last one I see posted was from May 31.
Hi Kay,
Scroll down under May 31st, there are two scenes posted. The second one starts with something like “….a week later”
Hope this helps
WOW!! Just got back from vacation, and checked the blog. Thank you Laura for the new scenes. I usually check the blog all the time, but we were in the mountains, where reception was spotty at best. Miri, once again, you are my Swimming Naked twin. I love to hear all your commentary.
By the way Ladies, I keep telling you Henry Cavil (older version ) for Phil.
https://themuse.jezebel.com/henry-cavill-blink-twice-if-you-need-help-1829025040
Age him up, age him down…he works for me!!
Also, I will never look at a can of tuna normally, ever again!
How is the new job, Laura? Thank you for taking the time to keep us updated in all things Hunter.
I hope everyone’s summer is starting out well.
Hi Terry , welcome back!! Hope you had a great trip ?? Henry Cavill is my second choice after a young Chris Noth ??
It’s nice to hear from you Terry! Henry Cavil — I could see him as Phil! He just needs darker hair.
The new job is going well. It’s very busy.
Henry Cavill is way better looking than Chris Noth…if Phil really looks like HC then no wonder Lina couldn’t let him go!! And with darker hair – even better!! Omg is that what he looked like when they first met at the dance and he asked Lina to dance with him?! I wouldn’t have been able to string two words together and yet she was so composed, even told him she didn’t like “cocky”! Ha! Ok I’m so over CN, if you say our handsome Phil looks closer to HC ???
You’re awesome Laura…That checked like three scenes in my mind….Phil having the surge of feeling was my favorite part….I know a third book wouldn’t be in the cards; however, since Phil and Lina are still alive in all our minds I hope you can do these fast forward scenes every once in a while….Love you sister…Thank you
Beautiful seeing Logan and Liam together Laura. Thank you!! I agree with Tracie and Katie that you left Phil and Lina in a really good place.
Miri did you notice how Phil gave Logan the right answer when Logan asked if he could throw like that at his age…Phil was so on the mark with his response and him flashing to a young Logan in his mind made me swoon….Phil comparing the boys in a good light like that will make Logan and Liam’s bond even stronger…
Hi Tracie, yes, that was great!…Phil spending time with them both together was so important, so Logan didn’t feel like he was being replaced, you know?
Hi Laura, approximately how long after Liam came to
Live with them full time did this scene take place? Logan has warmed up to Liam dramatically! Thanks!!
I think it would have been hard for Logan to stay cold to Liam. Logan is too nice and Liam too cute. That scene was about a month after the move in.
Do you think this affair left Lina with scars or issues down the road? Affair tend to change people. Lina seems to have moved on with no life long issues or scars. I am just curious
Hi Holley, I wonder about Phil and regret. Knowing what he put his family through and Lina forgiving him ..I think he would be in awe of her every morning that he gets to wake up next to her. She not only forgave him, but raising Liam to boot…Wow… I can only imagine how deep his love and loyalty would would run for her. IMO it would be Phil that has the scars from his past deeds and betrayal. Remember him saying the affair was the lowest point in his life. He also told Lina several times in SN that he would never forgive himself. Just my thoughts….
Laura you may have to correct me on this????
Holley and Tracie, I’m rereading SN and I’m left with a feeling that things will ebb and flow. The reality is they’re living with physical proof of Phil’s cheating on a daily basis. Liam is adorable and special and can’t be blamed for his father and birth mother’s behavior. Forgiveness and redemption are amazing, yet life at times is filled with stress. So maybe there will be moments of resentment or frustration not just by Lina but also their 3 older children.
Hi Tracie and Tara,
I think you are both right. Phil I believe will always regret cheating on Lina, how often he will think about it I am not so sure. I think Phil can separate himself from the obvious sometimes and fact Lina has so obviously moved on might make it easier for Phil to maybe not think about it often.
I agree with Tara that marriage and family can have stress and ups and downs. I think Lina will always feel pain about the affair when she thinks about it. I think she tries and will continue to try to not thin about it. But I think like Tara said resentment and anger and maybe trust issues may rear their ugly heads at stressful moments, I think that is just being human. I think for example the next time Phil travels, what will Lina think? If they have a disagreement while he is not home then does she think uh oh.
Girls I just don’t think Lina will worry about him being unfaithful at all! She trusts him…Remember in Chapter 2 of SN when he says Lina I would never and she cuts him off and says I know…
I agree also…Lina is an incredible, wise, compassionate person, but she is still human! There will be challenges down the road simply because that’s life! For example I’m sure that Kim will butt in sometimes with regards to Liam simply just to flex her muscle and be a bitch (Laura has mentioned before that Lina has no legal rights over Liam in terms of parenting)…Kim is over Phil but she will not ever get over the blow to her ego that Phil dumped her; so she will be contrary sometimes just to be difficult, and then will cattily remind everyone that only she and Phil have any right to make real decisions, Lina is just the help…I can see that happening a few times over the next 18 years…plus, just regular everyday life stuff, you know? I know firsthand that when menopause hits some women, their bodies change and that can affect their self image, sense of attractiveness, and also affect their moods/hormones..so the fact that Phil once had an affair might tear its head in Lina’s mind and she might worry about her attractiveness when Phil is always being checked out by other attractive, younger women…yes Phil is devoted to Lina but she is only human, she will sometimes have her insecurities….all kinds of things pop up throughout married/family life, and the Hunters will probably experience some of them at some points too
Sorry, I meant I agree that it will ebb and flow, as Tara said…
Might *rear it’s head
When I say I know firsthand, I mean by seeing what some women close to me have experienced during menopause
Awesome scene Laura!! Thank you so much ??? I love how Phil can’t keep his hands off Lina and won’t let Liam get in the way of their sexy time loll…Phil is just so damn sexy I can’t stand it…Logan, as always, is a complete and total SWEETHEART!! I love that boy!! Thanks so much Laura!! ❤️?❤️?
Ladies — I’ve added another scene to the end of the post (right after the last scene). Sorry for the delay!
Thank you!
Sweet scene!!
Thanks for the scene Laura ..I loved the bonding between Logan and Liam …thankyou so much!?
“She had checked out emotionally from her relationship.”
Was she thinking too much about Katie’s problems and became emotionally detached or is it about Nick and being with him(did she have feelings and inappropriate thoughts of nick)?(this was before she came to know about the affair right?)
” She was angry at Phil and turned her back on him — she was confiding in another man, taking the advice of another man etc. ”
I guess the starting chapters of WPF showed she was attracted to Nick but did not describe enough about her confiding in him and telling other personal issues to Nick. I felt that only after finding out about the affair she let Nick in her personal life and confided in him. Before the knowing about affair, I thought she just discussed about Katie’s behaviour (I thought she was taking advice regarding Katie ,I do not have a clear picture of the kind of conversation they had during the period when Katie’s session started with Nick )
Why couldn’t Phil be patient with Lina and Katie?why couldn’t he believe more in Lina and let her do what she does? afterall it’s his wife and kid. I never understood his behaviour completely sometimes he seemed so mature in Liam’s case that I was in awe of him but sometimes he behaved so demanding and selfish
Tracia you are right- He wasn’t throwing out I love you’s to her- I was just mad at him that he forgot giving importance to his family and made time to spend with Kim.
And you also right that everyone won’t see things in same way.It takes a very big heart to really understand , forgive and like someone like Phill which you have got,you are really something Tracia. I really admire you for that.
Janet I would never want Nick and Lina together ,
I wanted Lina to be a bit stubborn before going back to Phill ,I liked Lina working and not giving up on he dreams,it made Phill sweat a bit
I felt that Lina walked three-fourth while Phill walked one-fourth to get back..
