Page 165 of The 21-Day Boyfriend
“You were childhood friends, you lived in the same neighbourhood. His parents and your parents went to parties together, went on holidays together, and the two of you were always… In close contact.”
“I don’t understand what…”
“Then Colm became a surgeon, and your dad was his mentor. Your grandmother and mother were on the board for the foundation… I mean…”
“Are you saying he pretended to love me just to get to my family?”
“I’m saying it worked out well for him.”
I shake my head violently.
“The way he treated you, as if you were barely enough for him… The way he controlled you and everything you did…”
“I don’t know what… I don’t…”
“I know, I know.” Jake sits back down, his hand on my shoulder. “You believed him. That’s why you trusted him: because you believed in it all. Because you’re a good guy, just like Sean.”
“I don’t think so.”
“I’m sorry to be the one to tell you, but I think Colm was using you all these years. And I think that if you hadn’t taken a different path, you’d have been unhappy forever.”
“I’m not exactly happy right now.”
“But you can try to be.”
I look at him. Jake smiles at me. “But I hurt him.”
“You did.”
“And trust me, I didn’t want to. It was the last thing I wanted to do. But… Maybe it’s better this way.”
“What are you saying?”
“I’m not sure this could even work.”
“Between you? Why not?”
“Because it was all a lie.” I get to my feet, pacing around my living room and heading to the window overlooking the street below. “It was pretend. We were just playing a part.”
“I didn’t see any pretence.”
“What would you know…?”
“I know it took me years to organise this thing, and I’m not going to let you ruin it now.”
I turn and look at him. “What are you talking about?”
“I planned, waited, hoped… And in the end, I pulled it off.”
“Are you saying that…?”
“It was all me! I’ve been trying to set you two up since… Well, forever!”
“So I was right!” I say, pointing at him.
“Of course you were right! And so was he. It doesn’t take a genius to work out that I’ve been trying to set up my two best friends for years. And when the opportunity finally presented itself…”
“You son of a…”
