Chapter 30 Shannon
Shannon
I hardly slept a wink last night, and I’ve hardly heard from Wesley.
In fact, it’s been a week since we’ve spent any time together.
Call me paranoid but someone who was always going out his way to text me, call or come and see me, he’s been…
distant. I’m stood staring at his house from my living room window, while I sip my morning coffee thinking about our last text conversation.
Why don’t you come over tonight. I could make you dinner? Xx
Usually he replies within minutes, but it took him over two hours… after he read it.
Can’t tonight.
That was it. No kisses, just short and not even sweet.
Is something wrong, Wesley? Xx
Again, I wait for another hour and he’s starting to piss me off because he’s read it.
Shannon, nothing is wrong. I’ve told you I’m busy.
By this last message I didn’t reply to him. In fact, fuck him and his grumpy arsehole self.
That was the last time I heard from him.
I’ve been trying to catch him before work and wait for when he gets home, but he must leave at four am and return when I’m in bed.
I know he’s been coming back though, I’ve been purposely leaving random objects on my front lawn and when I open my front door, I find them on the porch.
Yesterday it was my strawberry wellies, and they were placed near the door.
The day before that it was my mug and flip flops.
There’s nothing stopping me from going to his work site but I’m too stubborn and Wesley knows it.
Sighing, I walk away and place my empty mug in the sink.
As the front door creaks open, my heart pounds in my chest and I quickly wipe my eyes.
While I might be stubborn and angry with him, I’m still hurting.
“Morning.” Talia’s voice sings bright and breezy. I stand with my back to her, trying to waft away the second lot of tears.
“Erm, Shan, there’s a bloke here to see you.” I turn to face her and see a man wearing a boiler suit.
“Morning, I’m Steve…” he says, but it doesn’t register.
“Um… from Enter the Sandman?” He sets his toolbox down.
“We agreed for me to be here at ten-ish?” Fuck!
I’d forgotten all about him coming today.
“God, sorry, Steve, I had a late night and completely forgot all about it.” I don’t want the poor bloke to think he’s walked into some crazy woman’s house Luckily, Talia steps in ready to mop up my shit talk.
“Why don’t I make Steve some coffee why you…
erm.” She waves her hands in a circle around my body, then holds it up to her mouth and whispers, “Put some clothes on.” Looking down at myself, I’m in a T-shirt and a pair of boyshorts, only you wouldn’t know because the T-shirt covers my arse.
I run off into my bedroom and grab some clothes, before jumping in the shower.
“So, you have no clue why he’s pissed off?” Talia asks, then lifts her limeade to her lips. We decided to get away from the house, and I didn’t want Sandman Steve to feel uncomfortable around me especially when I’m in a bitchy mood. We chose the best place to take bitchy moods to die.
The pub.
“Nope, he’s been like this since the day after we went to my mum and dad’s.” Talia nods. “I take it nothing upset him then?” I try to think back, everything seemed fine. In fact, the evening went well, he loved my parents. When we got home, we were laughing and joking which led to sex.
The next morning, we had breakfast together and arranged for me to go over later when he’d finished work, but he texted to say he wouldn’t be home till late. Then… nothing, just short, sharp answers.
Now he’s radio silent.
“We were fine, but now he’s not, so fuck him.” I sigh. Talia laughs. “What?” Shrugging my shoulders.
“It’s a bit late to say fuck him, you’ve already been there.” I nudge her. “Can we please be serious for a minute?” Talia lets out a breath.
“In other news, dad’s going to look at my plane this weekend.” I’ll do anything to change the subject from Wesley. Any day now I should hear from the planning officer, fingers crossed they give me the go ahead.
“Okay, we need a plan.” Talia pulls out her notepad and pink pen that looks like it came out of a nineties pencil case with its pink glittery feathers poking out the top. “I’m going to write out some ideas and plan out some marketing for you.” I love my friend.
We’re going over the list of ideas, like adding breakfast boxes as an added extra, and Talia’s going to take some photos.
We swiftly moved on from limeade to pints and I’m on my second when she finally puts her notepad away, I check my phone but still nothing from Wesley, not sure if it’s the drink talking, but I need to get to the bottom of his mood.
