At least we won’t have to go through this again.
Alice is gripping her hands together, and her head is slightly bowed. Why aren’t I holding her? She didn’t care about messing up our date, and any pretense at keeping our relationship a secret is well and truly down the toilet. Can’t say I’m sorry. It’s time. I pull my hand from my pocket, and an eerie shiver skates along the back of my neck as it hits me. She’s not looking at the ground. She’s staring at Lucas.
My muscles lock. The hell she is. I glance to my right, but Lucas appears oblivious. Calm the fuck down. I take a deep breath and focus on Mac, but from the corner of my eye I keep seeing Alice shoot surreptitious glances at my brother.
I didn’t think she was into the celebrity scene. Not Alice. She’s nothing like Clare. How much longer is Mac going to be? I need to get out of here.
When Mac finishes, we all troop back to the house. Alice doesn’t hold my hand or loop her arm through mine, the way she usually does when we’re out together, and I shove my hands back in my pockets. Before I can announce we’re leaving, Dad pats me on the arm. “Can I have a word, Harry?”
“Awkward,” I respond, since I’m standing right next to Alice and there’s no way I’m leaving her standing by herself in the middle of the room. Dad might be a genius, but sometimes he doesn’t have a fucking clue.
“Hey.” Yolanda appears by our side, flashing me a smile before focusing on Alice. “We haven’t met. I’m Yolanda. Want something to drink?”
“Yes, thanks. I’m Alice, by the way.” She turns to me. “I’ll see you in a minute then.”
“Yeah, sure.” I’m scowling at her retreating back and can’t help it. Dad clears his throat, and with reluctance I drag my attention from Alice. No prizes for guessing what he wants to talk about.
“This sexiest geek award,” he says, confirming my suspicions. “I’m guessing it’s connected to your RPG?”
Now that’s a surprise. Usually he refers to it as that computer game.
“That’s right.” Lucas joins Alice and Yolanda, and Alice smiles at whatever he says to her. What the fuck did he say?
“That’s an odd award.” Dad frowns into space. “Why sexiest? What does that have to do with it?”
“Tell me about it.” Whatever the three of them are talking about, they’re having a great bloody time. Now Lucas is showing Alice some of his tattoos, and she looks enthralled, especially when Yolanda pushes up my brother’s shirt sleeve to show off his inked bicep.
“Maybe I should take a look at this game of yours.”
That manages to drag my attention from Alice. “Really?” In all the years since Caleb and I first developed the concept for Exitium, Dad’s never shown any interest in it, beyond discussing the financial side of things. “Sure. Whenever you want.”
From the corner of my eye I see Yolanda go over to Duke. Alice says something to Lucas and he grins. Whatever he says in response makes her whole face light up. Disbelief churns through me as they both pull out their phones and exchange numbers. What the fuck is that all about?
Dad goes off to speak with Duke and Margo, and as I make my way over to Alice, Yolanda joins us. Lucas is now regaling her with one of his countless amusing anecdotes of life in the fast lane, and she’s smiling at him as though he’s the only guy in the room.
Get a fucking grip. She’s not interested in Lucas. So why has she taken his number?
“You work with Harry, then?” Yolanda says, her hand on Lucas’s shoulder. So much for my brother thinking she just wants to be his mate.
“Yes. But I’m off to university on Saturday morning.”
Shit. I thought we’d get the day together. Although…I could always drive her up to Durham.
She and Yolanda talk for a few minutes about her courses before Lucas chimes in and the conversation shifts. Is he flirting with her? He fucking is. The fact that my brother can rarely open his mouth without flirting is irrelevant, but worse than that is Alice is enjoying it.
Fuck this. We’re leaving.
…
Alice
Once we’re in the car and heading home, I let out a long breath. What a weird evening.
“Well, that went well.” Wait, that didn’t sound right. “I mean, for a cat funeral.” And that just sounds bizarre. “You know what I mean.”
