Page 42 of Escape for Christmas
Carl let out a long breath. ‘I’m so sorry to hear that, my friend. I thought you and Tegan were crazy about each other. I know you’ve known each other for years, with your dad and hers being mates, so I wasn’t surprised when you finally got together, or when you told me you were engaged. I thought you’d done the whole getting-down-on-one-knee thing and proposed.’
‘Actually I didn’t. And neither did she. It was last September, when we were watching some daft show on TV about brides from hell, and we were about to turn it over when Tegan said we should do that. And I said, “What? Have a wedding from hell?” and laughed.
‘And she said, “No, Brody, we could have a lovely wedding. A small ceremony, keep it to a few dozen friends and family, and an evening party for the rest. Not right now, but at some point when – fingers crossed – when dad’s feeling better.”’
Carl listened intently.
‘And I realised what was happening, and I was … well, I was shocked that she felt that way, but Iwasin love and so I said, “Why not?”’
‘As you do,’ Carl said.
‘Don’t be so cynical. I felt so happy and it seemed right in that moment. We’d no plans to set a date, but it seemed natural to make the commitment, especially with Tegan about to go to New York. Finally, after a couple of failed relationships and a lot of lonely nights, this beautiful, gorgeous woman wanted to marry me, and I felt the same.’
‘And you’d have done anything to make her happy,’ Carlsaid wearily, as if he fully understood where Brody was coming from. Which he probably did, having not been the luckiest person in love himself.
‘Yes.’ Except that now Brody knew better. ‘What I should have done was the thing that would have made us both truly happy. And that would have been to say: “Well, maybe let’s wait. Let’s wait until we’re totally sure. Let’s take a bit more time, because there’s no need to rush.”’
‘Yet you didn’t.’
‘I was afraid of losing Tegan and, at the time, I really did convince myself I was ready for the commitment. As you say, we’d known each other for years as friends and had been together properly for three months. Plus, Tegan was ecstatic and was saying, “My parents are going to be over the moon, and Dad will have something to look forward too. I can’t wait to tell them. Won’t your mum be pleased too?”’
‘So I’m guessing youhavenow told Tegan that the engagement is off? Last night was it? When she turned up?’ Carl winced. ‘Poor love. I bet she’s devastated.’
‘No, she’s not devastated. She knew it was off before she arrived.’
Carl almost coughed up his beer in astonishment.
‘I broke it off a few months ago, when she told me she’d been sleeping with her boss in New York. So we’re no longer a couple, but no one else knows, and Tegan – neither of us –wants anyone else to know. Not yet.’
‘Jesus, Brody. Why not?’
‘Because we don’t want to ruin Christmas. And before you roll your eyes and laugh, it’s not a simple matter ofstanding by the tree after we’ve opened the presents and telling everyone: “Oh, by the way, we won’t need the couples massage voucher, we’re splitting up. Happy bloody Christmas to you all!”’
‘No, perhaps that wouldn’t be the best timing.’
‘In fact it’s a totally shitty situation. Tegan’s brother and his wife decided to tell her parents they were getting a divorce at the end of November, and you know her father’s not been well. He’s waiting for a triple bypass in the New Year and there’s a chance he might not make it, as it is. Tegan told me the doctors warned him to avoid any stress, so she’s understandably petrified that any further shocks could make him even worse. What if he deteriorates and he’s not fit for the surgery?’
‘Brody, mate …’ Carl patted his back. ‘This is genuinely awful.’
‘Yeah. So we decided to wait until after her dad’s op, and tell him when he’s stronger in a couple of months’ time. It’s not ideal, but after what happened with my dad, I wouldn’t feel right it I did anything to make hers worse.’
‘I can totally understand that, but it will be tough to pretend and lie all over Christmas and beyond.’
‘We’ll cope,’ Brody said grimly. ‘It’s not for long and if it helps her dad’s recovery, it’s worth it.’
‘OK. I don’t envy you putting on a front, but I can buy that.’
‘Thanks.’ He heaved a sigh of relief at having shared the truth with someone he trusted. But then he remembered the other dilemma. ‘Problem is there’s something else.’
Carl groaned. ‘Oh God. What now?’
‘I – um – have liked Sophie for a long time now, but obviously I didn’t do anything while Tegan and I were together. I wouldn’t dream of doing anything about it and dragging her into this mess.’
‘Being a noble knight in shining armour, you mean?’
‘Don’t joke. I have been tempted. Things hadn’t been great with Tegan for a while. Even before she went to New York last summer I worried that living far apart would put a strain on our relationship, but I thought it was short-term and we could get through it. We didn’t. We grew away from each other, and then she started seeing bloody Wes.’
‘Were you pleased? Relieved?’
