Authors: Grace Henderson
“No, it’s fine. I’m going to swing by the store and have a look, so I’ll let you know if I find anything out.”
I hang up and sort out my hands-free so I can keep trying her phone. It keeps going to voicemail, and I must have tried it at least ten times before making it to the high street. As I pass it in the distance I can see a dim light coming through the window which relaxes every muscle in my body, she must just be working late and have lost track of time.
I park round the corner in a side-street and walk round, and the nerves are running deep. Cass has been giving me regular updates, but it feels like ages since we’ve seen each other. I hope she doesn’t freak out when she seems me. As I get closer, my heart starts thumping erratically at the front door that’s ajar, she would never leave it open at night, especially when she’s here on her own.
An awful feeling of dread and fear grips me as I open the door slowly to see further inside. The store’s in a bad way. Everything’s been messed up. Papers on the floor, the table is turned over, dresses are scattered all over and there are slashes on the sofas. It’s a wreck. Another thought crushes my lungs so I’m struggling to breathe, and that’s Laurel. What if she’s here, if she’s been hurt? I shout out as I scan the room again and run through the back. I search in every room, still shouting out her name: the toilet, the stockroom, and I’m more relieved by the second that she isn’t here until I get to her office and swing the door open.
“Laurel.” I shout again out loud, and stop sharply when I see her figure huddled against the wall. I quickly look around and see all the scrunched up tissues she’s got surrounding her. I walk over to her and her eyes are closed, but she’s breathing in and out softly and her face is red and blotchy like she’s been crying her eyes out. She must have walked in on this and I could only imagine how distraught she was. I don’t want to wake her so I gather up the tissues and put them in the bin and at least get all her papers off the floor and put them in a pile on her desk. I’m vaguely aware this is now a crime scene but I don’t let that stop me from picking them up. Something falls onto the floor from in between the paperwork and it’s bright red so catches my eye. I bend down and flip it over in my hands and as soon as I see what it is my heart feels like it’s going to crash out my chest, it’s working so hard. My body tightens as I straighten up and the anger mounting inside sends my fist flying at the wall. The pain is nothing compared to what Laurel must be going through so I do it again and again until I’m satisfied I’m a lot closer to feeling the same as her.
It’s raw and bleeding and hurts like hell, but it’s a reminder that it’s all my fucking fault. I put the red disc in my pocket and pick Laurel up in my arms. She stirs but settles back again and whilst I drive her back home, I ring her mum to tell her I’m on my way and Marissa’s son Jason at the station, to report the break-in.
“Oh my gosh, is she okay?” Judy asks me as I lay Laurel down on the sofa.
“I think so. She’s been asleep the whole way. I can’t believe what a mess the store was. She’s going to need you when she wakes up.”
“Well of course, I’m not going anywhere. But aren’t you staying?”
I shake my head because I don’t think Laurel would want to see me and after what I’ve found out I can’t face her at the moment.
“She still loves you, you know?” Her mum says thoughtfully.
“And I love her. But she deserves better.” My voice hitches and I can’t get it out my head how I’ve fucked up royally this time.
“Nonsense. Ever since you two got together she’s been happier than I’ve seen her in five years. She’s strong in some ways, but vulnerable in others. She just needs someone to remind her that she is in fact allowed to be happy, and it doesn’t always have to then lead to heartache. She’ll come around. Just wait for her, please.” She grabs hold of my arm and I give her a thin smile before walking out the front door and hitting the accelerator harder than an F1 driver.
Lights are on. I’m thankful the bitch is here because I need to get it all out.
The pent-up anger is not doing me any good
, I think as I look down at my busted hand.
My good fist pounds on the door. As soon as it opens I burst through it like a maniac, and the satisfied look on her face makes me want to throttle her.
“Tell me these things aren’t you Alex. Please fucking tell me that you aren’t messing with her like this. ‘Cause I swear to you, you will live to regret it.” My voice is carrying all the desperation and anger I can summon from deep inside me. I’ve had to watch the woman I love break into pieces and it’s all because of her.
“James, how nice to see you. Why don’t you come through?” She walks away and heads through to the kitchen with her head held high and her hips swaying dramatically and I know she’s trying her damned hardest to piss me off.
“Don’t bullshit me, Alex.” I reach into my pocket and slam her red earring down onto the kitchen table in front of me.
“Oh, wherever did you find that? I thought I’d never see it again.” Her devious smile gives me all the answers I needed, but I still want her to say it.
“Why would you do this? You know there’s something not right with you up here don’t you?” My fingers jabs against my temple and she’s even crazier than I first imagined because she laughs.
“Well, you know what they say; hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.” She shrugs her shoulders and opens the fridge to get a bottle of wine out. “Would you like a glass?”
“You’re pathetic. Do you know you’re losing money too if Proposals goes under? It’s like your damaging your own business. Why would you do that?”
She gets a glass out the cupboard and pours the wine out, still smiling.
“Because I can. The money means nothing. I’m just enjoying the way it’s all played out. I told you I didn’t want you seeing her, but you chose her over listening to me. So this is all your fault. But it’s worked out well.” She leans her hip against the counter and smirks at me.
“You two aren’t together, and her business is wrecked. My work here is done.”
I can’t believe she’s being so spiteful. “I won’t let you get away with it. I’ll go to the Police. I’ve got the evidence right here.” I point to the earring and quickly pick it up so she can’t get to it.
“What evidence is that then? I’m admitting it’s my earring. Do you know how many times I’ve been in the store in the past week? Three. I simply lost it when I was there.”
“I know you had it yesterday. I saw it!”
“Yes, but no-one else knows that. It’s your word against mine, and who is she going to believe? I’ve been there for her, helping her business grow. I’ve invested time in her and the store.” She walks round the side of the counter to confront me with her next questions.
