Page 90 of Plot Twist

Shit. Shit. Shit. How was I going to explain this now?

‘I am back. But I’m just about to go to bed,’ I said. ‘Sore head.’

He looked down at the bottle of booze and then back up at me and raised an eyebrow.

‘It’ll be even worse in the morning if you drink that on your own,’ he said. ‘Look, I wanted to talk. Can we go into your room?’

Now, that’s what I really wanted, more than anything. I wanted Riley to come back to my room and continue where we’d left off. But bloody Drew was there and that was going to be a hard one to explain. And then there was Jackie. And Ivy. And the boat I’d booked home. I had to tell him I was leaving the next day. When would I even get the chance?

‘Do you mind if we leave it tonight?’ I asked, clutching the bottle in my hand. ‘We can catch up in the morning, maybe?’

‘Sure,’ he said. ‘We could go for the group mountain walk? I don’t know if Ellie and Bridget will make it, but we could.’

I couldn’t.

I thought of the appointment letter and the procedure. I thought of Drew waiting for me to come back to the cottage. I thought of Rae.

I thought of Riley. And Ivy.

‘Riley, I’m sorry but I booked a boat home for tomorrow.’ I let the words roll off my tongue like a robot, trying not to feel anything. ‘I’m going home to. . . sort a few things out. My head included. And you need to sort things out with Jackie, so I think it’s really for the best all round.’

His mouth flew open as his voice strained. ‘Seriously?’

‘I’m sorry,’ I said, looking away from his intense gaze. ‘I really am. But I think it’s better if we both have some time and space to clear our heads, then maybe we can be friends again, at some point.’

‘Friends,’ he repeated, like a parrot. ‘You want to go back to being friends.’

I looked away from him. ‘I want you to be happy. You and Ivy. So this is what’s best.’

‘Becca!’ called a voice from across the courtyard.

Shit. Shit. Shit. Not now, Drew. What the actual fuck.

‘Who is that?’ Riley asked, frowning as I turned around.

Drew stood waving from my cottage door, with his tie loose around his open collar and his shoes off.

Then Drew followed up with a loud: ‘Did you get the booze? I’m parched over here.’

I sighed and placed my fingers on my temple. The sore head was becoming a reality.

‘That’s. . . my ex. Drew. The one that was going out with Rae, before she died. He just—’

Riley’s eyes darkened. He frowned over at Drew, who put his arm above his head and leaned against the doorway as though he owned the place. Smug. He always looked so fucking smug.

‘Good night, Becca.’ Riley didn’t even look me in the eye as he turned to leave.

‘Riley, wait. . .’ I called after him, but he refused to turn around. ‘Riley!’

42

It took every ounce of strength I had not to chase after Riley and beg him to listen to me. But even if I did, even if I told him how I really felt about him and Ivy, about being here in Rathcliffe with them both, it didn’t matter. They were a family now, with Jackie, just like Ivy wanted.

And my life had been flipped upside down. Tears threatened in my eyes but I blinked them away. I would not let my stupidly handsome and exceedingly annoying ex-boyfriend see them. I refused.

I marched back over towards Drew. My first love. I’d got over him, so I could get over Riley too. I sighed.

Drew offered up a crooked smile as I stomped past him into the cottage. He closed the door firmly, leaving the noise of the party behind us.