After the non-ceremony, my darling brother Callum had hugged me and told me to stand my ground before he abandoned me to my fate and took Tori and their new baby, Charlotte, home. So there I sat, at my parents’ kitchen table, being bombarded with accusations about my conduct when I hadn’t actually doneanything wrong. Elise had leftmeat the altar, yet there I was, head in hands, being shouted at. Bloody typical. Nothing I ever did was right in spite of tryingso damned hardto be what they wanted me to be.
Unfortunately, he wasn’t ready for giving up yet. ‘If you’d set the blasted date earlier. If you’d shown some blessed commitment. What will people think?’
My mother wailed at his words and dramatically dabbed at her eyes with a lace hanky. ‘Oh, how will I show my face in public? The shame of it all, Finlay. How could you?’
It was like shit-throwing tennis and I was the net. Dad piped up again. ‘Honestly, Finlay, did you really think a girl like Elise would wait around forever? I think this is the worst thing you’veeverdone, and that’s saying something.’
That was it.
My blood rushed through my veins and my heart hammered in my chest.
I snapped.
Slamming my hands down on the table, I stood to face my parents with gritted teeth. ‘What thehellis that supposed to mean? I’ve worked my arse off trying to be the best son I could be. I stepped into the ‘good son’ role when it was clear Callum wouldn’t let you walk over him. I’ve let you run my bloody life for twenty-seven years.’ They stared at me wide-eyed as I let my feelings fly at full pelt and full volume. ‘I’ve doneeverythingyou wanted me to do. I even agreed to marry someone I wasn’t in love with foryou! And this is what happens? You gang up on me whenI’mthe one who’s been humiliated!I’mthe one who was left at the damned altar! Not you! And all you care about is what people will say? Well, sod this shit. I’ve had enough! Do you hear me? ENOUGH!’ And with that, I grabbed my keys and stormed out of the house, letting the large oak door slam behind me.
The door swung open again as I stomped away towards my car and my father’s voice bellowed from where he stood on the threshold. ‘Come back here this instant and apologise to your mother, Finlay Hunter!’
I ignored him and kept on walking.
Once I reached my car, I paused in the hope that they would somehow come to their senses, but of course, they didn’t, so I opened the door and climbed in. After slamming the door perhaps a little too hard, I fumbled with the keys, dropping them into the foot well before retrieving them and putting them in the cup holder. I jammed my finger into the ignition button, very much aware of the tumult raging beneath my skin. This delay, unfortunately, meant my parents had the time to come out to the car, ready to hurl more crap my way. My mother was sobbing in that over-dramatic 1940’s-movie-star way she had—she really should’ve been an actress—and my father’s face was beetroot red. For a split second, I panicked that he may have another heart attack.
That is until my mother shouted at me, ‘You have caused your father and me so much stress, Finlay. If your father has another heart attack, it will be on your head!’
Anger that she would take such a low blow mingled with the acid in my gut and my stomach twisted. I was ready to throw up, but thankfully I kept my composure, yanked the car into reverse, and sped away spitting up gravel on the circular driveway. Once I had screeched the car round, I sped off towards the main gates and didn’t look back.
* * *
The day that followed my non-existent nuptials was a Friday and—unlike most Fridays—it came all too quickly, and I arrived at work as if nothing had happened. I could hear the whispers from staff and colleagues alike as I walked quickly to my office with my head held high. Their pitiful gazes made me feel nauseated all over again. Or it could’ve been the bottle of cheap red wine I’d consumed the night before. Once I was inside and the door was closed, I slumped onto the leather chair behind the desk and rested my aching head in my hands.
The intercom buzzed and I almost jumped out of my skin. ‘Mr Hunter?’
‘Um... yes, Morag?’
My secretary was understandably hesitant with her next words. ‘I... I have Miss Drummond on the line for you.’
Elise? Shit!‘Oh, okay. Put her through.’
The line clicked and there was a silent pause. ‘Fin? I somehow thought I’d find you at work.’
I huffed out a heavy, defeated breath. ‘What do you want, Elise?’
Silence ensued for a few moments until she eventually spoke. ‘I... I wanted to apologise. I know I did a terrible thing. But, let’s face it; I only did what you wishedyoucould do.’
Okay, so that’s true.I shook my head. ‘W-what do you mean bythat?’
‘Look, Fin, be honest with yourself. You didn’t want to marry me really. We’d been pretty much forced into the whole situation. And if you look deep in your heart, you may loveme, but you’re notinlove with me. And there’s a huge difference. I know you must be angry and hurt, but I’m guessing that’s down to the fact that I humiliated you, not that I broke your heart. Am I right?’
I let her words sink in for a moment. She was right. Of course she was. I’d known it all along, but admitting it aloud felt like some kind of betrayal of what we’d shared.
I sighed. ‘I guess... I guess you’re right.’ Rubbing my hand over my face, I inhaled deeply. ‘How did we let things get this far, Elise?’
She gave a faint laugh. ‘I don’t know. I really don’t know. But I doknow that great sex doesn’t make for a long and happy marriage. I need more. So do you, Fin. We both deserve to be loved wholeheartedly by someone who adores us. Don’t you agree?’
‘I do.’ My ironic choice of reply hung in the air for a long while and I listened to the sound of her breathing.
She cleared her throat. ‘Look, I’m going to stay with my friend Serena for a while. I’ll collect my belongings over the weekend.’ She went silent again for a moment. ‘I really don’t want to lose you from my life, Fin. I hope you can forgive me. And maybe someday we could be friends again.’ Her voice wavered and she sniffled. Suddenly I wished she was in my office so I could hug her. She was giving us both a major get out, and although I felt crappy—and humiliated as she had quite rightly pointed out—I was kind of relieved to know she felt the same way I did about us.
‘Hey. Hey, don’t cry, Elise. We’ll be fine. I don’t want to lose you either.’ It was the truth. She’d been in my life so long that I couldn’t imagine her not being around. The thought of it both scared and saddened me. She was my best friend, after all.
