Page 126 of Broken Silence
“Confidence not arrogance,” I said, repeating words Marcus had told us repeatedly over the years. Even the best could fall. “He wasn’t so cocky after that. Anyway, what’s going on with you?”
He sighed. “Between me and you, something’s going on, but no one seems to know a damn thing. Or they do and they’re not saying. Some guys in fancy suits have been wandering around. I think the place is in trouble.”
“Have you asked Greg?”
Greg was the owner of the centre, and a total idiot. He cared about money, not people. I’d always hated him. There was trouble with him every year about raising the prices too high, and none of the extra money ever went into improving the facilities.
“I did. He made it sound like it was all in my head. Of course, he wouldn’t tell me the truth. He’s said so much bullshit in his time, I don’t even think he knows what the truth is anymore. Enough of that crap, though. Has the media circus died down?”
“Yeah, to be fair, after I spoke to them about Cole, they’ve been pretty decent. The odd one hangs around sometimes, hoping to get an exclusive.”
“That was a brave move,” Marcus said. “You queen.”
“Thanks. It worked so it was worth it. No one thinks badly of Cole.”
“That’s good. I’m glad things have settled down and you can focus on building a life here. I’m Team England.”
Laughing, I replied, “You’ve clearly never been to Australia.”
“No, but we have Cole.”
“Fine, you win.”
“Want some advice?”
I smiled. “Do I have a choice?”
“Why, no, you do not.” He winked. “It’s going to be simple. Be happy. Do whatever it takes to make youhappy.”
“That’s the plan. I’m tired of pretending that I’m okay. I neverthought I’d move back. Lots of memories, but the bad ones have faded… mostly.”
“Time to replace them with engagements, weddings, and kids.”
“Let’s not get too ahead or ourselves. But yes. I’m just not sure what my mum and Jasper will do.”
“They’ll follow you.”
“Right, but I don’t want them to if that’s not what will make them happy. You know what I mean? We’re so close, and it would suck if we didn’t live in the same country, but I don’t want them to base anything on me.”
He shrugged. “You’re going to have to tell them your plans and let them make their own minds up.”
I took a sip of the awful hot chocolate. It was like brown water. “Yeah. So, when do you need me to start?”
“Mary leaves in three weeks. Come in two so you can work alongside her and see where the little ones are at. You’ll be here, yes?”
“Yeah, I’ll have to go back to Australia since my things are there, but it won’t be a long visit.”
“You can get that done in two weeks?”
I shrugged. “I don’t have a lot of things. Never really knew what I was doing or where I should be.”
“It was never home?”
“I guess not. It was everything I needed at the time, and I’ll still love it out there.”
“So… Cole’s hot as an adult,” Marcus said.
I thought he was hot before, too, but I can see how Marcus, now in his mid-thirties, is only attracted to the adult Cole. “It’s unfair really.”
