‘Elise…’
I sat back on my heels and looked up at her. ‘Do I have a tattoo on my forehead that says, “Please betray me”? What’s wrong with me?’
Sarah sat down beside me and gave me a gentle nudge. ‘You know it’s them and not you. There’s nothing wrong with you. You’ve just been really unlucky.’
‘I won’t rush out and buy a lottery ticket then,’ I said. ‘Look, Sarah, I’m actually okay with this. It’s not like I was head over heels in love with him, is it?’
Poor Sarah looked like she was about to cry.
‘Honestly. I’m fine. I don’t really want to talk about it now, although I may do later. I need to think it through and work out how I feel first. Right now, I have no idea if I’m angry, upset, or relieved it’s over.’
‘It’s definitely over?’
‘Oh yes! Definitely. I know you and Stevie must think I’m crazy to have stayed after the incident and maybe I was, but he seemed so genuinely sorry and I never, ever felt threatened by him or I’d have been out of there like a shot. This time, I don’t care what excuses he has, it’s over. Can you just promise me one thing?’
‘Anything?’
‘After Rob and now Daniel, promise me you’ll never introduce me to any more of your friends.’ I winked at her so she could be assured that I wasn’t angry with her.
‘I promise.’
The re-organising took us a lot longer than expected so I dipped out to buy a couple of bags of chips when Sarah’s stomach rumbled loudly. It was a relief to escape from her sympathetic glances and unspoken questions.
It was past eleven when I got back to Seashell Cottage, but Kay wasn’t home. The empty cottage seemed to amplify my troubled thoughts. I sat in the lounge in darkness trying to make sense of what I’d seen that evening and, more importantly, how I felt about it.
Deep down, I’d known it was over when he punched Stevie. I’d been having doubts anyway, and that was really the final straw, yet I hadn’t ended it. I’d steadily pulled away, though. We’d kissed, but I’d managed to avoid going any further. I’d wanted to be clear in my mind whether I really enjoyed Daniel’s company or just our sex life. I’d been fairly sure it was the latter. My resigned reaction to Daniel’s PDA outside Seaside Blooms confirmed my suspicions that I wasn’t into him anymore. As I’d said to Stevie before Daniel thumped him, he wasn’t my soulmate and, having had that with Gary (despite how it ended), I wanted that again. I wasn’t prepared to compromise and settle for ‘like’ instead of ‘love’.
I took my phone out of my bag and switched it off silent. It instantly beeped. Six missed calls and three texts from Jess all insisting I ring her whatever time I picked up the message. My pulse raced and I paced the lounge floor as I waited for the phone to connect.
‘Are you okay? Are the twins okay?’ I cried as soon as she answered.
‘We’re all fine. Sorry for scaring you. I should have said it wasn’t baby-related.’
Phew! I slumped onto the sofa. ‘Thank goodness. So why the urgency?’
Jess sighed. ‘I’m sorry, but there’s no easy way to say this other than to come straight out with it.’
I sat forward, my stomach churning. ‘Come out with what?’
‘I only found out tonight and, believe me, I’ve given her a right mouthful.’
‘Who?’
‘Izzy. I’m really sorry, but she had sex with Daniel at my wedding.’
Wow!
I think Jess was more upset than me, but the news hadn’t really surprised me after what I’d witnessed earlier. I was angry with him – with them both – and I felt sickened that he’d returned to our room for sex with me too. I bet he’d loved that conquest. Two bridesmaids in one night? Sick.
Having reassured Jess that I was fine, I stood up with the intention of going to bed to put a close to a hideous day, but my phone beeped again:
✉︎ From Daniel
Hope you had fun with Sarah. Nice meal? I pushed the boat out and had spaghetti on toast LOL! Watched the latest Bond film again but would have rather been snuggled up with you. Missed you loads xx
You lying little… Right, that’s it! I grabbed my bag and keys and stormed out of the cottage. I don’t think I’ve ever driven so fast in my whole life or ground my teeth so much. My jaw hurt by the time I screeched to a halt outside Daniel’s cottage. I leapt out of Bertie, ran to the front door, and banged on it just like I’d done after the incident with Stevie.
Michael opened the door. ‘Elise? What are you doing here?’
‘Is he in?’
Michael shrugged. ‘I’ve just walked through the door myself. Are you okay?’
‘No. I’m fuming with Daniel right now. Can I come in?’
He stepped back to let me pass then closed the door. ‘He hasn’t thumped another of your friends, has he?’
‘No. Worse. Well, maybe not worse. Different. Still bad.’
‘Do you want to go up to his room?’
Did I? A flashback of Gary and Rob in the shower entered my mind. I really didn’t want to add Daniel and Whoever She Was to that album of images I’d rather forget. ‘No. Can you shout him down? Don’t tell him I’m here, though.’
I could tell from the concerned expression on Michael’s face that he wanted to ask more questions. With a sigh, he headed to the bottom of the staircase and shouted, ‘Daniel. Get your arse down here. Now!’
Silence.
‘Daniel!’ He ran up a few stairs and banged on the wall separating the staircase from Daniel’s bedroom. ‘Daniel! Down here. Now!’
He ran back down the stairs and whispered, ‘Do you want me to leave?’
‘No. This won’t take long.’
‘What the hell’s got into you?’ Daniel stomped down the stairs wearing only a towel round his waist. ‘What do you think you’re—’ His eyes widened as he spotted me. ‘Elise?’ The quick shift of his eyes back up the stairs told me exactly what I’d suspected; he’d brought her home.
‘You don’t look pleased to see me,’ I said.
‘Sorry. Of course I am.’ He moved towards me but didn’t touch me. ‘I’m a bit surprised, that’s all. I was just dozing off.’
‘Oh, I very much doubt that,’ I said. ‘Unless that’s a euphemism with which I’m unfamiliar.’
‘You’ve done it again, haven’t you?’ Michael snapped, shaking his head at Daniel. ‘What the hell’s wrong with you?’
I flinched at his tone. And the use of the word ‘again’.
‘I don’t know what you mean.’ Daniel looked at me, all wide-eyed and innocent, but then Whoever She Was ruined it for him.
‘Danny? What are you doing down there? Come back to bed.’ She appeared round the corner of the staircase, dressed only in one of Daniel’s thin white work shirts, which left nothing to the imagination. Hmm. Not a natural blonde.
Daniel looked at her then me.
‘I think we’re done,’ I said. ‘Don’t you?’