by Beth Abbott
“Did I ever tell you what a stupid, arrogant, egotistical, idiotic son of a bitch I thought you were?” She hissed.
“I think you just did.” He half-smiled. “And for what it’s worth, I don’t disagree with you. I regret those missed years. But I also think that we were meant to meet again like this. This is our time. You just have to give us a chance.”
He watched Megan as she chewed on her lip, unwilling or just unable to give him the assurance he needed yet.
“I’ll just have to keep feeding you until you give in.” He grinned. “We’ll both be four hundred pounds, and nobody else would look at either of us twice, but as long as I get you to say yes, I don’t care.”
Megan blushed as she stared back at him.
“I’ll give you a chance.” She finally nodded. “One single chance. You screw up in any way and we’re done. For good this time.”
Evan tried to keep a straight face, but it was impossible.
“I’m not gonna screw up, I promise you.” He promised. “I’m still gonna be a stupid, arrogant, egotistical, idiotic son of a bitch sometimes, but as long as you’re forewarned, and have my full permission to slap me if I do or say something really dumb, we should be Ok, right?”
“We’ll see.” It was as close to a promise as Megan was going to give him.
Evan didn’t care.
One chance was more than he’d had two days ago. It was all he needed.
Chapter 35 – Suzy
“Mum, did I leave you Rory’s immunisation book?” Suzy called from the hallway. “They like you to take it with you for regular check-ups, God knows why.”
“Yes, you left it in Rory’s changing bag.” Carol, Suzy’s mum stepped out of the kitchen, her youngest grandson on her hip. “Sweetheart, I have been to see a health visitor before. It’s just a twelve-month check-up for goodness sake, not his Oxbridge admission tests.”
Suzy grabbed hold of Rory’s chubby hand and pretended to chomp on his fingers.
“He’ll ace his Oxbridge admission tests if he decides he wants to go to university.” Suzy grinned. “As will all my children. They’re nothing short of geniuses. Of course, they get it from our side of the family.”
“Of course, they do.” Carol grinned. “Thankfully, they get their height and stature from their daddy, I think it’s fair to say.”
“Yeah, and they definitely get their lateness from the maternal side of the family.” Matt stood in the doorway. “Sorry, Carol, but we’re running an hour late already.”
“It wasn’t mum’s fault the road was closed because of an accident.” Suzy protested.
“Of course, it wasn’t.” Matt sighed. “I wasn’t blaming your mum, I was just stating a fact. I have to be at the stadium, which is a half an hour’s drive away, in ten minutes, and I have to drop you at the office first which is in the opposite direction.”
Suzy dropped a kiss on Rory’s head and followed her grumbling husband out of the door.
“Bye mum!” She shouted as she slammed the door behind her.
She waited for Matt to open his door to automatically release the lock on her side.
“I don’t see why I couldn’t have taken my car.” She argued as she climbed into the Range Rover.
“It’s pointless taking two cars to the same destination.” Matt shook his head. “As well as being wasteful of petrol and bad for the environment.”
“Then why don’t you drive straight to the stadium and drop me off at the train station on the way?” Suzy smiled. “It’s less than a mile from the stadium and I can pick up a train straight into Birmingham.”
“Good thinking.” Matt nodded, immediately indicating right, and heading towards the stadium.
Suzy sat quietly for a few minutes, settling back into her seat while Matt weaved in and out of traffic.
“Of course, you could just let me come to the stadium with you.” She glanced over at him. “I wouldn’t mind meeting all those nice young footballers. Maybe I could get some of them to sign a football for Charlie while you’re busy. He would be absolutely chuffed to bits.”
“I won’t need you to be there for this meeting.” Matt shrugged. “Maybe another time.”
Suzy pouted.
“Surely they won’t mind you turning up with your new PA?” She batted her eyelashes at him. “You wouldn’t have to tell them I’m your wife or anything. Just tell them I’m with you because I’m trying to get familiar with all your new clients.”