I always wondered if at all if Lina divorced and moved on in her life(not with other man) would Phill try hard to get her back or would he have moved on with his life thinking that this would have eventually happened because of his affair and the baby…?
I bet that he would have moved on and let Lina go..
Not giving up on *her* dreams
Hinata — the following interactions between Lina and Nick happened before she knew definitively about the affair (notice how she thinks about how she missed talking to him — I was trying to show that she was talking to him while in other scenes I alluded to the fact she and Phil had stopped talking)
Moments later when she glanced back over her shoulder, hoping to catch a glimpse of Megan as the graduates began assembling beneath some trees to their right, she found herself instead looking at Dr. Drayton, who was a few rows back smiling in response to something a woman beside him was whispering in his ear. It felt strange seeing him outside of the office, and she was struck by how handsome he looked in a tan suit, his shirt open at the collar.
His attention shifted in her direction and their eyes met, and then for the briefest moment his gaze dropped to her body. When his eyes again met hers she saw unmasked male appreciation. She returned her attention forward, her pulse beating rapidly. He was attracted to her. Or maybe he just found her attractive. Either way, it was unsettling and strangely exhilarating.
A little later…
When the last graduate’s name was announced, the families assembled at a reception outside the headmaster’s house a few hundred yards away, and as Lina and Phil were stepping away from the punch bowl they came face-to-face with Dr. Drayton.
“Oh, hi!” Her first thought was that he had the greenest eyes she’d ever seen and the second, and right on heels of the first, was that Phil was standing directly beside her. “This is—”
and then later…
Lina tossed the magazine onto the side table for the third time in as many minutes and then seconds later picked it up again and began flipping through it. She was nervous and she hated it. All day she’d been recalling the flash of attraction she saw in Dr. Drayton’s eyes at Megan’s graduation and as a result she’d spent a little more time on her appearance, carefully choosing the sleeveless crème linen dress she was wearing. It wasn’t that she liked him in any inappropriate way, but knowing he appreciated the way she looked was a welcome stroke to her ego, and she feared the knowledge might make her less comfortable around him.
The apprehension dissolved as soon as he stepped out into the waiting room beside Katie, replaced by a rush of warmth and the realization that she’d missed talking to him. He’d been away for two weeks—on a vacation, she assumed, based on his tan—so they’d gone an extra week between appointments.
“Have you been lounging on a beach?” she asked as she walked towards the couch in his office.
“Close. I was sailing.”
“That sounds relaxing. You own a boat?”
“We rented a fifty footer in St. Croix and sailed to different islands.” He lowered himself into the chair across from her position on the couch. “It was fantastic.”
“Wow. I bet. Did you rent a crew too?”
“No, but you certainly can. Do you like boats?”
“I do.” She smiled. “But only as a passenger. You must be experienced if you didn’t need a crew.”
“I grew up sailing.” He leaned back in the chair and casually crossed one leg over the other.
She realized how little she actually knew about him, which felt strange considering how much he knew about her. “Was the nephew graduating from your side or your wife’s?”
“I don’t have a wife.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I just assumed.”
“That’s okay.”
“I just thought—didn’t I hear you mention a son to Katie?”
“You did. You don’t have to be married to have children.”
“I know.” She blushed.
“I’m teasing you, Lina.” He smiled. “I’m divorced.”
The use of her first name made the exchange feel more personal, and she knew the dynamics of their relationship had changed over the past two weeks. “It’s not nice to tease me. I blush too easily.”
“I’m sorry.”
“No you’re not.” She returned his smile.
“You’re right. I’m not.” He continued to look into her eyes and then he was pushing one of his hands back through his hair. “Katie,” he said as if reminding himself why they were meeting. He opened the folder on his lap. “Any concerns?” His demeanor changed from light and flirtatious to serious.
“No.” Lina shook her head. Even if she had concerns, she wasn’t sure if she’d remember them. She’d been flirting with Dr. Drayton, and she felt a stab of guilt at the realization.
You ask why couldn’t Phil be patient with her? He’s human. He isn’t perfect. He was frustrated with how things were going with Katie and so was she — it created a wedge in their relationship. He is a complex character — he has great traits and some not so great traits. Don’t you know people like this? I do LOL
As far as the question as to whether Phil would have moved on — No. As long as Lina remained single Phil would have held out hope of a reconciliation.
Thank you very much for patiently answering Laura…
Yes you are right she was emotionally checked out…but I have a feeling that before really crossing the boundaries completely she would have backed off realising she is married…
But Phil is a beautifully written character with all his flaws. It’s just that I need to come in terms with him…because no cheating books MCs or other characters are as good as this book..each and every character lives in my head …the book really has a capacity to draw the thoughts back to it..and the story is solid and whole.
For the record — Nick is NOT a tuna can. He’s gifted, just like Phil. 🙂
I confess to not knowing what a tuna can meant until yesterday. I am 45 and consider myself to now be fully educated on “tuna can”- thank you ladies.
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Speaking of Tuna can here is a stunt Adele Jr pulled to our other friend that just retired..:Our friend had a new boyfriend and she was doing some bragging about the sex blah blah… So Adele Jr got some duck tape and a taped a empty tuna can under her office chair and told no one…I walk into her office a couple of hours later to go over some material we had to present at a meeting and stopped dead in my tracks…I said what the hell is that smell it smells like a damn fish market In here….So Adele Jr walks in acting cool as a cucumber and says ewwwww did you not hit that thing with a wash rag after your wonder boy got through with you? I said I dont even think gasoline would get rid of that smell! My other girl started panicking and bending her body to smell between her legs…LOL..The closer her nose got to the seat of her chair the stronger the smell became because the tuna Can was taped under the chair…..I said you can’t go to this meeting smelling like that…My Girl was always clean and dressed real nice…She was mortified and she started getting her things to go home and Adele Jr bent over laughing her ass off and got down on her knees to pull the tuna can out from under her chair…L was pissed and picked up a can of compressed air and stuck it right to Adele’s neck and pulled the trigger. Adele just kept laughing, to say the least we were all laughing when it was said and done….We call those times one for the books!
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OOoooooooMMmmmmmmmGGGGGgggggggg. Your life. Only you. bahahahahahaha
Omgeeeee!!! Tracie that was hilarious!! ???
That’s so funny Tracia..???
LOL! Tracie what are you going to do for entertainment when you retire? Think how boring your office will be without you!
Laura I will have to make my own entertainment…We meet two of our girls that retired every Tuesday for lunch and I’m sure we will keep up the tradition. Yesterday Adele Jr. thought it would be funny to write a note in a public bathroom stall that said to have sex with my other girl (that just retired), was like throwing a weenie down a hallway! Then Adele and our secretary did this really convincing text thread back and forth to make it look more legit. Then presented it to her at lunch yesterday, they had her going until I said…you have so lost your edge and she said what…I said look at the times and dates of that thread….Then she started laughing and just said you BITCHES!!!!!
I need to add they took a picture of the note with the text thread…However, it was a removable note…LOL
Thank you Laura! Love me some Nick ?? And he doesn’t recite poetry in bed either, right?! Lollll
I’ll never look at a can of tuna the same way again
I really hope you write Liam’s story soon. Can’t wait to see the future of the Hunters and what comes after this happily ever after!!
Hi Clare! This is going to require my mind to shift away from Lina and Phil which hasn’t happened yet. They are still very much alive.
Maybe another book about Lina and Phil where Phil really has to co.e through for Lina. Remember when he said I promise to put u first? They are both fit so something in their mind fifties? I just love ur books about the Hunters so anything will be good.
Laura, before writing Logan’s or Liam’s book, can we pleeeease have another Phil/Lina book, as per Holley’s request?? We’re not done reading about them!! Like, they have Liam for the next 18 years, surely there will be some bumps in the road?? Maybe Kim will make things difficult at some point in some way, or maybe something else comes up…anything!! But please one (or more!) book(s) about Lina/phil’a Life and love?? ???
