Page 146 of Checkmate
“Thank you, Debra,” Marcus said, inclining his head. “I was getting pretty tired of hearing how beautiful Erica looked when I was just as dazzling.”
A titter of amusement went around the room, the building tension easing. Erica could tell they were all waiting for the moment they could ask the million-dollar question and the longer it went unasked, the more awkward the silences became.
“So, you’ll be getting a new tour bus then?” Bob asked. “Quite right, too. Don’t let the robbing bastards get you down.” Erica felt a wave of affection for her father right then. She knew this entire situation - from her divorce to her relationship with Marcus was hard for him to get his head around. Bob was a traditional man. He’d courted and married her mother right out of school, and infidelity never crossed his mind.
She could tell he was trying hard to be supportive and welcoming of Marcus, but it wouldn’t surprise her if he was struggling to accept yet another man who seemed to be moving too fast with his daughter.
The last one didn’t work out too well, after all.
“Have they caught the guys yet?” Lottie asked. She sat on the arm of the sofa next to Josh, who had his arm around Liv. “Or is it a lost cause?”
“Oh, we know who did it,” Erica said. “And we’ve found the stolen bus, too.”
“That’s brilliant!” Debra said.
“Not really,” Erica said with a sigh. “Remember when I said I wanted a nice, simple divorce?”
“It wasn’t Alex, was it?” Debra asked with a frown. “Please tell me he hasn’t sunk even lower.”
Erica really felt sorry for her mother at that moment.
This was a woman who, despite her reservations, had welcomed Alex into her home with open arms. She voiced her concerns about their quick engagement, but once she could see how sure Erica was, that was the end of it. Alex was her son from that moment on and she had never treated him as less.
Not only did her heart hurt for her daughter, but for herself, too.
“We can’t prove it,” Marcus said, taking Erica’s hand as though he could sense her discomfort. “But we’re almost positive. Whoever he hired is pretty loyal to him - he hasn’t said a word, even with the promise of more money.”
“At least someone understands loyalty,” Josh muttered.
“So he just gets away with it?” Liv asked, speaking for the first time.
“Not quite,” Marcus said, a small smirk playing on his lips. Erica recognised the look on his face. It was the same one he wore whenever he anticipated a good night of ticket sales.
It meant things were going his way.
“Angus told us to continue on as normal, as though we’re clueless,” Erica said, filling in the gaps for her confused family. “He says that arrogant people get sloppy and if Alex thinks he’s got away with it, he’ll try something again fairly soon.”
“Is that good for business?” Bob asked, his forehead wrinkling. “Doesn’t seem right putting yourself in the middle of drama.”
“We’re prepared,” Marcus said with quiet confidence.
And they were.
Her family might not understand - they were honest people who lived a drama-free life. But Alex had stretched out this divorce long enough for Erica to understand that sometimes you had to play a little dirty.
There had been something she’d been planning for a long time, and now, with Angus’ support, that idea had the potential to become a reality. If it worked out the way she thought it would, Alex would be a fool to come after them, although the chaotic side of her wished he would just so he could be metaphorically bitch-slapped.
But until she had confirmation, she wasn’t saying anything - not even to Marcus. She needed everything to be in place so she could plan the perfect surprise.
“So how did the house viewing go, pet?” Bob asked, capturing Erica’s attention once more.
“Oh, it was fantastic,” she replied. “We’ve put in an offer and we’ll hopefully hear something early next week.”
“How exciting,” Debra said. “You must invite us over.”
“Of course,” Marcus agreed with a smile. “I’d actually love to have you all over, along with my parents, for a big housewarming dinner.”
Her parents glanced at each other, while Lottie and Josh muttered away in the corner. This was the moment; she could sense it. They’d held their tongues long enough, and now they wanted to know.