He grunts, as though he doesn’t want to talk about it. Not that I blame him. I don’t want to talk about his dead cat either, because it doesn’t matter how hard I try to fool myself, Goldie and Bambi are well past middle age in cat years, and I can’t bear to imagine being without them.
Change the subject.
“You should’ve told me your family was friends with the stars.” I smile at him, even though he’s not looking at me. Although he’s trying to hide it, it’s obvious he’s really cut up about tonight.
“Why?”
“Why what?” I frown, lost.
“What difference does it make? They’re just people.”
Mum would beg to differ when it comes to Duke. What’s eating Harry, anyway? “There’s no need to jump down my throat.”
“I didn’t think you were into the celebrity scene.”
“I’m not.” This conversation’s taken a really strange turn, and I’m not sure why he’s acting so antagonistic. Was it something his dad said to him?
It’s on the tip of my tongue to ask, but I hold back. If he wanted to share, he’d tell me, wouldn’t he? I rack my brains to think of another topic, which is weird in itself, since I’ve never had to do that with Harry before.
“Lucas is really nice.”
With his highlights, earring, and tattoos, I’d assumed he was totally up himself, but he was great. That’ll teach me to go by appearances. Yolanda was lovely too, even if she did look like a goddess who’d accidentally fallen among a bunch of mortals.
“Yeah, he’s great.” Harry grinds the words between his teeth.
Okay, not quite the reaction I was going for.
“I know you’re identical twins, but you’re actually not very much alike at all.” And I’m not just referring to the highlights, earring, and tattoos, either. It’d be exhausting to spend a whole evening in Lucas’s company. He barely even pauses for a breath. Although I’m not judging him for it, especially when, after I told him how much Mum loves Duke, he offered to get some tickets for the massive charity concert with loads of stars that Duke’s doing at Christmas. Mum will seriously lose her mind if that happens. I’m about to tell Harry when he cuts me off.
“Is that right.” Now he sounds pissed off, and he slings me a glare that leaves me reeling.
What the hell?
“What’s up with you?”
“Nothing.”
“It doesn’t look like nothing to me.” What on earth did his dad say to him? “Is there a problem with your dad?”
“No.”
Wow. He’s acting as though we’re strangers, with his monosyllabic responses and don’t-touch-me body language. But he’s never behaved like this with me, not even the first day we met.
A tiny, unbelievable possibility as to why he’s in such a foul mood flickers through my mind. No way. I shoot him a sideways glance, and a combination of nerves and excitement tumble through my stomach.
Is he pissed because I’m leaving on Saturday and we won’t see each other again? And that, obviously, means he doesn’t want us to break up tomorrow?
My heart’s thumping so hard it’s difficult to breathe, and I grip my fingers together for courage. I should’ve asked him this before, but reasons. “You know, if you want, we could still keep in touch when I’m in Durham.”
There’s no mistaking the hostility in the glare he throws me this time. “You think?” Derision drips from the words, and it’s like a fist squeezes my heart. “That’s damn decent of you, Alice.”
The biting sarcasm rips a hole in my chest. This isn’t the Harry I know. I can’t even drag oxygen into my lungs, never mind formulate a cutting response.
<
br /> The silence thunders between us, and I hitch shallow breaths through my mouth to avoid the constriction in my throat. Tears prickle behind my eyes, and I blink rapidly. I’d rather die than cry in front of him. Of every scenario that I’ve played through my mind on how we’d say good-bye, Harry being a prick wasn’t among them.
I’m tempted to tell him that. But this isn’t how I want things to end between us. It’ll ruin all the good memories, and I don’t want that. Even if it means swallowing my pride.
It still takes me about twenty minutes before I can push the words out.
“You’re right. It’s a stupid idea to keep in touch. But at least we can part as friends, can’t we?”
His knuckles clench on the steering wheel. “Just friends now, is it? Great idea.”