I’ll even settle for a novella if not a full length novel!! ???
Oh, the idea of another book/novella of Lina/ Phil is great!! waiting for it! 🙂 <3
The ideas put forward by Miri are also very good!
Doubt it, Laura.
For the record, sex with Nick couldn’t come close to Phil…Lol…Lina even said another man would only be a substitute for Phil…He was the man! YUM-A
Ok, I just caught up. A few things stand out to me. Ok, Janet, Nick is not perfect. I bet he has a widow’s peak, a tuna can for a dick, and recites poetry during sex. I mean, gag. Just my opinion.
I think someone can have feelings that aren’t necessarily romantic. Phil probably liked and appreciated Kim. And I’m certain he felt a dependence on her because sex with her shut his mind off. I’m sure the affair was exciting. But I agree with Tracie-it was just a highly sexual arrangement.
I agree Kbabe…
That made me LOL!
Omggg. You made me laugh so hard Kbabe. Missed your sarcasm! I agree about reciting rumi. That’s it. And hey I have a widows peak. Lol. Yeah I hate my hair so another point there. But Nick does not have bad hair. He’s perfect and I stand by my opinion!!
You’re beautiful, Janet! And so is Nick!
I’m not but thank you! In my mind 5’10 with long blonde hair and happily married to Nick. He will come home to me and we will discuss his cases that he can share with me over a very expensive bottle of Montepulciano. While he is talking I will count his gorgeous eyelashes. Bahaha.
All kidding aside Laura, you have told us many times Phil would stay with Lina even if she slept with Nick and I completely agree but would he have resented her for it if you wrote it another way?
Count his eyelashes haha — I’ll have to use that.
Resent her? That’s a hard one. I don’t think he would voice a resentment, but deep inside he would definitely feel her betrayal was worse — no doubt about it. He is the king of double standards
Exactly! And that’s why I’m glad Lina didn’t sleep with Nick. At that point it really becomes what Tara said, tit for tat.
katie, I was curious but didn’t want to stress you out. Can’t wait to see the pics.
Tracie, plum jams are my favorite! Do you have a good watermelon rind recipe? Growing up, I had a mormon neighbor and the mom always used to give us homemade plum jams and watermelon rinds in the summer….
Gasp! Why would he think her betrayal was worse? SHE’S not the one having a baby with another man! How could anything be worse than that?! Now I’m mad at Phil all over again ??
Miri because Lina is the better half in their marriage and Phil knows that if Lina cheats, her heart was involved. I don’t think he ever thought there would be a possibility of Lina cheating and once he broke things off with Kim he could go back to his life.
I would of been disappointed if Lina would of cheated….Her class level was so above Kim’s that it was ridiculous….I remember in the marina scene in WPF when she felt Nicks erection against her stomach how she peaced put immediately and said she had to get home to the kids….Now can you imagine if Phil wanted to know how far Lina went with Nick and she said “I kissed him deeply and when I felt his erection against my stomach I just couldn’t go through with it, he wasn’t you.” Phil would have launched knowing another man’s erection even touched Lina, one besides his being in side of her would of been a major melt down for Phil….
Janet I looked last year sweetie and couldn’t find a recipe for you, but I’ll ask some of the jelly makers at work and see if they have one.
Janet you’re totally right! I didn’t think of it before but if Lina got involved with someone her heart would definitely be involved, unlike Phil’s…hmm she so could have tortured Phil for a bit and had a little fun hehehe ? she is the better half and Phil know it (which is why she didn’t stray..sigh)
My hairline appears to be receding as well. No shame.
So I’m 70% done with the house. Updated our yards, main living area and bedrooms. Barn doors are up and my daughter’s stuff is hidden, now. New sink. New furniture. Some new light fixtures and decor. Just waiting on window treatments for the kitchen and tile on the fireplace. Now on to the office and garage- organizational nightmares. The best part is when the work is done. No wonder my husband hates when I mention doing things to the house. ??
If you were curious. ?
Kbabe so glad you are so far along on the House renovation…I bet it is gorgeous…we are still renovating the farmhouse…I’m starting to think we will never be done…Thought about you today! Everyone at work bringing in their homemade jelly..blackberry and plum…Yum
I wish you could post pictures here Katie!
I think a widow’s peak is beautiful Janet..Ava Gardner had one and she was beyond gorgeous! ?
Ava is a goddess!
Did you figure out which character you most relate with? I wanna be Carrie but I am more of a Charlotte. Including the husband she ends up with. The 2nd one.
Janet I relate most to Charlotte so far, but Carrie is definitely the one I’d rather be also, she’s so fun and lighthearted…I like the show so far…the topics are timeless but the aesthetic is so 90’s! Lol
What does a tuna can dick look like? I’ve never heard it described like that before lol
And Nick DOES NOT recite poetry in bed! Laura, tell her! ??
A tuna can dick is shorter than it is wide. I heard it on one of my husband’s adult cartoons and thought it was genius.
Katie I hope I never come across a tuna can dick! It sounds awful! ?
?? what a tease that would be. Good for the entry, and then…that’s it?
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LOL you girls kill me!
Omg ???.
I know I owe everyone a couple of scenes. I’m half way through the first one — work has really got in the way. Plus father’s day last weekend. I’ll try to finish the one I’m working on by Friday evening. Thanks for your patience.
Laura: “Sex with Nick would not be better than sex with Phil! Not for Lina, anyway LOL”. I think you just rained on my parade/fantasy ??.
Until Nick has his own book, Phil will come first for me! LOL
I think even if Nick has his own book you will say better sex with Phil. It’s like a triathlete vs a 5th degree black belt. Hmmmm.
But Laura, it still would have been Great sex right?!? lollll! ????
Yes, of course!
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Laura, thank you so much, but please don’t feel pressured!! We know you have a ton going on, and Its so amazing that you’re even doing this for us!! Take your time and please don’t stress! ?❤️??
Thanks, Miri — I’m still thinking about the Hunters. I haven’t moved on yet, so I enjoy writing scenes.
Please don’t ever move on!! I know I won’t and I doubt the ladies here will either! I hope and wish that there will be more Hunter books to come, because Logan and Liam need some good women in their futures!
I agree Miri!!!
Laura how is your dad? Hip heal completely?
His hip has healed, but he’s been down since he left the hospital. I think it took a real emotional toll on him.
Hinata — Lina wasn’t “there”. She had checked out emotionally from her relationship. She was angry at Phil and turned her back on him — she was confiding in another man, taking the advice of another man etc. There is still no excuse for what Phil did, but it wasn’t like he had a happy wife at home. Was what Phil did worse than Lina pulling away? Yes, absolutely.
Tracia you said that ” Phil’s physical act with Kim was just that a Physical act; ” then why would he fuck her for four long months?why would he leave Lina during the nights even after knowing that she cannot sleep?and why would he leave running with Meghan and join Baltimore running group ?I don’t think someone will go to such extent without having some feelings …i don’t believe Phill even if he said that it was just an easy fuck ..and even Kim is not so dumb , she must have felt some change in Phil’s behaviour towards her and must have sensed that he must be starting to have some feelings for her that is why she must have said ‘i don’t believe you’ but by that time Phill was wide awake but still he said ‘you thought it was you don’t you?’y did he say that because he did make her feel that it was her
And even after he took her to steam boat he was angry at her but still fucked her …was Lina not around him while he was with Kim?No.she was very much there.
He even got a double bonus of having two women for three months..I don’t know if Lina and Phill didn’t make love in those three months …
Phill felt Lina wanting him only in the fifth month… thank god no one caught STD..
