Mendacious

by Beth Ashworth

  I feel like a twat.

  He is standing here owning up to everything, and I’m trying to establish if he is being real or not. I’ve had a lot of encounters with this bloke, and I’m not sure I actually trust him. But I can’t do anything but take his word ... for now at least. We’ll just have to see how it all plays out in the long run.

  “Cheers. I’m glad we hashed all this shit out before the baby comes,” I reply, hearing the door at the far end of the corridor opening, and finding my eyes immediately distracted. I spot Benedict and Sean walking toward us with balloons and gifts, but they both stop when they see us. “You’re alright,” I call, waving them over. “Dale and I are just burying all the shit,” I tell them, slapping Dale lightly on the back. “Oakley won’t be a problem for us anymore in terms of business, Sean, so you’ll be alright with your clients.”

  “Got it, mate,” he murmurs, eyeing Dale up with clear distaste. “And how long will it take for him to start fucking with us again?”

  Dale shoots Sean with a smug grin. “Worried?”

  “Nah, mate, I just wanna make sure I’m prepared for the smack down you’re gonna get.” Sean cracks his knuckles. “You know ... just warming up and that.”

  My lips twitches and I fight off my smile. “Enough. We are supposed to be burying the shit here.” I turn to Sean and pressure him with my eyes to back down. “The bloke has said he won’t bother us anymore, so we need to respect that.”

  Sean frowns at me before lowering his gaze to the floor with a sigh. “Alright, I get where you’re coming from,” he says, mutually nodding in Dale’s direction. “I can call a truce, for now.”

  “Cheers,” Dale replies, with an understanding nod.

  I’m happy with the exchange, but I know Sean will never trust him after all the problems. I’m just grateful he’s agreeing to push things aside.

  I’ve trained him well.

  Sean knows he needs to keep his head, especially now that he is managing the company on a day to day basis. I relinquished control to him so I can focus on the expansion of Libby’s business, so I haven’t had many dealings with what’s been going on at my own offices. But of course, Sean has been keeping me up to date when we’ve spoken.

  “Boys?” Libby sticks her head around the door and puts her hand on her hip. “Are we all good?”

  We look like naughty school boys as all four of us give her a smile and a resounding, “Yes.” But honestly, I feel relieved that things didn’t end up with my fist down Dale’s throat. Now that could have had different consequences.

  “Well, if you’re all done out here then get your arses inside. We are ‘bout to play pin the sperm on the egg,” she demands, holding the door open wide. “We need some testosterone in here for good luck. There are prizes on the line.”

  I chuckle and fork my thumb toward her. “Come on you guys, you heard the pregnant lady. Get inside before she rips all our heads off.”

  They all laugh and walk inside, but Libby hovers with her back against the door, almost as if she’s waiting for me. I step toward her and see the slight wince crossing her features as I do so.

  “What’s wrong?” I say, noting her hands cupping her stomach and her eyes wide.

  She gasps. “I think my water just broke.”

  EPILOGUE

  Three years later...

  For the millionth time today, I pat my chest and feel for the box hidden just inside the silky satin depth of my suit jacket.

  They’re still there ... Breathe.

  “I’m sorry, Martin, can you repeat what you just said? The signal cracked and I lost you briefly,” I lie, pacing backwards and forwards in front of a large bay window. My eyes are trained to the floor at the elegantly complex design patterning the red and gold carpet, and not looking out on the endless rolling grass hills and glorious late afternoon sun that I know is just a mere glance away.

  Business always needs to be sorted first.

  It’s my work ethic. And no doubt I’d find the same words tattooed across the surface of my brain. I’m a workaholic. It’s who I am and who I’ll always be.

  “I’m telling you, Alex, these guys are itching to get their hands on the line. If we work the contract right, then I’m picturing all the main department stores carrying Elizabeth’s brand in the next six months.”

  I nod. “Thanks, Martin. If you e-mail the contract they’ve sent over for now, then I’ll have my solicitor look over it and come back to you.”

  “That sounds great. I’ll get it e-mailed in the next few minutes. And, Alex ...”

  “Yes?” I murmur, hearing the distinct creak of a door opening behind me, and the sound of giggles filling the immediate air.

  “All the best for this afternoon.”

  I sense the genuine sounding tone of his voice, and nod my head despite him not being able to see. “Thanks, Martin, I appreciate it. And I’m sorry you can’t be here because you’re doing stuff for me.”

