Page 20 of Fletch

I snicker. “Not how I remember yah.”

“Well, anyway, I should go . . . home.” The last word is spoken so sadly, it almost cracks my ice-cold heart.

“Will he be there?”

She shrugs. “I told him to get out, but he was never good at listening to me.”

“Yah know, if you want, you could always come back to the clubhouse.”

She scoffs. “Right, sure.”

“I’m serious. If you need some time out, it’s a good place to hide.”

“I can’t stay at the clubhouse,” she mumbles, suddenly holding her hands to her stomach. “I feel sick,” she adds, rushing over to the corner of the car park and vomiting onto the ground. I wince and follow, gently moving her hair from her face and rubbing her back.

“Stay one night, Snap. No one needs to know.”

Gemma

My head is spinning as Fletch lifts me off my feet and carries me over to the waiting vehicle. He gently places me in the back and fastens the seatbelt. “I’ll meet you back at the clubhouse,” he tells the driver before closing the door.

I allow my eyes to close and picture times when I felt happy . . . times with him. Fletch.

“Snap, wake up.” I force my tired eyes open and stare into Fletch’s. He smiles. “You need some water.” Sliding his hand behind my head, he lifts me slightly, placing a glass of water to my lips. I take a sip, glancing around to find myself in a bedroom. “Don’t panic, I’ll sleep on the chair,” he tells me, placing the glass on the side and laying me back on the soft pillows. I lift the sheets slightly to find myself in an unfamiliar T-shirt. “You were sick and you got some on your clothes,” he says, noticing my frown. “I gave you one of my shirts.”

“Who undressed me?” I ask, noting my voice is now raspy from the vomiting.

“I’ve seen it all before,” he replies casually. “Besides, I didn’t take off your underwear.”

I roll my eyes and tuck the sheet under my chin. “I shouldn’t be here.”

“Don’t overthink it.”

“If my boss knew . . .”

“How will they find out?”

He’s staring at me expectedly, like he wants me to confess to something. “If you’re asking if I have this place watched, no . . . not yet.”

“So, there’s no way anyone can find out then.” He settles back in the chair, getting himself comfy. “What are you gonna do now?”

“About?”

“Your boyfriend. Do you have a mortgage together, a dog?”

“He’s my ex,” I state, “and no to all of the above. I’m not that stupid to invest so much in someone only to get my heart ripped out all over again.”

“A dig at me?”

I sigh but refuse to answer his questions. “I need to find uglier friends and a man who doesn’t feel the need to fuck around behind my back.” I push to sit up and fix him with a glare. “Is it me?” I demand to know. “Am I the problem?”

He shrugs. “I have no idea, Snap. I don’t even know you these days.”

“Back then . . . was it my fault back then when you shagged my best friend?” The words just tumble out like they’ve been there all along. Maybe they have. Since seeing him again, I’ve wanted to ask what I did wrong to make him do something so cruel. I don’t even know why it bothers me so much, it was so long ago.

“Do we really need to drag up the past, Gem?” he asks, exasperated. “I don’t even remember why I did what I did.”

Disappointment sinks my stomach. Never having the answer means I can’t truly close this door. “She’s married now.”

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