Page 111 of The Wedding Pact
Chapter 83
Flynn
Flynn was stepping out of the building when Callie came around the front with her yoga mat.
‘Oh hi, Callie,’ he said with caution. ‘I was just nipping down to the coffee shop, do you want anything?’ He’d been heading to get August one of those hazelnut coffees she liked, and an almond croissant, in case she needed cheering up after her confrontation. No matter what, he still found himself wanting to do anything he could, big or small, to make her happy.
‘I’m fine, thanks,’ Callie replied. ‘Listen, August told me everything.’
Flynn dropped his voice. ‘Callie, I’m sorry, I hope you know our lies were never meant to hurt anyone. We just got … ’
‘Caught up, I know, she told me.’ She smiled at him, not her usual easy smile, but one that maybe told him she’d be okay after she had some time.
‘I’m sorry,’ he repeated. ‘We’re going to tell everyone the truth now. I know Aug’s really anxious to tell Mrs H, and … Abe.’
‘Do you have feelings for her?’ Callie asked Flynn, looking at him with a directness he wasn’t used to.
Flynn hesitated, because he’d never said aloud what he now knew. ‘It’s complicated.’
‘Complicated isn’t bad,’ Callie replied, and moved to go past him before stopping and taking a deep breath, seeming to draw something from deep inside her. ‘Maybe take the complicated option instead of the easy one. Believe me, nobody wants to feel like they’re the easy option.’
Chapter 84
August
It was like a plaster now; August had started ripping and she just wanted the whole thing off. She needed to know where she stood, with the house, with Abe, with Flynn.
She called Abe later that morning and asked if he wanted to take a walk, somewhere a little away from the house. It was still cold, but maybe if she bundled up warm, and then she’d tell him everything and he’d just laugh and forgive her and kiss her and wrap his arms around her so they were both warm and it would start to snow.
Is that what she wanted though? Because a part of her kept thinking about Flynn. Did she want Abe? Or did she just want company and comfort at a time when she was afraid Flynn had found that with Poppy, or Yui?
Before she left she shared almond croissants with Flynn and asked, ‘Can you believe it’s all about to come out? Life as we know it might be about to change.’
‘I’m ready,’ he gave her a half smile. ‘I really am ready.’
‘You are?’ that was a relief, to hear him so certain.
Flynn continued. ‘We spent so much time prepping for how to explain our past that we didn’t even think about our future. How was it ever going to work toactuallylive our lives when we can’t date without complications, we can’t holiday without syncing our calendars, we can’t bring around friends and family without asking them to lie for us as well.’
‘I know. Turns out having an imaginary marriage takes a lot of work.’
‘They say a real marriage does too.’
‘Can I just say one thing?’ she said, brushing crumbs from her fingers and placing one hand on the door handle, ready to leave.
‘Of course,’ Flynn replied.
‘About all of this, the last six months, everything we’ve been through … ’ she trailed off and Flynn tried to jump in.
‘I told you, it’s not your—’
August stopped him. ‘This isn’t an apology to you. I’ve been a shitty person to a lot of people, but I didn’t force you into this. So it’s not an apology, it’s a thank you. Thank you for agreeing to this hare-brained scheme. Thank you for helping me fulfil a dream. Thank you for becoming one of my closest friends, my confidant, my one-time kissing partner.’ She laughed then, avoiding his eye, because she hadn’t exactly meant to bring that up. ‘Just, thank you.’ Before he could say it back, she opened the door and stepped onto the landing, looking back long enough to add, ‘So I’ll go, then? I’ll tell Abe the truth? Because once he knows that’s practically Mrs H knowing, and our house of cards could topple.’
Flynn nodded, and she left him in their home.
‘Abe, I need to tell you something,’ August said, as soon as she met him at the wall outside Number Eighteen. He stood tall in a smart overcoat, a maroon scarf and neat jeans. He looked like the polished version of himself today, but he was just as handsome in his PJs. She quite wanted to climb into that coat with him actually, the wool looked jolly warm.
Focus, August.
