Doing the Right Thing

by Barbara Elsborg

Once the neighbour had grabbed his clothes and left, Will told Vee the marriage was over. She drove off in a flood of tears, crashed the car and lost the baby growing inside her. At her bedside in hospital, Will offered her another chance. A mistake. A month after she’d been discharged from hospital, he found her in the arms of one of his friends. That really was the end.

  Only it wasn’t, because although he moved out of their flat, Vee constantly called him to sort out some problem, real or imagined. She always came to him in times of crisis and she always seemed to be in a crisis. It hadn’t escaped Will’s notice that most of her difficulties could be sorted out by taking her to bed, or as Vee had once described it, giving her a “get-better fuck”. What he’d thought would be no-strings-attached sex, had turned out to be anything but.

  Will knew Vee was unstable and that made him feel worse. After he’d removed his belongings from their home, she’d taken an overdose and had her stomach pumped. Ed had talked him out of taking her back then. Now Ed had stepped in again. They both knew what would have happened if Vee found him in bed with Addie. Vee had stalked and threatened Jolene, a previous girlfriend. It had cost Will a fortune to sort that out. Jolene could have brought charges. He sighed as Vee snuffled in his arms. Ed thought he’d done the right thing this evening, but Will wished he hadn’t. He wished Addie had her arms around him and Vee was in a taxi going back to the station.

  “This has to end,” Will said. “You have to stop running to me every time you’re upset.”

  “But you’re the only one I can rely on. You are the one good thing that has ever happened to me.”

  Why did that make him so miserable?

  “Find some other idiot to lean on. I won’t do this anymore.” Even to his ears his voice lacked conviction.

  “I thought you’d understand because of our baby.”

  “Was it ours?” Will wanted the words back. He always ended up saying things he didn’t mean, things he regretted. Although he had wondered if the baby was his.

  “Don’t be horrible, Will. Jean-Claude was horrible to me.”

  Will doubted that. Jean-Claude, a good-looking French car salesman, barely out of his teens, hadn’t been able to believe his luck when Vee threw herself at him.

  “I missed you. I wanted to be with you. Can’t I even have a kiss?” She went up on tiptoes to reach for his face.

  Will pulled back. “No.”

  “You’re my husband. We made promises to each other. I love you, Will.”

  “I returned the divorce papers to my lawyers. As far as I’m concerned, we’re not married.”

  “Come to bed. I want you to make love to me, make me feel better.” She slid her hand between his legs.

  “No,” Will croaked and moved out of her reach.

  He saw Vee stiffen.

  “Look, get dressed and I’ll take you out for something to eat,” he said. “We can talk, try and sort out this mess with the notaire.”

  They’d eat and talk, but he knew they wouldn’t sort anything out.

  He sat on the bed. Vee emerged from the bathroom fully clothed, makeup reapplied, all traces of tears obliterated. Her eyes weren’t red. Just like his mother.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Ed drove without speaking, though Addie could feel him sneaking glances. She had pressed herself as close to the door as she could. Her hands shook on her lap but she wasn’t cold, hot air blasted from the vents. She needed to pull herself together. If she was to salvage any vestige of pride she had to pretend this didn’t matter. Will had done her a favour. Now, when she looked at a guy she fancied, she didn’t need to wonder if he’d be the one to take her virginity. She’d made love for the first time.

  No, they’d fucked. Addie winced. She’d been fucked. That was okay. It didn’t have to be love. And it had felt good, except for what followed, when she’d been thrust away like a used tissue.

  “Are you all right?” Ed asked.

  What sort of stupid question was that? Addie thought and then took a deep breath. This wasn’t his fault.

  “Yes. Third exit at the island.”

  “Will wasn’t expecting her.”

  So that made it all right did it? Will should have told her he had a girlfriend. He’d flirted. But then Addie had too. She’d been asking for it. She’d turned him on. She’d heard her brothers talk about cockteasers. Was that what she was? She’d bloody well had an orgasm when he’d barely touched her. More than once. And he knew. He knew what he did to her. But she couldn’t help it. She was so out of control she might as well have been on drugs. Will probably thought she was on drugs.

