Page 73 of By His Play

“Go and get ready,” she instructs, tugging her hands from my grasp and lifting her mug from the machine.

“I’ll be right by your side today. Lean on me, okay?”

She nods but doesn’t look me in the eyes again.

The thought of her regretting this morning kills me. But I guess it’s to be expected.

I’m just her manwhore best friend.

She doesn’t think of me like that.

Just like I shouldn’t think of her…

Probably best not to tell her that this morning was one of the best things that’s ever happened to me.

Without saying another word, I walk out of the kitchen and directly to the bathroom.

“Fuck. Fuck,” I grunt, slamming my palms down on the tiled wall in frustration.

I’m fucking this up.

She needs me to be her friend right now.

Nothing more.

Just a friend.

Lifting my hands to my hair, I comb my fingers through, dragging the wet locks back until it hurts.

Just a friend, Kieran.

Be what she needs. Help put her back together, and then you can both return to Chicago and your lives, and things can continue as they’re meant to.

19

EFFIE

Istand straight with my shoulders back. There have been a few times in my life where I’ve had to put my emotions to one side and pull on my game face, but never more so than today.

My heart is racing, and my palms are sweating.

It’s going to be okay. I know it will.

Today is going to be the kind of day that Grams wanted. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t going to hurt.

The pews behind me are already beginning to fill with people whose lives Grams touched. Many of them I met at the care home when they visited, but there are still loads I’ve never seen before. Knowing that they cared enough about Grams to be here today fills me with pride. She was such an incredible woman; she deserves for everyone to remember her as the selfless, caring person she was.

But the two I’m dreading to see still aren’t here.

I can’t say I’m surprised.

If this were a business meeting, he’d have been here fifteen minutes ago. But this is a family event, so punctuality goes out of the window.

As if he knows exactly where my head is at, Kieran’s hand slides down my back before resting it just above my ass, a warm, strong presence.

I haven’t been able to look him in the eye since this morning.

How he’s acting as if nothing happened is beyond me.

---