‘The truth is the best option,’ Jules said with a sad smile.
‘I wish I was brave enough.’
27
Caitlin didn’t see Archie on Tuesday or Wednesday either. He was clearly avoiding her. There had been no funny text messages or memes like he usually sent. Just radio silence. She missed him terribly. On Tuesday evening, she had seen the blonde’s taxi leaving again but didn’t go out to watch Archie holding the woman. Twice was enough.
After dinner on Wednesday evening, Caitlin sat in silence in her living room. Grace had gone upstairs to watch a movie in her room, and of course, Cleo had followed close behind like her little shadow. When the room was silent, Caitlin had opened the novel she was reading but had read the same page at least three times before she gave up and placed it beside her on the sofa. She was dozing off when there was a knock at the door. Could it be Archie? She doubted it, but it didn’t stop her hoping.
She opened the door to find Dexter standing there. ‘Hiya, pet. I thought I’d bring a bottle and some boxing gloves.’
Confused as she glanced at his hands, she asked, ‘Boxing gloves?’ He didn’t appear to be carrying any.
‘Aye, don’t worry, they’re metaphorical ones. I was speaking to Jetty, and she told me what had happened when you were camping, you know, Archie kissing you? And that you stopped it. I have no idea why you would do that when I know how you feel about him, so I’ve come to knock some sense into that head of yours.’
She folded her arms across her chest. ‘I don’t need any sense knocking into me, thank you. But you can bring the wine in.’ She grinned.
He followed her to the kitchen, where she took two wine glasses from the cupboard, placed them on the table and they sat.
‘You need to go talk to Archie, you know,’ Dexter said as she poured the wine. ‘He must be wondering what the heck’s going on.’
She huffed. ‘Not you as well? Look, I’ve already told Jules I can’t do that. I don’t know what to say.’
‘Erm… that you’ve fallen for him and want a relationship, the same as him?’
She scoffed. ‘Pfft. Not a chance. And there’s no point now anyway.’
Dexter huffed and rubbed his hands over his face, then fixed her with a bemused expression. ‘So, let me get this straight, you have a chance at happiness with someone you actually fancy, who more than fancies you back and you’re going to pass? You’re daft, do you know that, Caitlin Fraser? Completely batty!’
Feeling more than a little indignant, she huffed. ‘Thanks for the support, friend. And for your information, he’s already moved on.’
Dexter scrunched his brow. ‘Eh? What are you talking about?’
Caitlin took a large gulp of wine to help muster up the courage to explain without bursting into tears. ‘The blonde. I saw them together before we went camping and things looked quite cosy. Then we kissed at the camp, under the stars no less, and yes it was lovely, but I stopped him because I couldn’t get her out of my head. I know how shitty I would feel if things were the other way around and I was in her place. Then I saw him with her again. He clearly isn’t that upset by my rejection, is he?’
Dexter appeared completely flummoxed. He scratched his beard and then his eyes widened as if a light bulb had flicked on. ‘Shit! You’ve totally got it wrong! I know who you mean!’
She shook her head. ‘I’m sorry what?’
‘I didn’t meet her, but he said she was here for a few days. That was why he asked me to cover the shop. Ugh, why the hell didn’t you just ask him about her? This needn’t have happened at all, you daft wazzock.’
Caitlin was the confused one now. ‘Hang on, backpedal a wee bit. Who? Who was here?’
‘Kristine. Sophie’s mum’s ex.’
Caitlin’s stomach dropped as if the ground had fallen away beneath her. ‘Kristine? The blonde was Sophie’s other mum?’
Dexter scrunched his brow. ‘Well, technically not any more… in fact, not at all, seeing as she gave up that right when she buggered off back to Germany. But yes, it was her. She came over from Berlin when she’d heard through friends that Archie had taken Sophie in. She wanted to check that he was okay with everything since he didn’t really sign up for parenthood when he… you know…’ He made a weird hand gesture that she would’ve ordinarily laughed out loud at, but under the circumstances it was no laughing matter. ‘And I guess she wanted to see if Sophie was okay.’
Caitlin placed her head in her hands. ‘Oh god, I’m such an idiot. He must think I’m crazy.’
Dexter chuckled. ‘Well, we’ve all known that for a while, pet.’
With a knot of panic in her gut, she ran her hands through her hair. ‘What do I do? I think he’s avoiding me and, let’s be fair, he has good reason. For all he knows, I rejected him because I’m not interested.’
Dexter glanced at his watch. ‘Well, there’s no time like the present, eh? It’s only eight o’clock.’ He shrugged and nodded to the door.
‘But, Grace?’