So I definitely think Phil had some feelings for Kim
I’m really sorry if I hurt tracia’s or all the other phill’s fans but I really am against Phill
I can’t bring myself to like him I don’t know why but I’m trying hard to like him
No doubt he is a good person but his deeds are too selfish sometimes
I really am sorry to whomever I’m hurting I dont mean to hurt anyone at all..???
It’s OK if you don’t like Phil Hinata! We are all divided here on that one. Because Laura wrote him as such a strong flawed character, it took me a long time to forgive his cheating and even longer to get over his selfish traits. I kinda see him as a big baby who needs Lina to keep him grounded. I asked myself after SN if I would like Phil in real life if he never cheated and the answer was no. For me, it was because I found Phil’s controlling tendencies coupled with his innate selfishness to be critical flaws that I don’t find attractive in a partner. Having said that, I love Phil as a book character because I found myself in a viselike grip reading this duet and I know it was because of how Laura wrote Phil’s character and not Lina’s. So, I don’t think you have to like all the characters or even the MCs to love the book. I hate saying this but if this was a Nick and Lina’s story it wouldn’t have been as interesting because Nick is perfect and doesn’t have the layers that Phil has. Does that make sense?
Yeah, I still wish that Lina had dated Nick for 4 months and had wild crazy good sex with him and then gone back to Phil ?.
haha. I think so many agree with you Holley! What if sex with Nick is better than with Phil though?? j/k I kinda liked Lina staying pure because she can always lord it over Phil if need be. I just finished a chick lit, Love and Other disasters. The guy emotionally cheated on his wife for over a year so she goes and has earth shattering sex with another man. I hated it because it leveled the playing field so to speak. I want Lina to always have the upper hand with Phil. Shes not the type to use it against him but she can always use it to make Phil guilty.
Janet, I agree I was disappointed with the tit for tat behavior in that book. I also didn’t like either of the characters.
Hi Janet, I have not read that book yet but I see your point.
Sex with Nick would not be better than sex with Phil! Not for Lina, anyway LOL
Yes yes yes!!!! That’s what I’m talking about Holley!! I asked a while back this question: if, during their separation, Lina had dated Nick seriously for like 4 or 6 months (and had great sex!! Hehe), do you girls think Phil would have still wanted Lina back as badly as he did? Or would he feel too “betrayed” (he neeeeded a nice big taste of that in order for me to feel completely satisfied)…it was so easy to want Lina back since she hadn’t slept with Nick (she had to keep reassuring Phil in that)…but how easy would it have been for Phil to reunite with her if she’d been with Nick for 4 steamy months?! I think only THEN he would have a true idea of what Lina went through…Holley I’m with you babe! ???
I am totally with you too Miri! Also Lina would not be cheating on Phil since they were separated and not sleeping together. I know Phil’s life became more complicated but I so so so wish he had gotten a good dose of his own poison. I must be an awful person but I just wanted him to suffer more and no better way than for Lina to be sleeping with the hunky doctor ?.
Yes, Phil would have taken Lina back — and I think it would have killed him knowing Lina was with Nick, but he’d know he only had himself to blame.
Holley – I totally agree, I know he suffered during their separation, but I just wanted him to suffer mooore!! Lol. At times his attitude was like, can’t you just get over it already, I just made a
mistake! He was so impatient…So I think if he had to deal with knowing that she was with someone else for four long months, he would know first hand that it’s not so easy to get over.
Laura – thank you for reply, I wasn’t totally certain that he would want her back so resolutely (because we know Phil is very proud), but he was just so lost without her I guess he’d take her any way he could get her! Ha!
A question, earlier, someone, I think it was Tracie (?), said that because Lina was willing to accept Liam full time in their lives, Phil didn’t have to make a choice between staying with family or going to to be with Liam…but when I read SN, I got the impression that there was no choice for him, he would never have left his family to follow Liam to nyc…is that correct? Also, how do you think
He would have handled it if Lina wasn’t willing to get full time custody of Liam? Would he have stayed in Maryland and visited nyc once or twice a month? What say you all?
I say there was no choice for Phil — he was staying with Lina. If Lina hadn’t offered to take Liam in, Phil would have visited Liam a couple of times a month
Sorry, it was Holley that said that, not Tracie ….
Yes Laura, that’s what I assumed as well…once he got Lina back he wasn’t letting go for anything!! ??? Love it! Lol
Btw I just started watching sex in the city for the first time ever just so I can see Chris Noth and get a better sense of if he could play Phil…two episodes in so far!
Miri — I can’t wait to hear what you think about Mr. Big!
Laura I think Mr Big is very sexy but I can’t really get a read on who he is just yet…he’s still pretty mysterious to me..but I can tell he’s no Phil..Phil is so straightforward you pretty much know what he wants and where you stand with him (unless you’re delusional and narcissistic like Kim)…I read once that there are 4 types of men: the Child, the Confused One, the Player and the Good Man…Phil, for all the havoc he wreaked and damage he caused, is a good man…so far Mr Big seems like a combo of a player and a confused one to me (bleh)
Hinata…Janet is right in that everyone isn’t going to like Phil and that’s ok….Lol. My opinion only is that Phil felt wanted by Kim, which boosted his ego. His feelings were sexual in nature not heartfelt emotion…Phil did continue having sex with Kim after Steamboat, Lina hadn’t changed her feelings toward him and he kept fucking her because she was easy….Kim made Phil feel attractive and special…He wasn’t throwing out I love you’s to her, he was fucking her period….He was the MAN until he wasn’t and he told Lina in Chapter 7 of SN, I was escaping, I was a coward…..Laura’s storytelling led me down the path of Phil’s redemption, but not everyone will have the same path forward and that is totally acceptable …If we all had the same opinion, just think how boring this world would be…
Girls I just read a book that was good…It was called Her Perfect, by Stephie Wall.
Thanks Tracie, gonna check it out! ?❤️
Good answer Tracie! I hope this will ease Hinata’s mind.
I have Gravel Road by the same author but I can’t get past chapter 2. I’ll try your rec instead.
Hahaha, i have a love / hate relationship with Phil.
I also think it wasnt just a’fuck’. In the photos it showed him at a bar with her and he kept his hand on her thigh while chatting to other people. Marking his territory??? Plus, what’s up with the tie story? (assuming the excuse he gave Lina was a lie).
Then again for me, if it was a ‘fuck’, then he would have sexed her and then leave – no pillow talk, hanging out at bars or sleeping over.
From what i understand, he was sleeping with both woman. In the WPF after he came back from New York and Lina saw the pink tie, that night she said “its been 3 weeks” (referring to sex) and it was the same night Kim asked him if he could make an excuse and see her over the weekend because Monday too far away. Assuming again, the big case he won was the same case he was caught in the photo with Kim dancing with hands on her ass.
Loving the added scenes.
Hi BeeSA,
Phil is a mixed bag, he is very good in certain areas like being a provider, generous, protector for Lina, and very kind to Lina’s mom and sisters. He was a great lover too according to Laura. But he was flawed in other areas like he thought little about the consequences of his affair when he was in the thick of it. He was extremely careless in having unprotected sex with Kim (I am assuming since Kim was on the pill that he did not wear condoms). That right there is putting his health and Lina’s in jeopardy unless of course the sex was protected but the condom broke hence Liam. But he was also not cognizant of how his affair and Liam impacted his kids’ lives especially Logan. At first he was such as ass to Lina like “get over it already.”
I think he redeemed himself somewhat in SN with the help of Logan who became the for all the pain Phil had caused. I think Meghan’s breakdown drove it home.
Overall he was not perfect but I think he good qualities made him a good person. He did not set out to hurt Lina.