  “Alex, we’ve tried for months to get the Korean’s on board for Elizabeth’s line, and now that they’re interested I don’t want to miss this opportunity. I’ll keep you updated.”

  “Good. Thank you,” I say disconnecting the call.

  Even in the short space of time I’ve known my new operations manager, who was brought in to support Daniel due to the ongoing expansion, I can safely say he’s managed to please me no end.

  Between Martin working for SB and Sean continuing to lead with A L Investments, our businesses are flourishing rapidly. The two of them are working wonders while I’m working on my latest venture to bring them both together under one umbrella, so that Libby and I can share total control across the two. Combining forces in a way.

  “Only you would take a business call fifteen minutes before you’re about to get married,” Alice scoffs, putting my little boy down.

  “Wow!” I chuckle, putting my phone in my pocket, and stooping to the floor. “Check you out in your fancy little suit. You’re a little heartbreaker.” He runs straight to me and I sweep him into a bear hug. “Are you excited to see Mummy and Daddy get married, Oliver?”

  I watch him carefully, my face softening as he picks at the petals on my boutonniere with avid fascination. It’s hard to believe he’s three years old already. It seems like only yesterday when Libby’s water broke at the baby shower and I was holding his tiny body in my arms a few hours later. Time seems to escape me, and I know he’ll be a teenager before I know it.

  Just like our other child would have been ...

  My jaw turns slack and I stifle the pained growl I feel scratching at the back of my throat. The baby we lost would be in double digits by now, but he or she isn’t here because I ultimately failed my wife.

  She didn’t trust me, so she never told me about the pregnancy. It was something I’d finally gleamed from Libby before Oliver’s birth. She had told me it was never about the money, and that she had just wanted me around. She wanted her husband. But I was never there.

  With hindsight I agree with Libby’s conclusion. I was self-centred back then, and I couldn’t see what was happening right under my nose. We had been pulling away from each other, our trust and bond slowly slipping through our fingers the more I put work before her.

  I just wanted us to have a future without worries, but it didn’t work out that way. Neither of us ever spoke about what was going on at the time, so it’s safe to say we both jumped to conclusions in blaming each other for the breakdown of our marriage when we should have simply communicated.

  “Me get cake later?” Oliver interrupts my mourning by fixing me with a wide smile that would melt even the hardest of men.

  “Of course you’re thinking of cake, you little cake monster.” I tickle his tummy and he lets out a high-pitched belly laugh with his arms and legs flying wildly in the air. “We’ll get cake later. First, you’ve got to walk down the aisle with Auntie Alice and carry Daddy’s special rings for him.” I pull out the ring box and watch Oliver’s eyes grow wide with c
uriosity. “Can you do that for me?”

  “Me have it?” He takes the box and turns to Alice who is watching me by the door. She looks nervous although she doesn’t say anything about it.

  “I’m fine,” I mouth, hoping to relax her just a little.

  She nods and holds her hand out to Oliver after I’ve put him down. “Come on then, buddy. We’ve got to go because Daddy has to go and wait for Mummy, so he can see her pretty dress.”

  “Bye!” Oliver runs straight over to Alice and takes her hand, and the two of them leave me alone for a couple of minutes until Sean pops his head around the door.

  “You ready, mate?” he asks, watching me stand in front of the mirror and straighten my tie. “Libby will be down in ten and the guests are starting to take seats. It’s time to get this show on the road.” He rubs his hands together, pushes the door open wide for me, and then the two of us make the short walk across the expansive stately home we’ve hired for today’s wedding ... our wedding.

  It feels unreal, but completely right.

  I’m greeted with row after row of smiles and well wishes when I step foot into the reception room and walk down the aisle that I know she’ll be following shortly.

  Deep breaths, Alex.

  My palms feel warm and there is moisture prickling across the back of my neck. It feels about one hundred degrees in this room, but I know it’s just my nerves.

  Yeah, I’m a fucking pussy when it comes to the one woman in the world that has me by the balls. But I wouldn’t have it any other way. This was always going to be our future. We just got a little lost along the way when we first started out, but I know that what we have is stronger and more developed this time. We aren’t youngsters trying to make something work despite our conflicting interests.

  This time we are going to do things right.

  “How are you feeling, Mr. Lewis?” Cindy, the minister holding today’s service, asks me with a cheery smile.

  My nerves are obviously visible.

  I lean toward her and lower my voice. “I’m not gonna lie, Cindy, but I’m absolutely shitting myself.”