I don’t want Talia to know my plan because she’d only try and stop me.
“We better get back. Sandman Steve should be gone by now and he said he’d leave my key under the mat,” I tell her, though it’s the truth, it isn’t the only reason I’m desperate to get home.
After the taxi dropped Talia off, I tell him to take a detour and guide him to Wesley’s site. We come up to the entrance and luckily, it’s still unlocked.
“Here will be fine,” I tell him, and I swipe my phone on his app then jump out.
“Cheers Miss,” he calls out from his open window before pulling off.
I have no choice now. The site is out in the middle of nowhere, but it actually backs on to Wesley’s land, and it’s only separated by a small ditch and berry bushes.
Walking further into the site, I see his truck, and a couple of other cars.
Relief washes over me when the car I was dreading to see isn’t here.
I’m not going to lie, I didn’t know what was in the letter Wesley’s ex had sent him, and he didn’t tell me, but there’s a chance he didn’t even open it the night he came to my parents for the BBQ, which means he could have opened it the next day…
the same day I went home. Over the last few days his texts and calls have started to become less and less and I can feel him slipping away.
If there’s a problem, I want to know about it.
Feeling like a creeper, I hide behind a pallet of bricks when two younger lads walk by wearing hard hats and they walk into a lower level portacabin.
When I hear the door close, I check left then right and make my way to the bottom of the steps.
Taking a deep breath, I climb the stairs trying to keep my steps light until I’m outside his office door.
Holding my fist up to the closed door ready to knock, when I hear voices from inside, a woman and a man’s, laughing.
Wesley says something, but I don’t quite hear it.
But it doesn’t sound like he’s in a meeting.
Dropping my hands to my side, I give them a shake, willing myself to knock.
“You’re confident. You’ve got this Shannon,” I whisper to myself before tapping the door.
“Come in.” Wesley’s voice make’s my heart pitter patter as I push down the handle and walk inside.
“Shannon?” His voice sounds pained and skittery like he’s worried. “W-What are you doing here?” This time he sounds like a man hiding something. My brows pull up matching his own, he looks me up and down, then swallows down a gulp of air.
My head tilts to the side, silently questioning him, but not wanting to embarrass him or myself.
Brushing off his tense and stern expression with a gentle smile.
“I wanted to come and see you.” My voice almost as sweet as candyfloss, the kind that disappears as soon as it hits your tongue, leaving its sugary sweetness behind.
Wesley looks between me, and who I know now as Declan and the woman, his hand reaches up gripping the back of his neck, suddenly I feel like I shouldn’t be here…
I feel stupid. This was a stupid idea. He’s not going to talk to me in front of other people.
“Maybe I should go.” I start to turn away, but the woman whose gorgeous smile is wide and welcoming stops me.
“Oh, please don’t leave on our account.” Her London accent is definitely a lot posher than Declan’s, from what I remember.
No offence to her, but she doesn’t exactly look like the posh type.
In fact, I swear I have the same exact dress she’s wearing.
My smile’s a little wider when she stands up to greet me.
“I’m Ashley. I’m…” But Declan cuts her off.
“My wife.” He beams a huge smile and of course she’s his wife, they’re both a stupidly hot couple.
“Not your wife,” she replies to Declan pointedly, with a scowl on her face.
Then turns back to me with the same smile she had earlier.
Declan gets out of the chair and offers it to me.
I look over at Wesley, for approval. Or for what I’m not quite sure of, he looks like he’s sweating.
It is warm in here. I’m halfway sitting down when Ashley speaks again, “We’re just talking about the new glamping site.
” I plonk down in the chair and screech with excitement.
Oh My God! He’s been telling them about my glamping site. “You.” I point my finger at Wesley, giving it a little waggle. “That’s why you’ve been avoiding me.” I roll my eyes but can’t take the smile off my face.
Wesley starts pacing back and forth. Declan notices too.
“Are you alright?” He nods but I notice the tiny bead of sweat slide down his cheek.
“Jesus, open the door,” I tell Declan, who rushes forwards, pulling it open he wafts it trying to force the air into the small cabin.
Wesley grabs a bottle of water from the small fridge and chugs it until it’s empty.
