Page 47 of When We Were Young

‘I’m sorry. I don’t want to hurt you, but it’s better now than months down the line.’

‘Happy fucking Christmas.’ She turned on her heel.

‘Izzy!’ he called as she marched back down the lane towards the house. ‘Take the umbrella!’

She kept walking.

‘Do you know the way back?’

‘I’m not a fucking moron!’

‘Do you want me to come with you?’

‘No. Walk the fucking dog!’

The dog whined and pulled in the opposite direction, so he carried on up the hill. Shit, he’d handled that terribly.

Fat drops of rain began drumming on the umbrella. Izzy would get soaked. He tipped the umbrella to see how far she’d got, but the darkness had already swallowed her. He hadn’t planned to say any of that, but she’d given him no choice. If he said he loved her, then he couldn’t break up with her. And he was always trying to break up with her, always keeping her at arm’s length. She was pretty, sexy, a good laugh. Why couldn’t he be satisfied with that? He hated doing this to her. Here. Today. He’d have to face the music back at the house, but despite that, he was relieved.

All eyes were on him as he entered the sitting room half an hour later.

‘Jesus Christ, Will, you dumped her on Christmas Day?’ You could always rely on Aidan for his tact.

Will sighed. ‘Where is she?’

‘She’s upstairs crying her eyes out, you bastard. Emily’s looking after her.’Oh,great.‘Couldn’t you have waited a fewhours? Now you’ve ruined everyone’s Christmas.’ Aidan was trying not to smile. This hadmadehis day, not ruined it.

‘I didn’tplanit. She put me on the spot…’

‘I thought you liked Izzy?’ asked his mum.

‘I don’t want to talk about it, Mum.’

‘No one can drive her anywhere now. We’ve all been drinking,’ she said. ‘I’ll take her to the station in the morning, assuming the trains are running on Boxing Day.’

Emily appeared in the doorway and gestured for him to join her. His heart drummed as he followed her to the kitchen and closed the door.

‘Is she okay?’ he asked.

Emily’s expression was pained. ‘Just embarrassed and humiliated.’

He groaned.

‘Sorry, that was harsh, but you know what I mean. Listen,’ Emily’s tone went serious, ‘I know she’s been drinking but…’

Emily ran a hand through her hair and that pained expression deepened into a full-blown grimace.

Oh shit.‘What did she say?’

Emily lowered her voice. ‘She said you’rein lovewith me.’

Will feigned ignorance. ‘What?’

‘Why would she say that?’ Emily studied his face.

Will sighed. ‘I told her I’m into someone else and she’s jumped to conclusions.’

‘Why would she think it’s me?’