  “Turn left,” she said. “Straight on ’til the traffic lights. Then right.”

  “Vee’s a bitch,” Ed said.

  But she was the one with Will now.

  “Two houses past the shop. It’s the house by the lamppost.”

  The moment Ed pulled up, Addie flung open the car door, desperate to escape. But to her astonishment, the moment she stood, her legs collapsed. She hit the wet pavement hard. Ed was out in a flash and by her side.

  “I’m okay.” She struggled to her feet, mortified. “I tripped.”

  Ed clicked his key to lock the car and held on to her. “Let’s get you inside. It’s this one, right? Where’s your key?”

  “My bag.” Addie fumbled in her backpack. She saw the kite Will had played with, remembered his happy face, and the key fell from her fingers. Ed picked it up.

  “Do you live on your own?”

  “No, with Lisa.” Addie froze. “If she’s in, say I’m drunk.”

  The house was empty.

  “I’ll be fine now. Thank you for the lift,” she said and made her way upstairs.

  Ed watched her get slower and slower like the bunny without the branded batteries. He couldn’t leave her like this. He’d wait until her housemate came home.

  “Could I make myself a coffee?” he called.

  Addie seemed to come back to her senses. “Help yourself.”

  Ed went to look for the kitchen. He wished Will hadn’t told him it was her first time. His brother had hurt her. Ed could see it in the way she held herself, the way she moved and spoke. It was in her eyes and Ed knew how she felt because he’d had his heart broken too. Twice. The first time was when Susie Burton had aborted his child without telling him. The second time when Ariel had chosen a career in New York over life with him. After that, Ed hadn’t let himself get attached to anyone. He’d mended his heart with Superglue and Addie had to learn to do the same. Life was sometimes shit. Deal with it.

  Addie didn’t cry until she stood in the shower. Sex. That was all Will wanted. God, she was stupid. She knew what men were like. She had three brothers. She grew up with them talking about girls they’d pursued, groped and scored with, like it was some game. It would have been nothing to Will. He’d be laughing about it by tomorrow, forgotten by the day after and she’d remember forever.

  She scrubbed at her skin, rubbed until it was red. Had she thought he was going to ask her to marry him? He must think she was pathetic. She was pathetic. No, he’d think she was pathetic if she made a big thing about it. She had to get over it. It had happened. It was a one-off fuck and at least they’d both got something out of it. He got laid and she was no longer a virgin. That was a good thing. She had to keep telling herself that. So why the tears?

  Because it had felt so good up until it had felt so bad. Will’s gentle fingers, the way he breathed in her ear, the feel of his wet tongue teasing her nipple, his beautiful cock. Addie gulped back her groan. How could she ever face him again?

  When Addie walked into the lounge she stared at Ed in shock. He sat on the couch holding a mug.

  “I thought you’d gone.”

  “I didn’t want to leave you on your own.”

  “So you’re the nice brother?”

  “Not really.”

  He gave her a wolfish grin and Addie saw a hint of Will in his smile.

  “Can I get you something to eat?
” she asked. “Are you hungry? Do you like beef stroganoff?”

  His eyes sparkled. “You bought enough for two?”

  “No, it’s my own. I’ll cook you dinner as a thank-you for bringing me home.”

  Ed followed her into the kitchen and leaned on the counter watching as Addie worked. She set the rice on to boil, chopped onions and while they fried, sliced the beef and mushrooms. She lined up paprika, salt, pepper and sour cream.

  “It smells great,” Ed said.

  Addie opened her mouth to reply and then closed it again. She cleaned up as she went along so finally just two pans sat on top of the stove with two plates warming. She’d thought of lots of topics of conversation and not been able to bring herself to start any of them. So much for acting as though everything was normal.

  “Addie?” Ed paused. “For once in my life, I’m lost for words. I don’t know what to say to you. Maybe if you ask me—”

  “How tall is she?” Addie put the plates on the table.

  She saw from the look on his face, that hadn’t been the question he’d expected.

