Chapter 5
Bex could feel her jaw hanging open as she looked at him.
No, this Duncan definitely hadn’t turned into a recluse at all.
By the looks of things, he had been there since the pub opened that morning, although part of her couldn’t help but wonder if he’d been with the Australian women before then too.
One thing was clear, though. He was drunk, and she didn’t need to see all the empty glasses on the table to know that.
His cheeks had taken on a rosy hue, and there was something about the way he was grinning that felt overly forced – or at least alcohol-induced.
As she stood there, he whispered something into one of the women’s ears.
The woman threw back her head and laughed.
‘I’m sorry,’ Lorna said. ‘We can go. Let’s leave now. We’ll grab the others and get something else for lunch. Honestly, we don’t have to stay here.’
Bex wanted to reply. She wanted to say that leaving was probably a good idea, as there was no way her fragile heart could cope with seeing Duncan like this.
Seeing him so… so okay, after how she had spent the past few weeks.
But her throat seized up, and her eyes were unable to look anywhere except straight ahead at Duncan.
Even as she felt Eilidh and Niall sidle up beside her, her attention remained locked entirely on Duncan.
It was in that moment, as her lips parted, ready to speak, that he moved his head away from the pretty blonde at his side and looked at her.
The same level of shock that registered on her face appeared on his.
Pure disbelief. Yet why would he be surprised?
He was the person closest to Fergus, and as far as she was aware, nothing happened in Highland Hall that Duncan wasn’t aware of.
Had they not told him she was going to the castle?
That she had been summoned? It certainly didn’t look like that, though the expression of horror on his face didn’t last long.
As she stood there wondering what to say, his demeanour changed.
And it wasn’t a positive change. It was like a thundercloud had settled.
‘Ladies,’ he said as he pushed himself up from the table, grabbed his glass, then squeezed past the women, before swaggering over to her.
There was a slight sway in his stride that might have been less noticeable if he wasn’t such a tall guy.
Or maybe it was just because Bex knew how he normally walked.
‘What the hell are you doing here?’ he said.
‘Well,’ Bex said, ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t realise I’d be cramping your style by turning up.’
His jaw feathered. ‘That’s not what I meant. You should’ve told me you were coming up.’
Tension rolled through Bex. The hurt that had pierced her heart only moments before transformed into something far sharper. ‘Why?’ she scoffed, staring up into those blue-green eyes of his. ‘So you could stop your flirting and turn on the whole reclusive, heartbroken act?’
A guttural sound reverberated from the base of his throat. Was he seriously going to try to defend himself? Pretend that he hadn’t had his arms all over those women? Oh, she would love to see him try.
‘Look, we just came to get some food,’ Lorna said, placing her hand on her brother’s arm. ‘We didn’t know you’d be in here.’
He shook her away as he switched his glare to his sister.
‘You knew? You knew she was coming and didn’t tell me? You all knew?’
He cast an accusing gaze across their friends.
‘I think this is something you guys should discuss without us,’ Eilidh said as she and Niall retreated to their table, leaving Lorna to handle Duncan.
‘I found out first thing,’ Lorna said. ‘A matter of hours ago.’
His glare didn’t waver. ‘You still could’ve told me. You should have told me.’
‘Hang on a minute,’ Bex said, interrupting. ‘Don’t have a go at her. If we’re talking about telling people things, why the hell didn’t you tell me what happened to Fergus? Three days, Duncan. He died three days ago. Did you not think I had a right to know?’
The mention of Fergus’s name was all it took.
In that instant, his demeanour changed, the anger washing away from him.
In that moment, Bex saw how deeply it was all an act.
How deeply the pain went. The girls were a distraction, but not from losing Bex.
He had lost someone he had loved for far, far longer than he’d loved her, and it was a kind of love he would never be able to replace.
A dull ache spread through her chest as she wished there was a way she could comfort him, but that was no longer her job.
‘I thought one of the others would’ve called you and let you know,’ he said quietly.
Bex blinked as a tear streaked its way down her face. Hastily, she wiped it away.
‘You should’ve told me,’ she said. ‘You should’ve told me. But for what it’s worth, I understand, and I’m sorry. I’m sorry for what you’ve lost.’
Duncan grunted before tipping his glass full of whisky into his mouth. ‘I don’t need your sympathy.’
Bex took a deep breath in through her nose, her nails digging into the palms of her hands as her compassion wavered. Being hurt didn’t excuse being an arsehole, and she was doing the best she could to stay calm, but he was pushing all her buttons.
‘Duncan,’ she said slowly. ‘I know you’re going through a lot, but we said we were going to be friends. Remember? We were going to try to be friends.’
‘Yeah, well, we said a lot of things,’ he scoffed. ‘And I didn’t know you were going to turn up on my doorstep.’
‘Look, I get that you’re going through a lot, but that’s no reason to act like a dick,’ Lorna said, squaring up to her big brother, despite the massive difference in their heights. ‘Now, we’re getting food. You do what you like.’
Then, without another word, Lorna grabbed Bex by the arm and dragged her over to the table where Niall and Eilidh had been watching.
‘Are you okay?’ Eilidh said, immediately pushing a full glass of wine into Bex’s hand. ‘I’m so sorry. We did try to warn you.’
‘It’s okay. It’s absolutely fine,’ Bex replied, taking a large gulp of her drink and wishing her hand wasn’t trembling quite so much, though whether it was from upset or anger, she didn’t know.
As the conversation settled over the table, mainly centred on what her friends had been up to since she had seen them last, Bex couldn’t help but keep looking at Duncan.
She didn’t want to. She wanted nothing more than to be fully present in the moment, with Lorna and the others, but as the waiter brought their food over, she couldn’t help but notice how Duncan had moved over to the bar and was ordering himself the largest glass of whisky she had ever seen.
Before he’d finished it, the Australians were on their feet and walking over, their hands all over him.
‘So,’ one of them said with a giggle. ‘What do you think? Are you going to come back to the hotel and see our suite? We’re sharing it. One double bed, but it’s massive. Definitely room for an extra…’
Bex’s heart clenched, tightening in her chest as if it refused to beat. She was going to pass out. Pass out or throw up. Those were the only options. With her food turning cold and her appetite gone, she sat there, lump in her throat, waiting to hear what Duncan said.
You don’t need to hear this, she said to herself, about to look away, but that was the exact time he turned and looked at her.
His gaze briefly caught hers and in that moment, three words filled her head.
Three words she desperately wanted to shout at him, as if they would somehow make everything all right.
But before she could even open her mouth, Duncan turned back to the women.
‘Actually,’ he said, his voice louder than necessary, as if he wanted Bex to overhear, ‘I’m not in the mood today. Maybe another time.’