“Look mate, if constructing this glamping site for us is going to be too much for you...” And the room goes quiet.
Wesley’s eyes land on me, his brows crease, my face drops, my once happy smile now a flatline.
I’m too scared to ask him what they’re talking about, it’s like I already know, my heart beats faster as Wesley rounds the desk and pulls me up, his huge arms wrap around me, and Declan and Ashley head to the door.
“I’m going to take Ashley to fill in the snag list,” Declan calls out, then it’s just me and Wesley, but I shove away from him, staring up at him. He closes his eyes and blows out a breath, the colour drains from his face. I’ve never seen him like this before, plucking up the courage I ask.
“W-What are they talking about?” I don’t know why I ask, because I already know the answer.
“Shannon, sweetheart.” He reaches out to me, but I knock his hand away, giving him a stern look.
I ask again, slowly this time. “What were they talking about?” I can already feel the first tear slip from the corner of my eye.
Wesley’s hand comes out again to wipe it away, but I take a step back from him.
“I’m a builder, Shannon… I can’t refuse work when it’s offered to me.” He doesn’t say the words calming or sweet. Oh no, they come out matter of factly.
My tiny happy world shrivels up around me. My dreams, my future business idea and plans, now belong to someone else.
“I’m going to construct an acre of land for Declan for his glamping site.” Everything slows down. I drop into the chair feeling numb as he keeps talking.
“It’s been approved.” His words play over and over in my head. When I first told him about my dreams of running a glamping site.
“Whatever you need, sweetheart… I’ll build it for you.”
“It’s going to be perfect, sweetheart.”
He hated the idea — was this the reason why? “H-How long have you known about this?” I’m afraid to hear the answer. He runs a hand through his thick hair, something he always does when he’s feeling the pressure.
“A week. Week and a half.” He holds my gaze, searching, pleading but all I can think about is he’s known about this for nearly two weeks… and said nothing. I swallow again. “And you knew I wouldn’t be approved?” He exhales sharply keeping his watery eyes locked on mine.
“Yes.” The one word is rough, raw and my throat dries instantly.
“So, you knew I wasn’t approved before me?
” The tears come faster, my throat scratchy.
Wesley grabs me again, and this time I let him.
Because I want him to feel it. What it’s like to lose something you’ve dreamt about for so long.
“I can’t believe you said yes,” I whisper, looking up to his face and into his eyes, before stepping away and heading for the door.
“Christ, Shannon…” he bellows after me. Turning sharply, all I can do is glare at him.
“What? What, Wesley? You knew.” I throw my hands up.
“You knew what it meant to me…” I look him up and down before looking into his eyes again.
“You knew how much I wanted this and decided to build my dreams for someone else.” I want him to feel how I feel.
“All you care about is the fucking money.” My voice cracks, rising higher. My stomach burns like hot lava.
“I’ll build it for you, sweetheart,” I spit back the words he once said to me.
“Whatever you want, sweetheart.” He looks at me, those sad blue eyes, shining with guilt he can’t hide. “I’ll build it for you,” I whisper.
“Shannon, please, let’s go for a drive and talk about this.” He must be fucking crazy if he thinks I’m going anywhere with him.
“There’s nothing left to say. You’ve got a glamping site to build so you can line those pockets of yours.” I yank the door open with so much force it smashes into the filing cabinet behind it, the metal crunching into the door handle.
“For fuck’s sake Shannon, not everything is about you!.” His voice rumbles so loud it echoes around the site like thunder. But I don’t care, I walk to the end of the soon to be lengthy driveway of the site and call a taxi to pick me up, glad that Wesley hasn’t followed me.
Trying to avoid the taxi driver’s stare as he assesses me, he’s the same man who dropped me off earlier.
“Erm… do you want me to wait?” he asks, meeting my eyes through the rearview mirror, he nods as if he’s telling me to turn around.
I should have kept my eyes on the road in front of me, but the pull is too strong.
Wesley stands there looking awkward, hands stuffed into his pockets.
I swallow down the knot, meeting the driver's eyes in the mirror again.
“Can we just go please?” He offers a stern nod, then pulls away.