Chapter 41
Chapter Forty-One
WILL
Day Eleven
Iam the sun, the breeze, the ocean and the monuments. A spring in my step catches the eye of a Greek man on a stall selling hats. He gives me a hesitant wave with a kind smile. I’m a main character, spinning on the street corner, enjoying the warmth of the sun’s rays.
Everything is going to be okay.
Coming to Athens is the best thing to ever happen to me, and it’s not just because I’ve been fucked into oblivion. Although that helps. Sam took me to another dimension with the way he nurtured me. Destroyed me. It accounts for the way I’m walking.
I’m glowing.
I float into the café where I’ve arranged to meet Ollie, order an iced lemonade, and sit outside in the shade, listening to the world go by. I could get used to a life like this. A man who meets my needs. The glorious weather. No responsibilities.
Maybe I’ll have one of those things soon. Clive is going to fire me if I keep this charade up any longer.
No. No thoughts of Clive, please. He ruins the post-sex glow.
Thoughts of Sam are better. Thoughts of Sam are a turn on.
I can’t believe I had sex with my old best friend.
Right now, I can’t help grinning, concerning some of the other customers.
It’s like I’m from that movie, Smile. But with my eyes closed, I can replay the night, this morning, wishing I could do it all over again.
‘Will?’
I jump, pulled out of my thoughts of naked Sam making me coffee, and instead see Ollie before me. He holds an iced coffee, and I move the seat next to me further out so he can sit down.
‘What are you smiling about?’
The best dick I’ve ever had probably isn’t the most appropriate answer. Especially not to Ollie.
‘Life.’
‘I see.’ Ollie sips his coffee, the ice clinking. He gives me a hopeful look. ‘Please tell me you’re here to be my saviour and get rid of all my stress?’
I beam at him. ‘I wanted to tell you that I will marry you. And Alec.’
Ollie squeals, eliciting looks of annoyance from people nearby dressed in designer gear and looking like they’re having business meetings.
Suddenly he’s upon me, hugging me, and I’m surprised.
Before coming Athens, I craved his touch.
Now I stiffen up, refusing to hug him back, waiting for him to move away.
‘Will, thank you. Thank you so much. Alec is going to be thrilled. I thought we’d have to call it off.’
‘Well, you don’t, but I do have some rules.’
Ollie grimaces. ‘What?’
‘I’ll be there and I’ll be your celebrant, and it will go how you want it to go,’ I say. ‘But I want you to tell Alec about us.’
‘Will—’
‘No, Ollie. Listen to me. I came here thinking, ridiculously, that we could maybe rekindle something, and I know now that we aren’t the same people we were.
I’ve realised a lot of stuff about myself here, and I have to be honest with you: Alec not knowing about our past broke me. It’s like you’re ashamed of me.’
‘I’m not ashamed of you.’
‘Okay, great. Then tell him. Please. I won’t lie. Saying yes to you is a hard thing to do, and it will feel weird to me to be part of your wedding in a way it never occurred to me before. But, most importantly, you can’t start your married life together with a lie.’
‘Alec won’t mind.’
‘Maybe so. But I’d feel more comfortable if he knew. It’s only fair on him. I need Alec to be okay with your ex marrying you.’
Ollie glances around, but I don’t care if anyone is listening to us.
My bravery surprises me, but it’s been in my head since I left Sam’s.
During our years together, I always accommodated for Ollie’s wants and needs.
This time, he has to accommodate my wishes.
He needs to be honest with Alec. He needs to take responsibility.
‘Okay… Uh, sure.’
‘You’ll tell him?’
‘Yeah, I’ll tell him.’
Ollie bites his lip, clutching his coffee cup so tight I think he might pop the lid and spill the contents.
‘And let’s sort that double date,’ I say, bravely.
Ollie wrinkles his nose in scorn.
‘I’m serious,’ I argue. ‘I want to get to know Alec, especially if I’m marrying you, and like you say, we should work on being friends.’
Ollie turns to me, lips parted. Lips I once desired. Lips that once kissed mine.
‘Fine. If that’s what you want, then that’s what we’ll do,’ Ollie snaps, his control slipping a little.
‘Cool. When works for you?’
‘Tomorrow.’
‘Tomorrow,’ I agree.
‘Anything else? Any other demands?’ he says it like it’s a joke, but his eyes aren’t warm, his expression thunderous.
For once, I have the upper hand. ‘No, nothing.’
‘Fine.’ He sips his coffee. ‘Thank you, Will. I appreciate you doing this for me.’
‘I would never leave you in the lurch.’