Page 4 of Unbreak My Heart

Tapping his phone to the EFTPOS machine, he nodded his thanks and grabbed both drinks, spying a table in a dim corner at the back of the room.

That would do nicely.

He sat with his back to the wall and knocked back the first glass, eyes stinging as it burned all the way down his throat.

He sat the glass down carefully on a coaster, and picked up the second, swirling the golden liquid around the glass in time with the beat of the music that threatened to deafen him.

He shouldn’t have come out tonight. Shouldn’t be here, of all places. But at least with the music so loud, it forestalledconversation and made it difficult to even think. He could hide and pretend everything was fine, could pretend his life wasn’t falling down around his ears.

Could pretend he was coping.

Two months since he’d lost both of them. Two freaking months of coming home to realise she wasn’t there—would never be there again.

He’d silenced his phone earlier. It still vibrated in his pocket, so he knew if he had a message. It wasn’t like he’d gone completely AWOL. But he didn’t have to listen to the constant message tones of his family as they all kept him updated with what was going on at the hospital.

They’d all be there. Every last one of them. They’d be there supporting each other while they waited for the baby to make an entrance. Which was great. Hewantedthat for Max and Millie. He just didn’t want to be part of it. Not yet.

Anotherbuzzin his pocket.

He yanked the phone out to see what set it off this time.

Si, it’s a girl! I have a daughter.

Max.

Simon’s face tightened and his hands shook as he replied.

That’s great, man. I’m really happy for you. Am in Bialga. Have had a few. I’ll stop by tomorrow to see you all, K?

He waited as the dots bounced while Max replied. He knew they all could see where he was. They all had their location settings on for each other, always had. It was just how they did things, and he was fine with it.

Max sent through a thumbs up, then—

It’s fine. I understand. And no one expects you to be here. I don’t expect you to be here, okay? I just wanted you to know.We called her Juliet. Juliet Amy Jameson.

Simon’s eyes misted up. He downed the rest of the second glass and gritted his teeth. He’d known this was a possibility. They’d asked him if it was okay. He’d stupidly said yes.

He hadn’t realised how it would make him feel when it actually happened, though.

He knew if he asked, they’d change it.

He refused to do that to them. They deserved closure and to honour Amy however they wanted to.

The bartender stopped in front of him, and he glanced up, her form slightly blurry from the damned stinging in his eyes. He blinked rapidly to try to clear them.

“Done with these?” she asked. Compassion filled her eyes.

He nodded. “Can I grab two more of those?”

She nodded once. “Sure. Just go a bit slower, eh?”

He sent her a smile, which probably looked more like a twisted grimace on his face, then sent back a thumbs-up emoji to his brother.

He’d just get through today. He’d let himself wallow for one night, then get on with it tomorrow. He just wanted tonight.

To be near people who didn’t know what had happened.

To not have to avoid looking at people’s faces because they knew and didn’t know what to say to him.

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