  “About five-five.”

  Addie bit the inside of her cheek. So Will lied about liking tall women.

  “Would you like something to drink? There’s beer in the fridge.”

  Ed helped himself to a Dos Equis. “You want one?”

  “No, thank you.”

  For a few moments they ate in silence.

  “This is delicious,” Ed said, forking the beef into his mouth.

  “I like cooking. I’m good at cooking.” But no good at anything else. Addie knew she sounded inane.

  She pushed the food around on her plate, designing a simple maze with the rice, driving a strip of beef along the path, then destroying what she’d created, starting again, not eating a thing.

  Don’t ask anything else about Vee, she told herself. You don’t need to know how long they’ve been going out, what she looks like, what she does. You don’t need to know she’s far more beautiful and delicate than you, that she sits on Will’s lap without arguing, without crushing him, that no one ever mistakes her for a man.

  Whatever she learned would not make her feel better.

  Ed finished eating. “That was very good, Addie,” he said. “If I didn’t have better manners, I’d lick the plate.”

  “I’m glad you liked it.” She continued to play with her food. She’d not eaten one mouthful.

  “Addie?”

  She raised her eyes to his.

  “I’m sorry—”

  “No, it’s fine.” Addie made a lightning-fast interruption. “It’s just never happened to me before. Isn’t it guys who have to shin down drainpipes when husbands turn up? At least that’s what happens in the movies. I’m okay, really. No problem.” Too much protesting you’re fine. Shut up.

  “You didn’t need to drop out of an upstairs window. God, you could have broken your neck.”

  “You seemed desperate that she didn’t know I was there. Besides, I was worried she might be bigger than me and beat me up.” Addie made an attempt at a smile, but doubted she’d succeeded.

  “She’s like a puff of wind,” Ed said.

  A black cloud enveloped Addie’s heart. How could he know that wasn’t what she wanted to hear?

  “I didn’t know about her,” Addie said. “Will didn’t say he was in a relationship. I should have asked. I— So how about you? Have you ever had to escape down a drainpipe?”

  “I once hid in a wardrobe. I knew the guy was bigger than me and he’d have definitely beaten me up. I spent two hours in there, sitting naked on a pile of uncomfortable pointy-toed shoes waiting for him to go to sleep.”

  She gave a little grin. Then the front door slammed and Addie jolted like she’d been hit by lightning. Lisa stormed into the kitchen and came to an abrupt halt.

  “Who are you?” she demanded.

  “The person you share your house with,” Addie said.

  “Very funny. God, Addie, I can’t believe you’ve brought home another strange man. This is getting to be a habit.”

  “Ed, this is Lisa. Lisa, meet Ed. Before you say anything else, he’s Will’s brother.”

  Lisa slumped at the table and stared at Addie’s plate.

  “Beef stroganoff. You lucky bastard. Is there any left? I didn’t get the meal I expected.”

  “I’ll heat mine up in the microwave. I only played with it. Is David on duty?”

  “No, I finished with him.”

  Addie’s head shot round.

  “I think dinner at Yo! Sushi was because he was going to ask me to marry him, so I pulled the plug beforehand in Revolution.”

  “I have three older brothers. David’s the youngest,” Addie told Ed.

  She put the warm stroganoff in front of Lisa.

  “Is he upset?” Addie asked.

  Lisa gave a short laugh. “I told him at 8:30. He went through shock, denial, anger and acceptance, and at 8:35 asked if he could have a goodbye shag.”

  Addie saw Ed biting his lip so he didn’t laugh, but his eyes crinkled at the edges.

  “So he’s okay?” Addie asked.

  “Well, yeah after I said yes to the shag.”

  “Lisa, you’re terrible.”

  “But he’s good in bed or in this case, the gents’ toilet and who knows when I’ll get laid again.” Her eyes flicked toward Ed. “So what’s Will’s brother doing here eating your fabulous stroganoff?”

  “I gave Addie a lift.”

  “Oh God, you can speak. I’ve gone off you now.” Lisa laughed. “Pity because you’re not bad looking. Don’t tell me that’s your Porsche outside?”

