60. Sloane
Sloane
THREE WEEKS LATER
“Do you think I’m mad?” I ask, catching Cole’s eye in the mirror as I put the final pin into my hair.
He’s standing behind me dressed in a sumptuous tuxedo, complete with a bow tie.
No glasses today - he must be wearing contacts.
He looks ridiculously handsome, and I’m reminded of my silly little fantasies of what British men were like before I moved over here.
He’s even tried to tame his dark blond locks, which still have a mind of their own.
I love his hair. It’s the only thing about him he can’t actually wrestle into submission.
“Of course not. It’s a bold move, but he deserves it.”
I nod, standing back from the mirror as I smooth my hands over my hips.
The slip dress, selected for me by Aggie, has undergone something of a transformation since it arrived from the boutique.
What was once a sad beige is now a vibrant, rich red.
It also now has a generous slit up the side.
And it’s possible I hacked a foot off the hem.
I know the original dress was chosen specifically to neutralise me. And now that Quentin’s shown his hand and tried to get Freddie fired, I won’t be tamed. It’s his wedding day today and I plan to attend, if only to return the keys to the flat.
Could I have just mailed them to his office? Sure. But I want to look him in the eye and walk out of his life forever. This is his final chance to put things right, and while I don’t expect him to take it, I want to hold my head up high and go out as myself.
Freddie appears from the kitchen, and I have to bite back the moan that threatens to spill out of me. He looks fucking delectable in formalwear, the cut of the jacket emphasising his muscled frame and toned shoulders perfectly.
“Fuck me,” he says, stopping at the sight of me. “You look phenomenal.”
“Thank you.” I give them both a little twirl.
I moved out of my old flat and straight into Freddie’s colleague’s place three days ago.
It could not be more perfect. It’s a studio, so it’s very cosy, but I can walk to Freddie’s in twenty minutes and Cole’s in thirty-five.
Plus, it’s by London Bridge, so I’m just a short hop over to Salt for both work and Emmy hang-time.
Working at Salt has been a dream come true already.
I’ve got the hang of how Jessie likes to run things, and we’ve already come up with several events to run in the coming months.
Lotus is booked to run a body gliding massage course, and I’m already working out how I can rope the boys into volunteering.
They do look excellent naked and covered in oil…
Cole steps up behind me and wraps his arms around me, pulling me back against him.
“You sure you want to do this? We could just go and have an incredible night out, given we’re all dressed up.” He presses a kiss to my temple.
Freddie steps towards us, sandwiching me between them. From the grunt Cole makes, I’m assuming he’s just groped his bum.
“Or an incredible night in,” he suggests, tucking a stray lock of hair behind my ear.
“Don’t tempt me. I need to do this.”
Freddie smiles and steps back, offering me his arm.
“Then, milady, would you let me escort you to a wedding?”
The wedding is in a big hotel on the edge of the City, close to St Paul’s Cathedral. As we make our way inside, we pass clusters of guests dotted around. A few of them turn as we walk in, and I enjoy the way their eyes widen when they see the three of us holding hands.
It doesn’t take long to locate my father given he’s shouting at a trembling waiter next to the kitchens. The poor man flees with the rejected canapés bouncing on the tray as Quentin turns and does a comical double-take at the sight of us.
“Sloane,” he grits out, as if he’s just swallowed a lemon. “What are you doing here? And what in God’s name are you wearing?”
“I’m wearing the dress Aggie bought for me,” I answer, as his complexion darkens.
“She said it was beige.”
“It was beige. And now it’s not.” I shrug. “I came to return your keys.” I hold them out to him.
He narrows his eyes. “You came to return the keys to me on my wedding day?”
“Yes. You and Aggie told me you wanted me to be here. Well, here I am. With my partners.”
Freddie winks at him and gives him a wave. Cole just glares.
“This is completely inappropriate,” he mutters, taking the keys.
“No, what is completely inappropriate was the way you tried to get my boyfriend fired,” I reply. “I wondered if you wanted to apologise.”
He just glares at me.
“I didn’t think so. So this is goodbye, Quentin. If you can’t accept me as I am, then you don’t get to have me at all. To quote a wise woman: you’re washed up, irrelevant, and standing in my light. I wish you a happy life, I really do.”
He is still silent, and I give him a half smile then turn, and together Freddie, Cole, and I walk out into the blazing sunshine.
“I can’t believe I didn’t spot you swiping that,” I laugh as Freddie produces a bottle of expensive red wine that he’d somehow hidden in his jacket.
We’re all a bit giddy from crashing the wedding and the adrenaline is coursing through my body.
I’ve just cut my dad out of my life for good - I can feel the tension and stress leaving my body with each breath.
We’re around the corner from the wedding in Postman’s Park. It’s one of London’s little secrets – a tiny park on the edge of the City where you can read plaques dedicated to people who died saving others.
I’ve always liked coming here to think. Or have a little cry. It’s versatile like that - and it’s the perfect place to catch my breath after the wedding.
Freddie cracks open the wine, and for a moment we just sit there, soaking up the late afternoon sunshine, enjoying each other’s company.
“That was pretty badass,” he says, handing me the bottle. I take a swig, before passing it over to Cole. A big smile spreads across my face.
“There she is,” Cole says, grinning at me. “You look so beautiful when you set yourself free.”
“Well, I have you to thank for that.” I thread my fingers through theirs.
“No, princess, you did that all on your own.” Freddie squeezes my hand in his, and their feelings radiate through me: Freddie’s eager, open-hearted adoration, and Cole’s quieter, more commanding affection.
The power of their combined love for me is like standing in the sun, the warmth soaking into my skin. It brightens every shadowy corner of my mind, it lights every dark part of me. It is as reliable as the dawn and it never stops being breathtaking .
And right in this moment, with my boys on either side of me, I know I finally feel worthy of it.