She smiled hopefully, but one look at Matt’s grim expression told her he wasn’t going to give her what she wanted.
“Not today, Suze.” He growled.
Suzy stared out of her window, sulking. Why was he being such a dick about it?
Not today? What sort of reason was that?
“Why?” She asked suddenly.
“Why what?” Matt glanced over at her.
“Why not today?” She asked. “There’s got to be a reason why today isn’t convenient for me to come in with you. What is it?”
“Jesus, Suzy!” Matt growled. “Can’t you just take no for an answer?”
If there was one thing that got her hackles up faster than a porcupine’s quills, it was being given an irrational answer to a rational question.
“I’m asking for a simple explanation, Matt. I’m asking you to explain why you feel ‘no’ is an appropriate answer. I’d just like to understand why I can’t come to the stadium with you.” She said calmly. “Is that so unreasonable?”
She could see Matt’s annoyance at her perseverance, and suddenly it was as though a lightbulb flashed on in her brain.
“Oh, my God!” She laughed without humour. “I’m such a thicko! You can’t take your new PA, because you’re already taking your old PA, aren’t you?”
Suzy watched Matt’s cheeks redden.
“Lacey is meeting me at the stadium because she set up the meeting in the first place, and because the owner has a soft spot for her. This meeting was arranged weeks ago, long before you decided to come back to work.” Matt explained. “It’s not something that needed to be altered. The arrangement works fine as it is.”
“Why wasn’t Lacey’s name added to the list of attendees in your calendar?” Suzy wondered. “I looked at your appointments myself yesterday, and she wasn’t listed anywhere.”
“I have no idea.” Matt shrugged. “Lacey made the appointment and put it in my calendar. Possibly she made a separate entry in her own calendar. I don’t keep track of how PA’s manage things like that. That’s your job.”
“But you knew she was going to the meeting, and deliberately didn’t tell me.” Suzy pointed out. “Or do you expect me to believe that it just slipped your mind? How do you think that makes me feel, knowing you’re keeping shit like that from me?”
She felt the car jerk, as Matt moved to the kerb and skidded to a halt in a bus pull-in.
“For fuck’s sake, Suzy!” He shouted. “How many times do we have to go over the same ground? Lacey was my PA, and a damn good one, in case you want to know. She occasionally came with me on meetings when she could contribute something, and occasionally proved very useful building up a good rapport with the clients. That’s why she’s going today and not you. The owner likes Lacey, and we want to keep him happy. When will you get it into your head that she’s a work colleague, and nothing more?”
Suzy glared at him.
“Maybe I’ll start believing you when you stop sneaking around with her behind my back. Or maybe when she stops trying to make me think there’s something going on between the two of you.” Suzy yelled. “Or maybe I’d start believing you if just once you’d take my side over hers, without me having to prove myself, over and over.”
“Suzy, I can’t help it if you have some sort of irrational jealousy when it comes to Lacey.” Matt glared at her. “Maybe it’s delayed post-natal depression or something. I read that can happen. Maybe you really do need to see the doctor. Go and get some help.”
Suzy stared at Matt
in astonishment.
“Fuck you!” She breathed. “Fuck you, and fuck Lacey! In fact, why don’t you go and fuck Lacey! That’s what she’s been after all along.”
Suzy turned and grabbed the door handle.
“What the hell are you doing, Suzy?” Matt yelled. “Don’t be so fucking stupid! We’re not at the station yet!”
“I know exactly where we are!” Suzy yelled at him. “The station is a quarter of a mile that way, and the stadium is a mile beyond that. I’m not fucking dumb you know!”
“No, you’re just stubborn and opinionated.” Matt hissed. “And I’m so sick of trying to reason with you.”
“Well, don’t then!” She opened the car door. “Run along to your meeting with little Miss Perfect and see if you can get her to soothe your aching brow. Maybe she’ll give you a blow job to make it all better!”
