Chapter 7
Sonny
Was I crashing Declan and Erik’s date?
I looked out of the corner of my eye to see Declan sitting on the bench, watching the two of us skate in a graceful arc. I couldn’t work it out. Mr Parker had waved to me, but he’d stopped to talk to Declan – since he was nearer – and I was sure I’d heard him say Declan was on a date. Another date.
I felt sick. The possibility that I’d been considering for weeks, that Declan was falling in love with Erik and wouldn’t want me any more, was suddenly coming true.
Before, it had been a distant worry, something I’d fretted over but not really thought would happen.
Now it had happened. Declan had been dating Erik.
Was I meant to leave now I’d worked that out? Would it be polite to take myself off and… I don’t know, hide away while they spent the evening together? I couldn’t leave without Declan because I was the driver but I could give him and Erik some space.
I’d almost forgotten Erik was beside me. Through the thick sleeves of my coat, I felt him squeeze my arm.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Yeah.”
No. I really felt sick. Was I going to puke?
“You look pale,” he said, and the horrible thing about that little sentence was that I could hear the genuine concern in his voice. He was actually worried about me. Damn Erik for being so nice.
Why did he have to crash my date with Declan? Couldn’t he let me have one little date all to myself before he and Declan got married and lived happily ever after without me?
My foot slipped out from under me and I wobbled. I’d have fallen over if it weren’t for Erik’s strong hands supporting me.
He held me up, and I felt his arm wind around my middle to keep me close.
“You okay now?” he asked.
“Yeah.”
I eased myself away from him. Actually, I felt as though I were about to start crying, and there was nobody I wanted to do that in front of less than Erik, the man Declan was falling in love with. I really needed to get away.
“We can slow down,” he suggested.
For a second, I didn’t follow the conversation. I thought he meant he and Declan could slow down, maybe date a while longer until I got used to the idea of them being together before they moved into their own little house and adopted eight children.
Of course he didn’t mean that, though.
He meant did I want to skate slower.
I shook my head.
“Are you sure?” he asked.
I had to clear my throat. “Yes, I’m sure. I’m fine now. And you’re skating better than I am.”
He looked a bit sheepish. “I’m used to it again now.”
“Great. I’m going to go and skate over there for a while.”
I practically tore myself out of his grip and nearly slipped right over as I left the safety of his embrace. But I didn’t. Sheer desperation to get away from him without crying and snotting all over him meant I got away and even managed to stay upright.
The world in front of me blurred as my eyes filled with tears. I blinked them back, and the world glimmered with silver and white, ice and snow.
My body moved rhythmically, instinctively keeping me going with long glides over the smooth ice.
The chill air whipped at my exposed cheeks but Erik’s scarf kept my neck warm and cosy.
The first salty tear spilled over my eyelashes and travelled down my cheek, feeling as though it froze on the way down.
I took a breath, trying to calm myself and stop any more from spilling.
And then the world beneath my feet cracked and jolted, the sound like a gunshot. I felt my body twist and plunge downwards, and then icy cold water encompassed me completely and there was no sound at all, only the dead silence of the freezing lake.