I think when he says “it was just a fuck,” he meant that he was never in love with Kim and never never considered leaving Lina for Kim. As for having his hands on Kim at bar, yeah I can see him letting other men know she is with me since he was sleeping with her but I don’t think that meant he loved her. As for spending 2 or 3 nights at Kim’s house, he was escaping a tense home with Lina and hey he was having a great carefree sex with Kim. I think he liked Kim until he figured out she had had an agenda all along. It’s possible to like someone and have a sexual relationship with them without being in love with hence just a “fuck” relationship. Don’t get me wrong I hate what he did to Lina and especially Logan and wished he had suffered so much more before Lina took him back.
You are spot on, Holley! You know Phil.
Holley, I think you make a good point about Phil somewhat finding his redemption with Logan’s help. Logan didn’t let up. He was mad at his father and the situation and even without verbal communications he made this clear. And, when Logan had something to say, he didn’t pull any punches.
Yup. Logan’s pain touched me. I think Phil took a while to get it and finally recognized the impact he had on the family. I think deep down, Phil grew to respect more because Logan stood up to Phil and spoke his piece and Logan made it clear that hurting Lina was never going to be acceptable to him.
Holley, one of things I think makes SN such a good story is the bombardment of issues Phil has to deal with. He thinks once Lina forgives him all will be fine. He thinks this is all about their relationship, he doesn’t see the bigger picture and didn’t realize just how much it affected his personal and professional lives. Such a compartmentalizing idiot.
Logan’s reaction to everything seemed so real and heartbreaking—he loves his mama!
Hi Girls, Hope everyone is doing well….Still raining in Oklahoma. Ugh! I need some sunshine! So girls, I had a thought this week and wonder if you’ve ever wondered the same one. How do you think Lina would have met Kim’s parents once they received custody of Liam. I always wondered if Lina would be nervous and how Phil would of made it more comfortable for her. I also wonder if Phil would of been protective, in that he would of kept a hand on her at all times during the initial meeting. I’m sure her parents would of called Phil expressing their desire to maintain a relationship with Liam. I wonder if at that point, he set rules regarding Lina. Do you think they met at their home or a restaurant for the first meeting?
Hi Tracie,
I think once the dust of the custody is settled and Kim’s parents reach out to Phil, Lina would be more embarrassed than nervous about meeting Kim’s parents. I am sure Phil expressed remorse to Kim’s parents about his behavior and probably go out of his way to make her comfortable. After all, if not for Lina, Phil would have had to choose between his old family and Liam.
I think Phil would have suggested a restaurant but Lina would have thought about what was best for Liam and invited them to the house. I am sure Phil stuck around Lina like glue to support her and love on her.
I think Lina is like a saint and puts herself last and Kim’s parents probably like her better than their own selfish daughter.
I am not a Phil fan but I like that he loves Lina so deeply.
Yep — I agree with Holley!
I love this scene as part of the HEA. I know Phil worked hard to make it up to Lina. I wonder if years down the road he sometimes reflects on his cheating and its impact on all or if it is all forgotten by him since everything is good between him and Lina?
I also wonder if Lina’s love and acceptance of the “living breathing daily reminder of the affair” made Phil feel worse about what he did. I would think he would love Lina even more than before but I sure wish that Lina would have given him a small taste of what he gave her (like date someone else but no sex).
As Lina grows in her career and spends more time outside the home, does she hang out more with her friends on girls trips or night outs? Most touching scene for me in SN was Meghan’s breakdown.
It was so unexpected and its impact on Phil was huge. I think it finally brought the full impact of the affair home for Phil. Was Katie ever affected that way? She just seemed kind of unaffected by Phil’s affair, maybe Matt was who she confided in?
Finally, a third book about the Hunters would be awesome, so many scenes in my head ?.
Good Morning Holley…I would love to see a third book too! I was thinking about what you said in relation to Lina giving Phil a taste of his own medicine so to speak. I believe she did do that with Nick. Phil believed she was sleeping with Nick, especially after Chapter 29 in WPF. Phil still needed confirmation again in Chapter 4 of SN when he said he was relieved that Lina had said that she didn’t sleep with Nick. He really stressed out in WPF when he found out Nick knew about Kim. Phil probably felt like that knowledge gave Nick a green light to pursue Lina even harder. Remember in Chapter 27 of WPF when Phil tried to chaseNicks car because Lina called him Nick. IMO he got his own medicine and it burned his brain. I once asked Laura if Phil would ever ask Lina if she kissed Nick (marina scene in WPF) and she said no. His struggle with Nick in my mind is validation that he suffered his own medicine. Phil’s physical act with Kim was just that a Physical act; however another man having an emotional relationship with his wife was more than his mind could deal with, because Phil couldn’t fight feelings that another man had for his wife, especially when Lina was on the edge of accepting those feelings.
Thank you Tracie. Do you think will always feel resentment towards Nick even though at the end of SN Nick appeared to have moved on and had very strong feelings for his new love?
I skipped Phil’s name in my comment above, sorry.
I think Phil would always resent Nick, because like he told Lina he tried to steal her from him. However, Nick in a committed relationship would give Phil a piece of mind knowing he wasn’t out to try again with Lina.
I don’t think Katie was that affected by the affair. I think it surprised her, but she was more into her own life and not so concerned with her family. Teenager.
I periodically check here to see if any more scenes are added. I love Phil and Lina.
Thank you for posting the deleted scenes. I have read both books twice.
Hi Murlene! Nice to hear from you. I plan to write a new scene this weekend!
Here are a few of the Chris Noth pics Miri found. There were some more good ones but I couldn’t find their links — what do you girls think? I can’t get the characters he’s played out of my head so he doesn’t work for me.
https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=Q6SA9a5C&id=85FFF62EA14420C8047C78551181FAD5454DE0F2&thid=OIP.Q6SA9a5C3hvoMPHiSW1GYgHaLK&mediaurl=https%3a%2f%2fs-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com%2f736x%2ffc%2f75%2fe1%2ffc75e10c6d3c02502f9f9c277b98b2c7.jpg&exph=1110&expw=736&q=chris+noth+young&simid=608054156919180839&selectedIndex=0&ajaxhist=0
https://www.google.com/search?q=chris+noth+young&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjWw9n94uLiAhXPt1kKHQ5SBLQQ_AUIECgB&biw=1536&bih=747&dpr=1.25#imgrc=TKdeADti88HbBM:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0629163/mediaviewer/rm354271232
Thanks Laura!! :))) I think if I had watched him in his roles I wouldn’t be able to see it either but for me he’s kind of a blank canvas…Ladies the first pic would be of him as a young man in college..
So I must like short guys. Matt Damon and Jon Stewart. And my latest k pop obsession BTS. So no on this dude.
Hi Janet, I used to have a crush on Matt Damon back in his Bourne Identity days..John S is sexy because of his wit (but I didn’t know he was short?)…who is k pop BTS?
Ok, so, who would you cast as Nick? I’m so out of the loop when it comes to actors (I don’t watch tv or movies much) but I’m thinking maybe some graceful (but non aggressive) golden haired athlete? Not so much a football player as much as maybe a tennis player or olympic skier…
Hi Miri, you make me laugh! I actually like Katie’s version of Nick. Did you see him? The model looks perfect for Nick. Same with Kim. It’s just Phil and Logan I can’t quite reconcile with. I was watching Sixteen Candles with my daughter tonight. Do you remember Michael Schoeffling? The one who played Jake? I can see him as a young Phil? God, I loved him so hard in my teens. So there you go. Laura gets Jon, You have Chris, Tracie likes Paul Walker, Katie is in lust with some football coach, and I’ll take Michael Schoeffling circa 1985. Just missing Tara. hahaha.
K pop = Korean Pop. BTS is a band. I love the boys so much. Check out “Make it Right” on Stephen Colbert or “Mic Drop” on SNL recently. They are so good. My dream job would be to style these boys. Their sense of fashion is insane.