“You’re fucking certifiable, you do know that, don’t you?” He raged at her.
“Yeah, and you’re just a fucking dick.” Suzy shouted back. “Now fuck off and leave me alone before I report you to the police for kerb-crawling!”
Suzy slammed the car door and started walking in the direction of the train station.
She listened carefully for a few seconds, waiting to see if Matt came after her, but when she heard the squeal of tyres and his Range Rover shot past her, it was as much as she could do not to flip him off.
Bastard!
Asshole, bastard!
Fucking asshole, rat-bastard!
She felt the first tears hit her cheeks and sniffed.
What the hell just happened?
She reached for her bag to retrieve a tissue and stopped dead.
No bag.
Stupidly, she checked both shoulders, but neither of them was hiding her bag-strap.
Suzy patted down her coat pockets saying a silent prayer. One of them contained a tissue, so she was able to blow her nose, but neither of them contained either her phone or purse.
No phone, no purse, no money, no cards, no way of contacting anyone or paying for her ticket back to Birmingham.
She stared in the direction Matt had driven.
She would have to walk to the stadium, swallow her pride, and ask for his car-keys so she could retrieve her bag from the car.
Suzy glanced down at her shoes.
Why today of all days had she thought to wear heeled shoes to work instead of her boots?
God obviously had a grievance with her today. Either that or it was just her turn to be shit-kicked by Karma.
Either way, she was so screwed!
Chapter 36 – Megan
As she stepped out of the shower, Megan heard the recognisable tune of her phone’s ringtone, and quickly grabbed a bath towel to wrap around her so she didn’t have to run around her flat naked.
While she was sure there were no cameras hidden anywhere, she had already pulled back the curtains in her living room, and she didn’t want to give the families in the houses across the road a view to liven up their morning, or something to talk about down at the post office.
She darted through the rooms, finally tracking her phone down in the kitchen, next to the kettle.
“Hullo? Yes?” She listened carefully, hoping the caller hadn’t rung off. So few people had this number, it was only going to be someone she wanted to speak to.
“Hey, gorgeous.” Evan’s voice made her smile. “I’m not interrupting anything am I?”
“I just got out of the shower, so technically you’re interrupting my drying-off time.” She chuckled.
“You’re still wet from the shower?” Evan asked. “Hang on a second while I take time to picture the scene.”
There was a short silence during which Megan could feel her cheeks burning.
“What colour is your towel?” Evan asked. “Just for the complete picture.”
“Purple with yellow polka dots.” She lied.
“Oh my God, really?” Evan groaned as though he was in pain. “My favourite colours!”
“Was there a specific reason why you were calling so early?” She interrupted his teasing. “Or did I just top your list of who to irritate this morning?”
Evan chuckled.
“Actually, I was wondering if you have a few hours to spare.” He explained. “I’ve just heard that Robbie is being given a player of the month award, and they’ll be doing a small presentation at the stadium.”
“Oh, how lovely.” Megan smiled. “Thank you for letting me know. I won’t let on you’ve told me when he phones.”
“I wasn’t just calling to tell you.” Evan laughed. “I was calling to see if you could come in to the stadium this morning to watch the presentation.”
“Really?” She smiled. “I don’t have to be in work until later this afternoon, so I could probably get out there. What time is it happening?”
“Probably about noon, but if you could get here by about eleven, I can come down to the gate and sign you in.” Evan suggested. “We can sneak you upstairs, so Robbie doesn’t spot you until the actual presentation.”
“Ok, that sounds great.” Megan grinned. “Is there somewhere for me to park, if I drive over?”
“Yeah, there’s a visitor’s carpark across from the main gates.” Evan explained. “I’ll let security have your name, so they’ll let you in. Once you’ve parked, just cross the road to the main entrance. There’s a booth right next to the gates with a turnstile. There’s usually someone in there who can contact one of us, and I’ll come down and get you.”