The venom that drips from each word shouldn’t hurt—because for whatever reason he’s determined to be a complete bastard—but it does, because he’s always loved my ideas. Right from the day I started working for him.
“Forget it.” And fuck swallowing my pride. I peer sightlessly through the side window so he can’t see my face. “It was just a suggestion. I always knew this…thing between us had an expiry date.”
His expletive is colorful, even for Harry, but I refuse to look at him. “That’s great. Thank you so fucking much.”
Thank God, I’m almost home. I dig my nails into the palms of my hands and glare at him. “You’re welcome. For all the extra publicity, too.”
That appears to shut him up, until he pulls up outside my house.
I can’t get out of the car fast enough but pause as he turns toward me. “It’s all front with Lucas. Just so you know.”
What the fuck does Lucas have to do with it? I want to give him a frosty, dismissive glare, but I’m too close to breaking down. So, I do the only appropriate thing I can.
I slam the door in his face.
Chapter Twenty-One
Harry
The following morning my head’s killing me. I worked all through the night, but for the first time I couldn’t fully immerse myself in Exitium. It’s never failed me before. Outside problems dissolve, but this time I kept hearing Alice’s voice echoing inside my head.
We could still keep in touch when I’m in Durham.
As though, until last night, that had never been part of her plans.
I don’t know what to fucking make of it.
She didn’t date me just so she could meet Lucas.
I know it, but there’s a part that keeps gnawing away inside, because Alice was charmed by him. No doubt about it. Lucas can charm at a hundred paces.
That doesn’t mean she wants him. Even if she does have his phone number.
“Christ.” I rake my fingers through my hair and cradle my throbbing skull. Even my half-hearted run in the local park hasn’t helped clear my head, and the pain killers and three coffees I’ve swallowed already aren’t working, either.
Only one thing for it. I’ll have to ask Alice what the hell is going on between her and my brother.
...
For the first time ever, I’m late getting to work, and by the time I’ve grabbed a takeaway coffee for me and specialty tea for Alice—as well as one of her favorite muffins—it’s almost seven thirty by the time I get to her office.
She’s not there. Which is unusual, as she always arrives at seven thirty. I leave my peace offering on her desk and spend the next hour being completely unproductive as I wait for her to arrive.
Di strolls in. “Alice just called. She said she’d drop by at lunchtime to pick up her stuff and hopes that won’t be an inconvenience to anyone.”
In all the time Alice has worked here, she’s never taken unscheduled time off.
I concentrate on my coding, but it doesn’t block out the insidious whisper in the back of my brain. Is Alice with Lucas?
…
Alice
After ending my call to Di, I resist the urge to burrow back into my bed with the quilt over my head. I can’t stay in bed all day, no matter how much I want to. If I didn’t need to pick up my things from Blitz, I wouldn’t even bother going into work at all. The thought of facing Harry, after everything he said last night, is too unbearable.
I always knew our break up would be horrible. But that was because we’d never see each other again, not because he sneered at my suggestion that, maybe, we could keep in touch.
Every time I remember that, another little piece of my heart withers. I wish I’d not said anything now. No, I wish I’d never gone to his house at all. Then none of that humiliating conversation in his car would’ve taken place.
And I never would’ve known what Harry really thought of me.
Living in ignorant bliss would be so much better.
My bedroom door bursts open, and Mum’s standing there, her hair all tangled. She never used to oversleep, but that was before she started dating Brian. “Alice, are you okay? Do you know what the time is? You’re terribly late for work, darling.”
And I don’t give a bleeding crap.
Slowly I push the quilt off and brace myself. You’d have to be made of stone not to know I’ve spent half the night in tears, and Mum hitches in a sharp breath before coming to sit on the side of my bed.
“Bad night with Harry?” Her voice is gentle as she takes my hand, and it all comes bubbling up to the surface again.
