AllFreeNovel
Share Us
‘How’s Evelyn taking it?’ Cora asked, when Lily had filled her in on the day’s events.
‘Shouldn’t you be asking how I’m taking it?’
‘Well, since I had three reports this afternoon of you drinking brandy in the Bull and Frog with my cousin this lunchtime – and don’t think I haven’t already spoken to him about that – I’m assuming you’re fine. Evelyn, on the other hand…’
‘Thinks I should apologise and beg him to take me back. But I did get a full glass of wine with dinner.’ Lily paused, and pictured Cora on the end of the line, lips pursed in her “I’m not going to ask, but you’re going to tell me anyway” expression. ‘And look, about Alex…’
‘Oh I’m sure it’s none of my business. I mean, he’s only my cousin. And you’re only my best friend, after all.’
Lily winced. Apparently she owed Cora a few girly catch-up sessions. It was just that Cora was all about weddings at the moment, and Lily really, really wasn’t. ‘Has he told you about his new business yet?’
‘The photography? Yes.’
‘Well, then you know that’s the only reason I’ve been spending time with him this week. Purely professional reasons.’
‘Hmm.’ Cora didn’t sound convinced.
‘Although…’
Cora sighed. ‘Yes?’
‘He is coming with me to my cousin’s wedding this weekend. As friends.’
‘Lily…’ The warning note in Cora’s voice sounded loud and clear.
‘As friends! It’s not… I know what people are going to say. That I left Edward for him. But that’s not how it is and, of all people, I’d hope my best friend would believe me about that.’
There was a pause on the other end of the line. ‘Evelyn’s really not taking it well, then,’ Cora said, eventually.
Lily sighed. ‘I’m sorry. It’s been… a bit of a week.’
‘So I gathered.’ There was a rustling on the other end of the phone, as if Cora were settling down against her pillow for a proper talk, the way they had every night after school when they were teenagers. ‘Why didn’t you tell me you were thinking of leaving Edward?’
Ah. So that was it. Of course. If Lily hadn’t been so preoccupied with Alex and Evelyn and everything else, she’d have guessed instantly why her best friend was in such a mood. She felt left out.
‘Because I wasn’t really. Until I did.’
‘Honestly nothing to do with Alex?’
Lily sighed. ‘Not the way you’re thinking, anyway.’
‘I hope not. Lily… I know Alex can be charming and he’s good looking and rich but… You know what he’s like with women. I’ve told you enough stories about him.’
‘I know that. And it’s not… We’re not… That’s not why I left Edward.’
Cora wasn’t listening. ‘And I know he says he’s looking to settle down, but really, I don’t think –’
‘Don’t think he’d be looking to settle down with me?’ Lily asked, stung at her best friend’s opinion, even if it was the same one she held herself. ‘No, of course not.’
‘That’s not what I meant! Lily, no. He’d be damn lucky to have you. But leaving Edward on the off chance –’
‘I told you. That’s not why I left.’
‘Then why?’ Cora asked, sounding weary. ‘Because honestly, Lily, I don’t understand it. You were happy, we were both going to get married this summer, together, like always. Alex said you thought you and Edward had grown apart but honestly, the only thing I can think of that’s changed is Alex coming home.’
Rubbing a hand across her forehead, Lily tried to find a way to explain it that didn’t sound stupid or petty. She was pretty sure “I didn’t like the ring” wasn’t going to cut it as an excuse for Cora. ‘It felt like I was living someone else’s life,’ she said, finally. ‘Like I woke up one day, and everything about my existence felt wrong. Like I’d changed, and my life hadn’t kept up. Like I was two people, and neither of them felt quite like me any more.’
‘Why didn’t you tell me that?’
‘Because I was still trying to figure it out, I guess. Trying to fit myself into the role I thought I was meant to be playing. But then Alex came –’
‘So it is his fault!’
‘Not really. He just made me remember who I used to be. What mattered to me. The things I wanted out of life. And then, when I started paying attention to my real life, with Edward, I realized that none of those things were there. It’s not like you and Rhys. Rhys knows you backwards, knows everything you want, every dream you have. But Edward… We both assumed we knew what the other wanted, but we never talked about it. And I suddenly realized that… we’ve both changed since we got together. We’re both still changing. And I just knew that, if we got married right now, without ever talking about it, we’d change so much we’d end up making each other truly miserable.’
‘Oh.’ There was silence on the other end while Cora digested that information. ‘Well, okay. You’ve made your decision. Maybe the time apart will make you and Edward realize what you’re missing. Fall back in love with each other. I mean, it’s not like you won’t still see each other – you’ll both be at my wedding, for a start. You can take it slowly, learn to love each other again, maybe. You don’t have to get married this summer, after all. And now, since you’re not planning your own wedding, that means you’ll have plenty more time to help me with mine. And I’ve been thinking about the favours…’
With a sigh of relief, Lily settled back against her pillow and prepared herself for an extended debate on the merits of chocolates versus wild flower seed packets. She didn’t much care about the outcome. All that mattered was that Cora was still on her side, even if Lily feared she was being wildly optimistic about her future with Edward. If she had Cora, and Max, and maybe even Alex in her corner, what on earth did she need a husband for anyway?
Eventually, everyone would come to see that ending it with Edward was for the best.
It just might take a little while, in Cora and Evelyn’s case.
* * * *
The next morning, Alex was waiting for Max when he arrived at his office.
‘You’re really serious about this,’ Max said, unlocking the door.
Alex followed him in, portfolio in hand. He?
?d been up half the night going through the photos he’d taken at Tiger Lily and the ones from the wedding, editing, cropping and perfecting them. ‘What on earth could have made you think I wouldn’t be?’
Max shrugged. ‘Wasn’t sure if you were just going along with it to get the girl, so to speak.’
‘Lily?’ Alex blinked at the older man, and tried to forget the way he’d lingered over the shots with Lily’s face in them, pale and drawn but still devastatingly beautiful. ‘She was engaged until yesterday.’ And, despite the long series of rings he’d placed on her finger, not to him.
‘Like that matters.’ Max threw his keys into a bowl on the shelf and dropped into his chair. Leaning back, he looked up at Alex, still loitering in the doorway, his gaze examining. ‘You’ve been back in town what, a couple of weeks? And you knew she shouldn’t marry the guy, right?’
A memory of the flash of that stupid golden ring, so unlike any of the ones Lily had made, made Alex’s jaw tighten. Just another sign that the idiot thought Lily’s talent and dream was just “a little job.” ‘Yes.’ The word came out hard and violent.
‘And so did I. Whatever her mother says about needing to see her settled down. Besides, I’ve heard your reputation. If you wanted her, word has it all you’d need to do is click your fingers.’
‘I wouldn’t. Not while she was engaged.’ Alex gritted his teeth to keep his rising temper in. What stories had Cora been telling about him, anyway? Yes, he liked women. But the image most people here seemed to have of him really wasn’t going to help him in the long run.
‘And now she isn’t?’ Not waiting for an answer, Max held out a hand for the portfolio. ‘Toss that thing over here.’
For a moment, Alex wanted to hold the file to his chest and never let it be opened. How could Edward not see what a huge thing Lily had done, putting her dream out there to succeed or fail? But maybe Alex wouldn’t have, until he was there at the ledge about to do it himself.
He placed the portfolio on the desk and pushed it across, reminding himself to breathe as Max picked it up.
