Page 17 of Endgame

‘Fine. She’s coming,’ Lara whispers before scurrying away to a nearby sunlounger. I haul myself out of the pool and wrap myself in the white towel Lara throws at me from where she is sitting, then walk into my living room.

‘Thank you for my bottle, Lara,’ Honey calls, then turns to me. ‘Have a good one, Caleb. See you tomorrow.’

I stop her as she starts to walk towards the door.

‘Before you go, Lara and I are going back to the UK next week. I’ll be gone for a couple of weeks.’

The expression that comes over her face is adorable. Honey Kohli is the toughest person I know, but right now she looks helpless. She walks past me, towards Lara.

‘Lara, you’re going home?’ Honey sounds so devastated, I feel it.

‘Yeah. I have to. I’m not sure if I have a job and I’ve been dodging my landlord’s calls.’ She shrugs sadly.

The silence between them is heartbreaking. They are obviously very fond of each other, but Lara is still in the dark about Honey, and Honey isn’t ready to share.

‘Honey, I was thinking,’ I start as I walk between them. ‘Fancy taking a break from safety, sunshine and celebrity? I’d love to introduce you to the teens, keep training, and you could come out with us and be a tourist for a bit? I’m sure Ivory Bow has some relationships with hotel managers in the city who could do us a good deal?’

She brightens immediately.

‘Are you sure?’ she asks, a smile making its way across her face.

‘Yeah. I’ll even split the accommodation cost with you.’

‘What do you think?’ she asks Lara cautiously.

‘I think it’ll be amazing. I can show you around while Caleb is pretending to work remotely, if you like?’ Lara beams.

‘I’m going to London,’ she says to herself, then looks at me. ‘I’m going to London with you!’ She turns to laugh in Lara’s direction.

Lara leaps up, runs towards Honey and gives her a big hug. The next thing I know, they are squealing and jumping up and down in each other’s arms.

I leave them to it and head to my bedroom. My work here is done.

I’d forgotten how cold the flat can get when the temperature drops. I leave my suitcase by the front door in the living room and rush to put the boiler on. It’s not only the temperature that makes the flat feel unwelcoming. It’s the first time I’ve been back since I, with painful determination, scrubbed the flat of Ariella’s presence. Unfortunately, I may have done too good a job. I couldn’t reintroduce her into the flat even if I wanted to. I locked everything related to her behind her bedroom door and distributed all the keys. What was I thinking? I was such a dickhead. I need to get out of here. It doesn’t feel like home, at all.

I unlock my phone to text Jack and Tim, to confirm that I’ll be over for the ‘welcome home’ meal Em has planned for me. Before I head over, I have to deal with the admin that is associated with an empty house. I sit at the kitchen counter to sort through the post Em has stacked neatly during her weekly visits to check on the place. I reach straight for the forest-green envelope in the middle of the pile. I recognise it from when Ariella was helping Isszy to choose her wedding stationery. It isaddressed to both of us. I open it carefully, to reconfirm what I already know.

Isszy and Zachary’s wedding is a week-long affair, with a series of smaller social events happening almost every day before the traditional church wedding on Saturday. The first event is an ‘intimate night of cocktails and casual chops’ hosted by Isszy’s father. Looking at this itinerary, I realise I’m not going to see Ariella unless I attend these events, so I go to the online link provided and RSVP yes to everything. I then send her a text, unsure of how she will react to my presence. I try to keep it as casual as I can.

Just got back to London for the wedding. Flat is freezing!

I get a response back immediately.

Welcome home! I got in a few days ago with my gigi. I’m sorry, I didn’t realise you and Lara were landing today. I would have turned the heating on for you.

Of course Lara would have told her I was coming back for the wedding. I’ve been worrying for nothing. I take the risk and try to find out if she’s coming home.

Want me to get your key from Jasper and get your room cleaned?

I’ll be staying at home for this trip. There is so much to do!

I thought that might be the case, but it doesn’t make it any less annoying.

Okay. Let me know if I can help?

Will do. I’m happy you’re here.

That last text was all I needed to feel good.

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