Hi Janet! Yes! I can totally see Michael Schoeffling as a young Phil!! OMG I love him in 16 Candles…sooo dreamy
I just checked out TBS — they are so pretty!! lol there’s this one pic of the lead singer with pink hair chewing on his lip..I would have been obssessed with him as a teen because for some reason back then I only liked pretty boys (I was NOT into jocks or alpha guys…I definitely did a 180 over time lol)…
Hi Girls, Miri I’ll check out the cheating books, but I only read the ones where there is groveling and an HEA. Laura I’m so excited to be getting my free time back in the near future, but I also like the adrenaline rush of a new job or project. I’ve been working on a new project this week and have really enjoyed it, time is flying for me and now I don’t feel like I have enough time left. UGH! Adele Jr. got my job Janet…YAY! I’m so proud of her, she has been my second in command for 19 years, she’ll rock the position.
Phil will have to stay as Jon in my mind. My Phil rocks handsome to a new dimension. In my mind, I slimmed Jon’s body down to more of a swimmers body, but Phil kept the same penis as Jon in the walking his owner pic….Just saying….
Laura out of all the comments I keyed in on you statement of doing a few more Hunter scenes…I can’t wait!!!! You know how my mind runs a muck….I can see so many, Liam blocking Phil’s sexual prowess while being under foot…Logan in a church scene where old gossip’s are wanting to light a candle for him, thinking Phil has set him aside for Liam. However, Logan taking it upon himself to pull a restless Liam out of Phil’s arms and into his proving their assumptions are way of line and he needs to light a candle for them. Phil would be so proud…Swoon. Kbabe would probably like a sweaty steamy outside…LOL How about Megan coming home from college and all of them setting around the dinner table and every time Megan tries to talk and get her dad’s attention Liam starts playing heavy metal on his tray and yelling LoLo. I can so see Megan saying: “Can we not have an adult conversation at this table anymore?” “Does he always have to be the center of attention?” Then Katie piping up to say: “Logan and I had to sit through 18 years of you doing the same thing, it’s his turn now.” LOL….Laura whatever you give us will be perfect!!!
Sorry to ramble girls, I’ve missed you all…Have a great day!!!
I’m so happy to hear Adele Jr will be taking over once you step down! I’m sure it puts your mind at ease and she deserves this chance. Good for her!
I just got used to imagining Jon as Phil or a blurred out version of Jon as
Phil so it’s hard for me to substitute Chris.
Hi Janet! Who’s Chris? I’ll google him too! Lol ??
Never mind Janet, I had a brain lapse for a moment there lol..Chris Noth looks more like a David to me…he should be called David lol
Hi Tracie! Who’s Jon? Is he a celebrity? I’ll google him! ??
Ohhhhh are you talking about Jon Ham? Yes I can see him as Phil..
We are Miri it took a few times for the girls to convince me…but Laura said for me to imagine Jon with the face and height..but more of a swimmers slimmer body and it worked for me…
Miri are you imagining more Hunter flash forward scenes? I am LOL
Always Tracie, always!! Loll and also, when I’m feeling really mean, I go back in Hunter time and imagine Lina giving Phil a really hard time….Tracie, I know you’re not gonna like this..take a deep breath now lol…like maybe asking him for a divorce, saying she can’t get over it (before reconciling, of course), or coming to one of Logan’s games with Nick (hehehe)…Phil would lose it and it would be delicious ..omg Tracie, I’m so sorry, I just can’t help myself…but don’t worry even in my sick and twisted little world they end up together with a HEA I promise loll ?????
Miri! I used to think of ways how Lina can torture Phil too. One time I told Laura and Tracie that I wished Lina would have been hospitalized from the jacuzzi incident. It would have made Phil sooo bad. Sorry Laura and Tracie!!!!
You can imagine Chris Noth for Phil. I liked him in Law & Order and the pic looks good. Jon Stewart for me since JH isn’t my ideal either. Bahaha.
Janet you are a woman after my own heart..you totally get me lolll…I know Phil suffered for his transgressions but, can a cheating husband ever suffer enough? I just don’t think so LOL…
Love your scene ideas Tracie – I could totally see the Megan one in particular. I’m happy Adele Jr got the job!
Miri – have you seen the photo boards Katie put together for all my novels? Jon Hamm is on them as Phil
Hi Laura, I took a quick glance a while back but I didn’t look too closely because I didn’t want my vision of Phil to be influenced…I can see what you girls mean about JH but for me he’s not a totally perfect fit for some reason, I don’t know why…it’s not a physical thing, I’m not sure what it is…but if he works for you ladies then follow your bliss! Lol
Ok, you know what it is? I think I know…it’s the way he speaks…it works for him in his roles and as himself but I see Phil talking a little differently, maybe a bit less self-possessed and suave? I also see an in-your-face physicality and energy about Phil that JH doesn’t really have I think..
I totally agree with that Miri. Phil does not have Jon’s personality. I have a vision of Phil in my head. He doesn’t have a goofy side like Jon. He’s more serious. I like the way Jon looks – the fit version of him anyway
Phil is just pure raw sex in my mind…I can see him power walking out of the garage, during the Victoria Secret scene and his suit coat open and a determined look on his face heading toward his woman, since she had not answered her phone in two hours. Smoking hot….
Miri, you and J-Girl needed him to suffer, but his suffering was that six months he had to stay in his own head and away from Lina. Now Lina having to go to the hospital after the hot tub scene would of been intense or Logan getting hurt with him and Phil at odds would of been rough for Phil too. Like Lina told Adele…”His life is a lot more complicated now.” Phil was just really good at hiding his emotions and thoughts and when he wanted to be seen, Lina was the only one that had a clear view. Thus, people thinking he was uncaring to include Logan. When in fact, the opposite was true. He loved his family deeply, even though he was selfish.
Laura I thought about the church scene based on Chapter 29 of SN, when Lina kept Liam home from church. Her thoughts were that the petty gossip was not a big deal to her, but she didn’t want Logan to have to hear it or be embarrassed by it. Phil got to actually see Lina embarrassed at the grocery store, but never saw what Logan went through at school or maybe even church. Megan I can definitely see her being jealous. She would have to eventually show her true colors to her dad about Liam. However, Phil would placate Megan, no doubt in mind. I base that on the dress scene in WPF and Lina saying that Megan and Phil just had a special bond. So excited to see what you come up with on our flash forward scenes….
Laura one question…in the leaf blowing scene, where Lina confronts Phil about Kim coming to the office, I wondered about Phil’s thoughts when Lina said “It’s to late to protect me.” “You already brought her into our lives.” I figured it would be guilt, frustration and maybe even hurt for his wife. I also wondered if she would of spun on her heels and walked off and if he would have followed her or just let her cool off.
I love you, Tracie!
I think in the leaf blowing scene Phil is feeling frustration at himself for not telling Lina. And no I don’t think he would follow her. He would have let her cool off — I mean what could he say?
Tracy I know, I know he suffered…he really did…I just wanted him to suffer MORE!! LOL! His tears and anguish were like a balm to my soul..and yes I get that I’m psycho LOL…if Lina were ever out of the picture you would be a much better wife to him than I would
When will your new book about the Lucas roe release? Hopefully soon
Hi Ladies! A question…How about Chris Noth as Phil? Not as he looks now (he’s about 65 y/o now) but circa mid nineties to early 2000’s (when he was in Law & Order and then early Sex in the City..he would have been in his 30’s or 40’s?) What do you all think?