  “I hear it all the time,” she replies, touching my hand in a reassuring manner and then turning away. I catch her out of the corner of my eye discreetly trying to wipe her hand down the back of her skirt to remove the sweat taken from my hand, and I can’t help but smirk.

  And then before I know it, Sean is beside me and slapping me lightly on the back as the beautiful sound of the harpist flutters around the room, and I catch my first glimpse of the bridal party after the double doors are opened.

  It’s time.

  Alice and Oliver are the first ones to walk down the aisle, and his beaming smile that’s directed at me can’t be missed. He has a small lilac cushion in his hands and the two wedding bands are balanced delicately on top. Alice is walking directly behind him, obviously ensuring our wedding rings don’t go amiss during the short journey.

  “Good job, buddy,” I say, when he gets to the end of the aisle and passes the rings to Sean. “Go sit with Auntie Alice and Grandma, and then we’ll get you some cake in a little bit.” I smile gratefully at my mother and sister when they sit with Oliver on the front row, and turn back to the double doors.

  The harpist continues to play her piece, but I note the subtle change in sound and the likeness to Pachelbel’s Canon. I’m alerted to her arrival by the guests getting to their feet. My hand goes to my tie and I gulp sharply when I spot her dressed in a familiar ivory gown from over ten years ago ... she looks as absolutely stunning as she did the first time I saw the gown on her.

  We smile at each other and I feel my nerves dissolving deep within my body. This is the moment we’ve been waiting for. It’s time for us to come back together and be the family we’ve fought so hard for.

  I’ll be forever indebted to the woman I cannot be without. It’s time for me to play my final card in this game, and I’m throwing down my hand.

  Libby won.

  She owns the Ace of hearts.

  The End.

  If you enjoyed reading this book then please consider leaving a review on Amazon. Reviews are very important to Indie Authors and help us to grow and develop the base we are trying so hard to build in the book world.

  Thank you.

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  It feels so surreal to be writing the acknowledgements for my third novel. But as always, I have to make sure I’m thanking the key players in my team for their ever appreciated support during the writing and editing process.

  My husband, Rob, will always get a mention for having to put up with my endless moaning about how I can’t be bothered to do chores and would rather be writing. He’s hoping one day for me to crack it in the literary world, so I can work from home and take care of the house... yeah, ‘cause I’m going to spend all day cleaning! Not! Thank you for always being my number one supporter.

  And to my mum... we’ve had a lot of troubles this year, but through it all you’ve still stood by Mendacious as being ‘the one’. I hope everyone loves this book as much as you do. You have believed in Alex since day one and I owe a lot to you and the endless hours we have spent discussing plot holes.

  My two amazing best friends deserve their mentioning for being my rock while writing this book, and my life generally... Michelle and Sibylla, I heart you crazy bitches to the moon and back, and I cannot wait for the day we are all back together again. Oceans suck, right? But my day is never complete without speaking to either of you. And for that, I’m grateful for everything. Your friendships mean everything to me.

  To my Smutsisters: Adriane, Alexis, Amy, Dympna, Jill, Joan, Summer, Teri and Terri. We are the most dysfunctional family, ever. But I love you ladies too much and I value all of you more than you could ever know.

  Big thanks also go to a certain, Vicky P, who is currently travelling the world. She was the brains behind the amazing title of Mendacious, and Holli with an i. And even though she no longer works with me, she knows I’ll be back to her for more names in the future.

  Thanks to my awesome beta team for their amazing feedback as always: Sibylla, Michelle, Terri, Deborah and my bookdork Jo (who proofread for me as well!) You guys are irreplaceable.

  And finally, thank you to my newly acquired editor, Nichole of Perfectly Publishable, who helped me improve Alex and Mendacious to another level. Your help was exactly what I needed and together we have developed my best book yet. Thank you so much for all of your help!

  BETH ASHWORTH

  Beth Ashworth was born in Manchester in 1990, but shortly moved to the modest city of Coventry where she was raised and still resides now.

  As an avid reader from a very early age, Beth has always been keen to put her words onto paper. As a child she was always found with either a book in her hand, a pen and notepad or a computer games controller.

  Starting off by initially writing alternate endings to her favourite Jacqueline Wilson books from around the age of ten, Beth has continued to grow and love her passion for books.

  Eventually, after many unfinished books and short stories, she finally decided to follow her passion and write books that she hopes people will love.

  When she isn’t reading or writing, Beth loves to spend time with her husband and friends.