Page 5 of Plot Twist

They all greeted one other with warm hugs and muttered words of disbelief and condolences at the reception. The hordes of family members narrowed their eyes when they saw me, trying to place whether I was on Jim’s or Linda’s side of the family. I wanted to shout at the top of my lungs that I was Becca, the one who’d been a firm fixture by Rae’s side practically all her life. The friend that held her when she was sobbing after Lee Kilburn broke her heart in second year. The pal that held her hair back when she was sick after one too many cocktails.

The one whose fault it was.

‘Becca?’

I would know the voice anywhere. A warm, familiar feeling flooded my stomach until my head caught up and reminded me: Drew should not be here. Or anywhere near me for that matter.

I swung around and came face to face with him. He looked into my eyes, bold as brass, and offered me a small, almost smile.

‘What the hell?’ I sneered up at him. ‘Why are youhere?’

I’d promised myself I wouldn’t cause a scene. But the sight of his short dark hair, perfectly shaven face and smug smile in his stupid kilt, blending in with the rest of the family, was just too much. Worse still, he was still hot. Damn him. Although he looked exhausted. Shattered.

‘Rae and I were always close, Becca, you know that.’ He shifted his balance from one foot to the other.

He set his glass down beside mine. The prick.

‘I don’t think gatecrashing the funeral is appropriate. I hope it wasn’t because of me.’

He threw his head back and laughed. The bloody nerve of him and his stupid loud laugh. How inappropriate to practically guffaw at a funeral. Rae’s funeral. My face flushed in anger. I blinked as I realised my expression mirrored his. He had the cheek to look angry, too. What the fuck did he have to be angry about?

‘God, Becca, you’re so full of shit. I came to say goodbye to Rae. Nothing to do with you. Not everything in life is about you, believe it or not. Let’s not do this. . . not here.’

I gulped as his furious gaze fixed firmly on my eyes. My big baggy eyes that needed to rest so badly.

What did he mean with all this cloak-and-dagger ‘not here, not now’ anyway? God, he was always so over the top.

He let out a huge, dramatic puff into the air and turned to leave. I stood still for a moment before deciding to follow him. I wasn’t bloody well finished telling him all the reasons why he shouldn’t be here.

I walked out towards the bar area but there was no sign of him.

‘Becca?’

I spun around.

Rae’s brother, otherwise known in my mind as his childhood nickname ‘Adam-the-Absolute-Worst’, towered over me.

He must have missed the family kilt memo, but he did look sharp in a black suit, white shirt and black tie, along with his trademark wide-framed, black-rimmed glasses. Imagine if he’d worn his Big Bird costume to the funeral. Rae would have killed herself laughing.

Oh.

‘I’m sorry, Adam, I’m just looking for someone. . .’ I mumbled.

‘Drew,’ he stated.

‘How did you know?’ I frowned. ‘What the fuck is he even doing here? I thought Linda said it was family only. And me, obviously.’

He cleared his throat.

‘Rae never wanted this. . .’ Adam started, looking down at his feet and then back up to meet my gaze.

‘What, a funeral? Pretty sure I knew that, Adam, but thanks for the memo,’ I said, looking over his shoulder for Drew. The bastard.

‘No,’ he said, lightly placing his hands near my shoulders. ‘I mean, she would have hated you finding out from someone else. She was determined to be the one to tell you.’

I narrowed my eyes, feeling my stomach clench. What was he talking about?

‘Tell me what?’