Also, a few more cheating books I found…I haven’t read them so I can’t recommend for sure but will check them out…
Save Me – Kristyn Kusek Lewis
Fall from Grace – Libby Steinberg
Playing Away – Adele Parks
Young Wives Tales (sequal to Playing Away) – Adele Parks
A Morning Like This – Deborah Bedford
The Truth in Lies – Jeanne McDonald
The Other Half – Sarah Rayner
Leave it There- Michelle Maris
Her husband’s Mistake – Sheila O’Flanagan
Man and Boy – Tony Parsons
He’s Got to Go – Sheila O’Flanagan
Keep happy – A.C. Baxtor
The Longest Holiday – Paige Toon
Leaving haven – Kathleen McCleary
You, Me & Other People – Fionnuala Kearney
Tell No Lies – Julie Compton
Love and Other Natural Disasters – Holly Shumas
After All is Said and Done – Belinda G. Buchanan
My Husband’s Wife – Amanda Prowse
Contingency – Paula Wiseman
The Adultery Club – Tess Stimson
Do This For Me – Eliza Kennedy
Temptation Street – Shari Low
Let me know if you have read any of them! 🙂 Enjoy!
there are certain specific pics of Chris Noth that I think are TOTALLY Phil…Laura is there any way at all to post them? Can I email them to you to post, or maybe on Goodreads? He looks EXACTLY like Phis is a few that I’ve found! You ladies need to see!!! lol
*Phil
Good lord. P He is nothing like his character mr big. He tried asking my sister out a couple times. He’s nice but prefers black women. He’s a player. He was sexy as mr big but that’s it. Phil is nothing like mr big to me Chris noth is too suave.
Hi Janet, not as his characters or himself, just how he looked in the late nineties…I wish I could post some pica to show you! Chris Noth asked your sister out? My friend would lose her mind, she loves him! Lol
LOL Janet — I would have to agree. I knew he preferred black women, but clearly he also liked your sister. He was pretty hot in Sex and the City.
HI Miri — you can put a link in a comment, but I don’t think you can put an actual picture in here. If you don’t have a link, private message me on my facebook page and I’ll try to figure it out.
I’ve never thought of Phil as Chris Noth. I loved his character in Sex in the City but don’t see him as Phil. I’d be curious to see the pictures.
Laura maybe I can somehow email you the collage and you can post it on your fb page for all the girls to see? I’m telling you ladies, once you see the pics I’m talking about you will see what I mean!
I will msg you on fb ?
I think physically I can see a younger Chris Noth as Phil. He’s an attractive gentleman 🙂 You need to separate what he looks like from his characters… Though I love the early Law & Orders.
Hi Tara, yes, exactly! Just how he looked like in his thirties/forties…he even has the height! I never watched L&O or SITCity, so I’m not familiar with his characters or how he is in real life, but I came across some of his earlier pics and was like OMG that’s Phil!!!! Loll
Big list of books, I’ve read some of them… some have HEA, some don’t. I’m going to print the list and look into the ones I have not read.
Thanks!!
You’re welcome, enjoy! ??
Cheating books make my stomach turn LOL. I can’t handle them.
Lollll!! Laura I used to feel the exact same way until I met the Hunters! Now I keep searching for books that are similar, but they all fall short! That’s why we need more Hunter books! Lol ???
I see it!
You can just post a link to the google image…
But I made up a little collage! It’s not just one image…hmmm there must be a way!! Lol…I have him at various stages of his life…
Good question, Tina — I took a break, but plan to start on it again soon. I have a few extra scenes to write for the Hunter family and then I plan to finish Lucas.
Hi Laura! How is your job going? Are you getting into the swing of things and are you liking it? I haven’t asked in a while so I hope all is going great with you! ?❤️?
Yes, Miri — I’m getting into the swing of things. It’s just a lot of work and a bit exhausting — in a blink of an eye, I lost all my free time. I enjoy the people and am exposed to lots of interesting personalities LOL It’s all good.
‘what happens after’-husband is yuck!
I want to strangle him with my bare hands
I didn’t like the ending
Thanks miri for suggesting the book..
I want to know more cheating books..
Here are a few I came across
A promise of forever-bj betts
A wife’s revenge-elizabeth red
Aftertaste: a novel in five courses-meredith mileti
I haven’t read the first two,the third one is pretty good
Can anyone who read the first two books tell how the books are?
Right now I’m reading wrecked havoc-angel steel
Thanks Hinata, will check it out! ?
I managed to finish all three tonight. Aftertaste was by far the best.
A Wife’s Revenge was horrible, it had really bad homophobic issues, and the confrontation scene is a sexual assault. I found it very offensive.
A Promise of Forever wasn’t bad, but not great.
Same here Tara! I wasn’t going to say anything but a wife revenge shouldn’t have been published. It was 40 min of garbage. Don’t bother with it. Promise of forever I read while back and it was horrible writing imo. I remember skimming that one. Aftertaste was Just Ok. Typical chick lit. Next!
Janet, I wasted 6 hours of reading time—I rarely read reviews and didn’t before reading A Wife’s Revenge, I read them after I finished it, I’m shocked that no one commented about the confrontation scene, it’s horrible. The other 2 were just innocuous.
Yes. I was curious how she was going to get revenge on the husband. Meeting between the exes was secretive and when they went along with the plan I was shocked.I skimmed the rest. Not my thing.
Oh my god!
Thanks for warning Tara and Janet I won’t be reading a wife’s revenge then
Thanks a lot for reviewing…it means a lot ?
Hi Hinata, here are a few more that I’ve come across/have read…
The woman he married
Goalie
You, me & other people
The other half
The affair
Tell no lies (but stay away from the sequel!)
Love and other natural disasters
The fourth child
…I will go through my kindle and let you know if some more! ?
Thanks Miri
I think I almost finished all the list except goalie,the affair and love and other natural disasters
I’m going to check them ASAP
Thanks again!
And ya homestand-sally bradley and marry me again -teresa hill are also good (I didn’t like them that much though?)
Who is the author of affair Miri?when I searched I got more than one book..
The affair**
Hinata, I think Miri is talking about Colette Freedman. We talked briefly about it. The guy is very beta imo
Yes! Janet, I was so not into him bleh
Hi Hinata! It’s by Colette Freedman
Thanks miri
Oh Janet!I didn’t know ?
I just one-clicked all 3 books ?
??did the same
Yaaaa..no sympathy for Phil from me in that scene
Good Morning Girls, hope all of you are doing well. Oklahoma is finally starting to rise above the water. It is still raining here at least 3X a week. I’m ready for a full week of sunshine.
So girls, I was reading the scene in SN, where Phil is waiting on Lina to come home after she had been out with some of her co-workers. I went over this scene in my mind several times, Laura and Janet both say Phil is feeling down in this scene. When I read his text messages to Lina, Leaving work, picking up Liam, Ordered in, and he never got a response….I do this crazy thing…where I can imagine in my mind Phil walking into an empty house, looking around and getting down. How many times prior to the affair, do you think Phil walked into an empty house? Lina wasn’t standing at the stove or offering him a drink….Logan and Katie weren’t buzzing around Lina talking about any and everything. I imagine Phil setting there alone feeding Liam and eating out of a takeout container without any adult conversation and wondering where his wife was and who she was with….Logan at a friends house, Phil knowing he won’t see him until late Sunday evening, continually checking his phone without any word from Lina. Putting Liam to bed and coming down the stairs to an empty family room, realizing how everyone’s lives have changed while he had been out of the house and feeling a sense of being left behind…..Geez now I’m down…LOL
Hi! Glad to hear Ok is better. How is Blake’s house? It is so humid in LA. I feel like I’m in Hawaii. yuck!
Tracie, you know I can’t really sympathize with Phil. I would say go invest in a jogging stroller and go for a 10 mile run with Liam. The dynamics are just different now so I’m sure Phil will have to adjust but it’s not so bad. Don’t feel sorry for him!
I’m so glad you said this! I was thinking suck it up buttercup! I may love this series, but he’s not getting much sympathy from me—consequences!