“So, does she know we slept together last year? Does she know that you’ve been working on my house? Does she know about my late night visit yesterday?”
I keep silent as I think about how it would look to Laurel.
“So when she finds this out, what do you think she’s going to think of you? The man she loves or used to love, who she knows was used to bedding women whenever he felt like it. Do you think she’s going to believe you?”
Of course she won’t. I wouldn’t believe it if I didn’t know for a fact I haven’t cheated on her and never could. But all she will see is the fact I lied to her. Shit, she’s a conniving bitch and I’m going to lose.
I steel my voice to cover the uncertainty, “You won’t win Alex.”
“I already have darling, but carry on with the fighting talk if it makes you feel better.” The last thing I hear as I storm out the door is her loud cackle and I drive straight home to think about my next move. I’m seeing her out of my life and getting Laurel back if it’s the last thing I do.
Chapter Twenty Four
Laurel
D-Day.
The past couple of days I’ve not been able to think of much else aside from the break-in and mum. The break-in’s been left with the Police but they don’t have any leads. I’ve been in constant contact with the insurance company and they’re saying there’s not significant enough damage to the front door for it to be a break-in but it’s still being investigated. It means I won’t be getting the pay-out any time soon though. On top of that, mum’s been so sick with her chemo that it’s taken up a lot of my time. Cassie and Blake have been great; Blake has started clearing his schedule to help with the work and Cassie’s been helping with mum every chance she gets.
As I lay down on the sofa resting my eyes whilst mum’s at Marissa’s for lunch, my thoughts drift to James and the nerves capture my whole body in their chokehold. It’s been exactly two weeks since he said I either come to my senses or he’ll come back for me. I’ve been asking Cassie to keep me updated on what’s going on in his life, just so I feel closer to him. I should have just made a clean break but I’m clinging on to him for as long as I can. It’s better that I ended it myself than always be wondering whether he would. It was the uncertainty that worried me; made me feel helpless and completely out of control.
The doorbell rings and I squeeze my eyes shut tighter, silently willing whoever’s there to just go away so I don’t have to get up. Then there’s a knock too and my phone vibrates.
James.
My heart leaps out of my chest at just seeing his name on the screen. I don’t know how I’m going to cope with seeing him again. What if I made the wrong decision? Darren didn’t break up with me because of my dad, so what if James can handle everything I have to go through with my mum’s illness?
No, I can’t think like that.
I did what’s best for him, I can’t be so selfish.
I can hear him talking through the half-open window so I get up and move closer to listen.
“Well if she is, she’s not answering. Yeah okay. Thanks Judy. I’ll call you later.”
The traitor. My mother will be in deep trouble for this.
“Hi.” Pulling open the door, my breathing halts at the sight of him, and the feelings I’ve done my best to bury all resurface with a vengeance. He has no idea what he does to me. In two weeks his hair has grown slightly longer and now it’s falling across his forehead. The stubble which he’d grow every now and again must be at least a few days old, and it makes him look older, and much more rugged. His smile as I open the door up wider and gesture for him to walk through, makes my stomach turn one-eighty.
“Hey babe.” I always used to hate being called ‘babe’ before I met him and now, it’s like a warm blanket wrapped round me on a cold, shitty day and I’m pissed that I can’t get rid of these feelings. How will I ever manage to be around him again?
“What are you doing here?” My voice is low, and soft. I can’t get angry, I broke up with him and he never did anything wrong. It was all me and my stupid fears.
“You know exactly why I’m here Laurel. I gave you two weeks, now I’m back. Can I talk to you, please?”
I nod weakly and walk through to the lounge, sitting down on the sofa and pulling my feet underneath me. He awkwardly stands trying to decide whether to sit next to me or not, and eventually he opts for the armchair which both disappoints and relieves me.
“I have some things to tell you and I’m not sure where to start.” He fiddles nervously with the rip in his jeans then rubs a frustrated hand across the back of his neck.
“Do you really have to tell me? Is it going to make a difference? We aren’t together any more, I just don’t think it’s going to be productive.”
He blows out a breath and looks defeated already, and my heart is telling my stupid brain not to be so mean.
“You need to know, Laurel. I should have told you ages ago and none of this would have happened. I’ve already lost you, but if there’s any way I can change your mind then I have to try.”
“James, I don’t think-“
“Okay, I get it. Just hear me out.”
I nod and put my hands up in surrender whilst he tries to gather his thoughts. I watch him closely and I think it makes him more nervous. His brow furrows and he’s grinding his teeth together so hard I can see his cheeks moving.
“Last year I did some work for a woman in London. We had too many drinks one night and slept together. A complete mistake, it meant nothing. The next day we talked about it briefly and were both happy that it was nothing. Or so I thought. A while later she contacted me saying she had another property and it was around here so of course I jumped at the chance. Plus, I knew a great construction company to help out. It was also a huge amount of work so we were getting paid well for it.”
“So this is the job you just finished? Where I went to the site?” I ask for clarification, and my stomach churns at what that means. He’d been working for someone he slept with all this time. Was he going to tell me he cheated on me? No, that’s ridiculous, he wouldn’t do that. I know exactly what his reputation was before we got together, I saw it with my own eyes. But there’s no way he’d cheat on me. He has more respect for me than that.
“Look, it doesn’t matter anymore. It’s all in the past.” I can see how much this is eating at him so maybe he just had to get it of his chest, but as far as I’m concerned, it doesn’t matter anymore.
He shakes his head and lifts it to look at me. “It isn’t though. She made herself a part of your future when she showed up here with a bundle of cash.”
“Who?” I’m completely confused until it hits me. There’s only one person who has only recently shown up in my life,
Alex.