Page 207 of Double or Nothing

Bill picks up his Montblanc pen. Twirls it in his fingers.

“How well do you know him?”

“As I said before. Socially. We’ve spent some time together.”

“How much?”

I give another smile. “Enough to know he makes impulsive decisions. He’s quite a rash mover.”

All true.

Bill puts the pen down again.

“Alice knew yesterday precisely when Christopher was returning. She acknowledged you told her.”

The room contracts around me. Here it comes.

“Yes, I did.”

“Why?”

I lower my gaze.

“We were at the same social, talking art, and the future, and life. It just slipped out.”

Bill says nothing.

I let the false vulnerability do its work.

“With Sylvia gone, I’ve been dwelling on the past. Old friendships. People I neglected. Alice was a big part of that for years, before I went to France.”

Bill sighs. “Sentiment, yes. I can understand that.”

Can he, though? I’m not sure Bill understands anything about sentiment in the slightest. He’s got layers of steel around him that defend him from humanity.

My admission seems to reassure him. Sentiment is a temporary weakness he can forgive. Defiance would be another matter.

“I didn’t intend to undermine you,” I say.

“You should have left it to me.”

“I know.”

“Her reaction was extremely unfortunate. Terrible, in fact.”

“I’m sorry.”

That part is real.

Not because Alice challenged him. I’m proud of her for that. I’m just sorry she had to do it alone.

Bill watches me for a moment longer, then nods.

“You’ve been under a lot of strain. You should have come to me, Bryce.”

“Yes, I should have.”

How sad that Bill believes he’s still the person I trust with my emptiness. Once upon a time, not so long ago, he would have been.