  “Yes.”

  “Wow. Good plan, cooking for him, Addie. It must be serious. I never cooked for David.”

  “If you had, he’d have finished with you ages ago. You can’t even cut the bread straight.”

  “I wish he had finished with me. It’s much harder to dump than be dumped.”

  “I don’t think that’s true,” Addie said in a quiet voice.

  “How would you know?” Lisa retorted. “You’ve never dumped anyone. You remember how upset I was at uni, when I dumped Max?”

  Addie drew in her breath. For two weeks Addie had imagined she was Max’s girlfriend. They lived in the same hall of residence and had an owner-pet relationship— he whistled and Addie came running. She also came running when he didn’t whistle. She sat near him at dinner, stood behind him in the bar and followed him to the campus. She’d been continually under his feet, desperate to please him, when all he wanted was for her to fuck off. It was only later Addie realized, in those two weeks they were supposed to be a couple, Max didn’t take her anywhere. It was Lisa he wanted.

  “I need a drink. Do you two want a glass of wine?” Lisa asked.

  “No, thanks. I have to go.” Ed got to his feet.

  Addie went with him to the door.

  “Thanks again for the meal,” he said.

  “You’re welcome. Thank you for driving me home.”

  “I’m sorry about what happened.”

  “It really doesn’t matter,” Addie muttered.

  Ed moved toward her and she thought for a moment he was going to kiss her, but instead he hugged her.

  “You’re lying,” Ed whispered in her ear. “And Will’s an idiot.”

  Finishing with David had been such a distraction to Lisa, she missed the fact that Addie was not her normal self, until a single tear gave her away. Lisa poured her a large glass of wine and took her into the lounge.

  “All right, I give in,” Lisa said. “Tell me everything.”

  “If you’re giving in, aren’t you supposed to tell me everything?”

  “I’m begging here, Addie. Where did you find him? He is so gorgeous.”

  Minds on different roads. “I told you. He’s Will’s brother.”

  Lisa raised her eyebrows. “Are you making up for lost time or something? Working your way through the family? Are there any more?”

/>   “Just two brothers, and there’s nothing going on between me and Ed.”

  “Well, he looked concerned about you.”

  “He’s a nice guy.”

  “Only nice? How about Will? He was very insistent I let him in last night.”

  “Turns out he already has a girlfriend.”

  “Oops. Does Ed?”

  “No idea,” Addie said.

  “Cooking for him was such a smart move. He’ll be back.”

  “I don’t think so.”

  It hadn’t escaped Addie’s notice Lisa made no reference to David. Her brother and housemate’s relationship was not just over, but buried under six feet of concrete. One fumbled coupling on Will’s bed had scarred Addie for life.

  “So what’s really the matter?” Lisa pressed.

  “I was with Will when his girlfriend turned up.”

  “With him where?”

  Addie twisted her wineglass by the stem. “His bed.”

  Lisa winced. “What happened?”

  “I left. She stayed.”

  “Bastard. So what was he like? As good as your imaginary Noah?” she teased. Addie took a deep breath. “He was the first man I’ve ever slept with.” Lisa started to laugh and Addie burst into tears.

  Will made it clear to Vee she could only stay temporarily and she was not sleeping with him but in the third bedroom. He lost part of that deal as soon as Vee saw the size of the room.

  “There’s nowhere for my clothes.”

  That was true and Will realized if he gave her his bedroom she’d have her own bathroom which might stop Ed strangling her within the first few hours or stop Ed killing him for giving in to her. So Will moved into the smallest room and made up the single bed with a spare set of sheets and his coat. He’d have to buy another duvet unless Vee left quickly. Well, he’d buy another duvet.

  He pulled the chest of drawers across the door to stop her coming in. Will lay on his back and stared at the ceiling. Guilt surged round his bloodstream like fast-acting poison. He kept thinking about Addie, how he’d ruined what should have been something special for her. Her first time and she’d been bundled out like she didn’t matter. How had he turned out to be the bad guy? That was supposed to be Ed.