Chapter 48
Chris
I lift the last few chairs up onto the table and go back towards the counter, where Vic has whipped out a bottle of wine.
“I don’t feel like drinking.”
She looks at me worriedly.
“You haven’t felt like doing anything recently.”
I shrug and try to avoid her gaze.
“Why don’t you want to talk to me? What’s happened?”
I sigh and pull myself up onto the counter. She pours herself a glass of wine and then does the same.
“If I tell you, do you promise you won’t get mad, and tell me something that will make me want to wallow in my own stupidity? You won’t say ‘I told you so’?”
“I obviously can’t promise any of that, you know, but go ahead anyway.”
“It’s about Ryan O’Connor.”
“I’d have bet my balls it was about him.”
“You don’t have balls.”
“Honey, you have no idea… But anyway, stop trying to change the subject. Tell me everything.”
“We saw each other.”
“And…?”
“And we slept together…a few times.”
“Oh, fuck!”
“I won’t go into detail. That’s private.”
“Since when have you kept anything private from me?”
I take a deep breath. “Since now,” I tell her, seriously.
She looks at me, confused.
“I don’t want this to become local gossip, and if I’d told you earlier, the whole town would’ve known after thirty seconds.”
“What?” she slides off the counter and stands in front of me. “What are you trying to say?”
“Vic…”
“We’ve been friends for years, Chris. I’ve been there for you every day and now you decide to tell me that I’m not trustworthy?”
“That’s not what I’m saying.”
“I think that’s exactly what you’re saying.”
“I just know that you like to gossip. Everyone here knows about Martin, how things ended between us, and it makes me uncomfortable. Not to mention some of my more questionable dates, my problems with Evan – even how nosy my family is! Everyone knows everything and I didn’t want it to happen this time. Ryan is…important.”
“So you don’t trust me, is that it? You don’t think I’m capable of keeping a secret.”
“What, so you are capable?” I ask determinedly.
“I can’t believe this.” Vic snatches her bag from under the counter and throws it over her shoulder.
“You just keep your secrets to yourself and your rugby champion. I’m going home.
” She looks at the clock. “My shift’s been over for a while, and there’s no point staying unless you want to pay me overtime. ”
I shake my head sadly and let her leave.
Maybe I took it too far, but I can’t deal with her judgments anymore – let alone the little pieces of gossip she shares with anyone and everyone.
I’ve already let her stick her nose into mine and Martin’s business all these years, and I won’t let her do it again with Ryan – even though there’s not a lot to stick her nose into.
It’s over between me and Ryan. Not that anything ever really started.
It’s been four days since that night, and there’s been no trace of him.
I’ve actually not seen his family around for a while, either – maybe they’re keeping their distance from here, or maybe I’m just imagining things.
Why would Ryan have told his family about me?
There’s nothing really to tell, and I’m sure their not being around is just a coincidence. Nothing more.
What went on between us was a huge mistake, confusing, something indefinable, impossible to keep going. We gave it a go, but Ryan doesn’t want what I can give him.
I don’t mean anything to him. I’m not what he needs. I’m not what he wants, despite him being exactly what I want.
I slip off the counter and open up the till.
I take out the cash from the last few hours and add it to my bag, along with the takings from the rest of the day.
Tomorrow morning, I have to go to the bank, which means I’ll need to get up even earlier than usual – which means Evan will probably be late for school.
I switch off all the lights and shrug my jacket on. Grabbing my bag, I head out to the back of the café, where my car is parked; but when I open the door, something smacks hard against my forehead, making me lose my balance.
I fall to the ground, slamming my face against the concrete. I’m confused, my vision cloudy, but I’m still conscious. I reach out over the concrete to try and find my bag, to get hold of my phone, but another blow to the head knocks me out.
Then, darkness.