He sucks in a breath through his teeth. “She posted with a new guy.”
“Your receptionist?” I imagine the happily married Patricia stepping out on Tom, but I can’t see it.
“No, of course not. I’m talking about Blair.”
Wham!’s “Last Christmas” immediately plays in my head, even though it’s not as applicable for me as it is for Callie. My partner didn’t abandon me during the holidays, and it wasn’tlast year, but the sentiments are relevant. I can feel my heart being torn in two all over again. “Is he one of ours?”
“No. But it looks fairly serious.” Rory clears his throat. “Katie seems to think Blair might be coming home for a visit soon.”
“Add it to the heap, mate,” I mutter, reaching for the pitchfork and tucking my phone between my ear and my shoulder. I really should have brought my AirPods. I spear some hay with extra force and carry it to Elephant’s trough door, letting it fall through. “Was Liv in the snap, too?”
“No.”
Silence sits between us while I finish feeding both horses and put the pitchfork back.
“Maybe you should live a little, Gav. Embrace the American. Have some fun. It might be good for you.”
“You sound like her,” I mutter.
“Oh, do I?” he asks through laughter.
Crivvens. “I’ve said too much.”
“Not nearly enough, actually,” Rory argues. “Has she come on to you?”
“Only when she didn’t know who I was.”
“Well, good on that. Then you know she’s interested, and not just because you’re rich and famous.”
“I am neither of those things.”
“You forget how much I know about you, Gav,” Rory says.
It’s true, which isn’t endearing right at this moment. “I need to run.”
“Wait. Are you cross?”
“No, of course not. Blair doesn’t have that power over me any longer.” My broken heart isn’t about Blair as much as it is the things I lost when she left me. He knows this. I let out a sigh. “My parents, on the other hand. Ugh. They want to stay here this Christmas. Atthis house. I don’t know how we’ll all coexist. It’s a bad idea, innit?” I give an uncomfortable chuckle,but it’s met with nothing. The silence on the other end of the phone makes me want to groan. He knows something. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“Are you certain they want to stay with you?”
“No. Not at all. Granny seems to think so, but I think it’s mad. We’ll know when they get into town.”
“They’re already in town, Gav. They’re parked up at your grandparents’ house now. Saw the campervan this morning.”
My stomach bottoms out. Iknewthey wouldn’t want to stay here. Ever since Dad lost his job and all their money and they’d asked me to buy the house, they’ve been weird about being on the property in general. I can’t imagine them parking on this land or sleeping in one of the extra bedrooms. Not when the primary room was always theirs. It would be weird for all of us, and they would be miserable.
Besides, they never do what they say they’re going to do, so why should this be any different?
“Figures,” I say. “Guess it’s better than us walking on eggshells around each other.”
“You could have a conversation about?—”
“They won’t, and you know it.”
Rory lets out a breath. “Well, ring if you need anything. I’m off for the next few days. Canceled all my appointments for the storm. Don’t want my patients trying to drive through the snow.”
“That’s wise. We’ll be here if you need anything,” I tell him before ringing off. Rory’s been my best friend since we were skinning our knees and climbing trees together as kids. We look out for each other—or, we always have in the past. Since my ex-girlfriend fully wrecked my world, he’s mostly been the one looking out for me.