“Can’t I just ring your mobile?” Megan suggested.
“You can try, but the reception in parts of the stadium is non-existent because of all the steel framework.” He explained. “How about you try my phone first, but you wait by the booth anyway? That’s where I’ll come to let you in, however you manage to get hold of me.”
“Ok, that sounds amazing.” Megan was elated for all of five seconds before her smile faded. “There’s just one thing, though. Will Cerys be there?”
“I’m not sure, Meg, and that’s the truth.” Evan sighed. “Cerys wasn’t at the house this morning, which was why I intercepted the call. I wouldn’t know if they tried to call her mobile phone, or even if she would have been conscious if they did. She’s been going out a lot lately and getting hammered. She’s probably sleeping it off in some random guy’s bed.”
Megan cringed.
“She’s completely out of control.” She sighed. “I thought Robbie was going to speak to his dad about her.”
“He did, and to be fair to the guy he tried to talk to her, but she’s not a kid, Megan.” Evan pointed out. “She’s in her late twenties and old enough to be making her own decisions.”
“Robbie shouldn’t have to put up with it, though.” Megan growled. “He doesn’t need the distraction from his football.”
“His plan is to get through to the end of the season and then have something of an intervention.” Evan explained. “The sort that involves cutting off her money, kicking her out of his house, and getting her into rehab. When she gets out, her father will take her back to Cardiff.”
“That’s another three months away.” Megan frowned.
“I know.” Evan sounded as frustrated as Megan. “But anything we do before then will have a knock-on effect on Robbie’s football, especially if the press gets hold of it. That’s not fair on him.”
Megan sighed.
“Look, come over and enjoy the presentation.” Evan suggested. “The Cerys problem will still be there tomorrow. We can worry about it again another time.”
“Ok.” Megan nodded. “Do I need to dress up or anything?”
“Megan, half the people present will be in tracksuits.” Evan laughed. “I think that allows you the freedom to wear whatever the hell you like. I’d just suggest trousers or jeans if I were you, and a warm coat and boots. If you have to wait outside in the cold for me to come and get you, it can get pretty chilly by the gates. I could be a ten-minute walk away when your call c
omes through.”
“Ok, I can do jeans and a coat.” She smiled. “I’ll try and be there by eleven.”
“The earlier the better.” Evan agreed. “If you can get here while Robbie is still on the training pitch, I can leave him out there and hover closer to the main gates.”
“I’ll do my best.” Megan promised.
“Ok, I’ll see you at the booth.” Evan reassured her.
“Evan, thanks for doing this for me. It’s the first time I’ve ever been able to have anything to do with Robbie’s success.” Megan said quietly. “I know it’s not part of your job and you didn’t have to tell me about it. I just want you to know that I really appreciate it.”
There was a short silence and Megan wondered if Evan had hung up.
“It hurts me when you expect so little from me, Meg, but I totally get that it’s been wholly self-inflicted, and I have nobody to blame but myself because of my past behaviour.” Evan said quietly. “But there will come a day when me doing something nice for you won’t come as such a surprise. In part, I hope that will be because you’ve come to trust that I only ever want to do nice things for you. But it also has to be because you’ve started to believe that you deserve nice things happening to you. Again, I deeply regret that your current outlook is completely my fault. That’s also something I aim to rectify. I love you, Megan.”
This time there was a click as the line went dead, and Megan sat staring at her phone.
Evan’s words had rendered her speechless, but the sadness in his voice cracked her heart wide open.
The Evan she’d married was the same guy who spoke from the heart. The only difference was that this Evan was a man, not a boy. And he had her believing in his sincerity as though the last decade never happened.
She needed to make up her mind what she was going to do about him, because she couldn’t string him along while she dithered. It wasn’t fair on either of them.
Either she had to forgive him completely and forget the past, or she had to tell him now if they had no future.
So, what was it going to be?
Megan smiled to herself. That was easy.