Page 98 of It Was Always You

Coming to her senses, she gestured towards him. ‘Come in, you’ll catch your death out there.’ She stepped aside and he passed her, stopping in the hallway and dripping all over her tiled floor.

‘When were you going to tell me?’ he snapped, a deep crease furrowed his brow and his jaw clenched and unclenched beneath his damp skin.

Her eyes widened. ‘Tell you what?’

‘About Glasgow.’

‘Oh.’ How the… oh, great… Mum.

‘Is that all you’ve got to say? Oh? After all these years of telling each other everything. After being there for each other, you choose to keep the most important news from me. Why, Lily? This job is something you’ve dreamed of your whole life. Why did you feel you couldn’t tell me?’

‘I… it was…’ She fumbled for an explanation that just wouldn’t come.

‘I had to hear it from your mum, Lily. What the hell?’ It was clear from his harsh tone and dark eyes that he was deeply hurt and her stomach knotted.

‘I’m sorry… I was going to tell you earlier but…’

He closed his eyes and covered his face with his hands. ‘Emily called. Of course. You said you wanted to talk and… Shit, I’m so sorry, Lil.’ He shook his head. His expression softened and he stepped towards her. ‘I’m so proud of you, you know.’ His voice was almost a whisper. ‘I… I have my own news to share.’

‘You do?’ She clenched her fists, jamming her nails into her palms. Here it comes. She braced herself for the impact of his words.

‘I know it’s late but… I just had to come and tell you… you are my best friend, after all. And I wanted you to be the first to know.’

Her heart shattered into a million pieces and the tears that had been falling all evening began to dampen her face yet again. This was it. This was the news she didn’t want to hear but knew was inevitable.

‘Oh?’ was all she could muster.

He stepped towards her. ‘It’s happened, Lil.’ She forced a smile through her tears, not bothering any more to wipe them away. ‘I’ve found her… the one.’

She took a deep breath and nodded. She wanted to be happy for him, but it was hard when her heart lay trampled beneath his feet.

He stepped closer still, his face lit up with happiness. ‘It’s an amazing feeling, Lil. Just the best feeling ever. I never expected to feel this way again.’

She closed her eyes. They must have made love. She knew there would be no going back if that happened. When it happened. It was clear now he had fallen for Emily. And Adam didn’t give his heart away easily so it must be right. This was it. This was the end of her impossible dream. Biting the inside of her lip to stifle the sob that was building inside her, she opened her eyes again, looking straight up into his melted chocolate gaze.

He took her face in his hands and brushed his thumbs over her cheeks to wipe away the tears. He rested his forehead on hers. His eyes were damp now, too. ‘Lily… please don’t cry.’

She couldn’t help but set the sob free. ‘Sorry… but… I’m… I’m so happy for you.’

He smiled that glorious smile again and whispered, ‘Thank you, I’m glad that you’re happy for me. It’s so important to me that you are. It’s all so clear to me now. It was meant to be.’ Every time he spoke was another dagger blow to her broken heart. She nodded; it was all she could manage to do.

He took a deep breath and with shimmering eyes and his lower lip quivering he spoke.

‘I never thought I’d love anyone this way again. Not after… after Eve. But… this feeling… I’m awake again. It’s like everything makes sense again. Like someone’s switched the light back on. My heart’s bursting and I just feel so… so happy. It’s so incredible. I… I had to tell you first.’

Tears continued to make their escape from her eyes and she nodded. ‘Yes… yes, you’ve said. I get it.’

He shook his head. ‘No… no, I don’t think you do.’

She frowned. ‘What do you mean?’

‘Lily, I had a very enlightening conversation earlier. Someone I care for dearly opened my eyes. I can’t believe I didn’t see it before. You always said I was oblivious to my surroundings. Now I know it’s absolutely true. There’s no doubt in my mind. I’ve wasted so much time. So damn long. I need my life to start again now I know.’

Confusion clouded her mind. Who had he spoken to? Emily? That couldn’t be it.

‘I’m sorry, Adam, I really don’t und⁠—’

‘The one… the one I’m supposed to be with forever… Lily, it’s you.’