I’m glad Oklahoma is starting to dry up, Tracie.
I think Phil is going to have a much harder time getting use to having a toddler underfoot than Lina. She’s the selfless one, after all.
I totally agree Laura! Our girls tell me not to feel sorry for him, but I’m partial to my Phil and can’t help it Lol..
I’m with Janet and Tara on this one, he’ll just have to get over it lol..it’s one of the consequences of HIS actions, so he really can’t complain..and it’s really not that big a deal..and I agree with Laura, Lina is used to raising toddlers and putting others first so it’s not a huge adjustment for her but it is for him…c’est la vie lol
Good to hear tracia..hope the sun shows there soon..
I’m from Asia ..so I don’t know much about the weather there..?
Thank you Miri and Hinata for recs. Aftertaste sounds like a good chick lit! Isn’t it great that Phil brought all of us together? LOL. Where are you Hinata?
I’m south Asian..
Ya aftertaste is Chik lit ..I guess but it’s nice..I liked it
Janet, I never ever read cheating books before Laura’s ! No I can’t get enough! Lol..yes that sexy man has brought us all together lol
*now
Thank you Hinata…raining again today and humid is almost unbearable….
Humidity sucks..hope that the weather turns pleasant and bearable soon..
Thank you for that scene Laura! I almost felt sorry for Phil in that scene but part of me was glad that the consequences of his actions were coming to bite him in the ass. I wonder if that is how he felt the whole time he was living by himself on the Farside. Does anyone know if Logan and Katie ever spent the night with Phil while he was separated from Lina? I have read Swimming Naked at least 5 times, was the issue of the vacation house in Steamboat addressed? They kept it or sold it? I for one hope that Lina drew a hard line in the sand about never returning to Steamboat.
Maybe Laura has a third book coming about Phil and Lina (I know this is wishful thinking but a girl can hope???).
Holley!!! I second your wish!! Lolll I think all of us do!
Holley we concluded they sold the vacation home, since Lina or Logan would never step foot back in the house….
I could read about this couple daily….Love this story!
You know I can’t help it J-Girl…
Love the scene.
Tara, yes, time goes by so fast. She graduates preschool this week. And everyday she seems to need me less and less. Her new thing is locking herself in her room and telling me she needs her space. ??? congratulations to your son!
OMG! She needs her space! That’s hysterical! You are in serious trouble—LOL ?
You are so in trouble! Thank you for making me laugh tonight!!?
Katie she sounds adorable and sassy!! Enjoy her while you can lol, as soon as my niece turned 13 she didn’t want to hang with me and my sister anymore…like we could drop her off at the mall but we weren’t allowed to actually go IN with her lolll
Ladies!! Just started reading “what happens after” by Portia Moore…a cheating-husband angsty book…so far so good! Have any of you read it?
Hi Miri. I read it awhile back. It was good but depressing and I hated the husband. I don’t think he was redeemable. It could have been because we read the sex scenes with the OW. It was pretty intense and I hated him after that. Let me know what you think after you finish. Also, have you read LD Davis GIrl Code? I liked that one a lot. Not really cheating but it was a good angsty read for me.
I just downloadthe book…just the reviews make me mad. I may be in trouble with this one Janet…
Tracie, I don’t think you will like the husband…. is the tornado over?!!?
Tara, yes it is. It’s the parents story and I think the best out do the series. You felt for the wife.
Janet I’m barely into it and I wanna smack the husband!! A 17 year old!?! His son’s best friend?!?! Omg that is a super new low for a cheating husband…I’ll finish it and report back!
and I’m gonna check out Girl Code, thanks! 🙂
Tracie!! I’m so sorry about the spoilers! I wasn’t thinking 🙁
I read it and you are right Janet, the H was weaaaaakkkkk!!! Definitely no Phil….No need to apologize Miri, the spoilers didn’t bother me….
Is this from the OW’s perspective? And is it part of the If I Break series?
I think all 3 have povs. Wife, husband, and OW unless it’s a duet. I forget now. Bc there’s also the son’s story.
This sounds like an angst fest. I read some reviews. I can’t imagine that guy is redeemable. But I still want to read it. ??♀️
OMG Katie how funny…needs her space…Lol….I think it might just go with her name….My Hailee sassy too!
Hi Ladies—just sharing… my son graduated from high school yesterday! I have no idea where the time goes. Katie, next thing you know your little one will be too.
Tara congratulations!!! That’s so exciting!! ???? hope you all are having a great weekend!!
Miri, thank you. We had a big lunch out yesterday for the extended family, and he took his girlfriend to the drive in last night and a carnival today.
That sounds like a perfect way to celebrate!! ????
Waaaaahhh??. Did you sob? Is he staying in NY?
Congratulations to your son Tara!!
Of course, I sobbed and have been crying for 2 days—LOL!
Gawd!! I hope you have a strong support system. I would be a wreck too. I hope you have a ton of books in your TBR pile. Waaahhh
I read the harlequin you recommended. The one with a Russian ballerina. It was good! I’m glad she stayed true to the hero.
I’m okay, he’s really busy musically, so he’s out of the house a lot. Add in a girlfriend and I miss him everyday. This growing up is too hard!
I’m glad you liked it. I enjoy Harlequins, easy quick reads. Every once in a while it’s nice to be blown away by the quality!
Congratulations, Tara!
It’s such a milestone! I hope you handle the empty nest better than I did. It took a few years for me to recover LOL
Awesome Tara….They grow up so fast. You’ll have grandchildren someday and they are wonderful. You’ll get to do everything you did with your own children without all the responsibility. I love my babies….
Tracie–no grandbabies for a while, he needs to finish growing up!
I’m not remotely ready for an empty nest. He’s commuting for the fall semester–too many musical projects going on to stay on campus. I’m thankful, we’ll have him home at least to sleep.
Thanks for this wonderful scene Laura!?
Thank you Laura!! Now my weekend is off to a great start!!! love this couple! ????
Nice ☺️?☺️
Awesome!!!! ? how I could see Liam grasping Linas neck. The little charmer missed his momma!!
I think Phil is going to be chopped liver compared to Lina where Liam is concerned, don’t you JGirl….I wonder what Lina’s reaction will be when Phil tells Lina…”you baby him to much!”
I hope so Tracie. Lina deserves to be Liam’s #1 right? Like he will run to her for booboos but want to sleep with Logan that night and tells Phil he wants Logan. Maybe just a peck for Phil. Lol.
Laura is going to do a Logan and Liam flash forward can’t wait…..Lina does deserve to be #1…But I could see Phil needing his alone time with Lina and they were on the downhill slide to getting it with their kids being teenagers and now they are starting over with Liam…Phil is going to have to become creative in stealing Lina away for that alone time..:I see him doing it to! He said he would spend the rest of his life making things up to her and putting her first….Swoon!
OMG….these scenes make my day…I love the flash forward scenes….I knew Liam would be Lina’s little angel boy….That was so hot Phil pulling Lina over…Swoon……I’m wondering what Phil’s age threshold is before Liam starts being told, don’t tell daddy no…Lol….Was my Logan close by? Katie is a shrewd negotiator and she is definitely the most like Phil….Thank you so much Laura…love it….
i wonder if Phil would get jealous of Lina’s time with Liam? Liam would cut into their lazy Saturday morning sex, etc..I think Phil would gravitate more to Logan since Lina is busy with Liam…
Phil wouldn’t get jealous. I think he’d just get annoyed at him occasionally — like he would with any of his kids.
I think that’s hot too! Lol….I know Phil or Lina neither one would ever regret Liam, but I wonder if Phil even thought about his and Lina’s retirement plans being null and void now…I also don’t think Lina would care anyway not only because of Liam, but her new job…But your scene taught me that Phil will be seeking his alone time with Lina any way he can…Love it