“You could say that.” I squeeze my eyes shut, but that only brings his face into focus, which is so not what I want. “It was a lot harder than I thought it’d be.”
“I’m so sorry.” She bites her lip. “I know I said some harsh things about him, but I could see how happy he made you. I suppose I thought…well, I kind of thought you’d find a way to stay together after you started university.”
Brian’s really changed your outlook on things.
“No. That was never going to happen.” Only in my dreams.
She hesitates, as though she’s debating with herself on whether to say something or not. Then she takes a deep breath. “I know we haven’t always agreed that it’s best to put boys on the back burner until you’ve finished university.”
No. I don’t want to have this conversation. “Mum.”
“Please, let me finish, darling. The thing is, when I met your dad, well, you know how good looking and gorgeous he was. All the girls were after him, but he chose me.”
I slump against her. I’ve heard versions of this story all my life. How Mum was swept off her feet by the cheating charmer who ended up breaking her heart.
“It’s why I was so against Harry at first. I mean, look at him. But I was wrong. He’s nothing like your dad, is he?”
“No.” Unless you count being a heartbreaker.
“Your dad—he wanted me to give up university. I’m not talking about when I became pregnant with you. He just didn’t want me to go at all.”
What? She hasn’t told me this before. “Why not?”
She shrugs, clearly uncomfortable by the revelation. “He dropped out of high school. I don’t think he liked the idea of his girl,” there’s no mistaking the derision in those words, “going on to higher education. Things weren’t great between us for the first semester, and the stress was awful. I didn’t want that for you.”
“Harry was never like that.” I can’t even imagine it.
“No, well, that’s good. I mean I could tell he was proud of you and everything you’ve accomplished. Clearly no self-esteem issues there.”
I’ve no idea what to say to that. Then again, I just took it for granted there was no issue when it came to me going to Durham. Did my dad really have such low self-esteem he needed Mum to give up her dream of university?
She sighs. “What I’m trying to say is…I hope you didn’t end this relationship just because you’re going to university. You know, because of all the things I’ve said over the years about getting your degree and everything. I never factored in the possibility you’d meet someone like Harry.”
You and me
both.
“No. It had nothing to do with that.”
“So, it was a mutual parting of the ways?” She gives me an anxious look, as though the fact it was mutual makes all the difference in the world. And it should make a difference, because it was mutual, but the truth is it bloody doesn’t.
“Oh, yes.” My voice is bitter, and she squeezes my fingers in sympathy. “It was mutual, all right. There’s no going back now.”
...
It’s almost 1:00 p.m. before I drag my sorry arse into Blitz for the last time ever. I put way more makeup on than I usually do, just to try to hide my puffy eyes. Since today is entirely different from every other day I’ve gone to work, I’m wearing a dress and my only pair of heels.
Take that, Harry. I might be dying inside, but he’ll never know it.
I step inside Blitz and come to a dead halt. A massive, shimmering banner is strung from one side of the building to the other.
We’re going to miss you, Alice!
There are sparkling stars and exploding planets printed on either side of the message, and I blink a few times since my stupid eyes have the urge to water. Bunches of helium balloons are anchored onto every desk, and everyone stops working, stands up, and starts clapping.
My face burns as my plan of slipping in quietly, collecting my personal items, and then giving everyone a private farewell, shatters. I’d completely forgotten about the good-bye party.
Di and Meg and some of the others come up and hug me, which isn’t helping on the whole keeping-my-shit-together thing. I smile and nod at everyone as I go upstairs, unnerved by the fact that the entire workforce of Blitz is following me.
On the plus side, it means there’s no chance of being alone with Harry.
Di and Meg loop their arms through mine and steer me away from my office to the time-out area, which has been completely done over with throws and scatter cushions across the couches and chairs, and lace tablecloths cover coffee tables that display a dozen multitier cake stands overflowing with delicacies. There are even vases of flowers everywhere. It’s like stepping into an alternate reality.
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