“Thanks. You never know. I might think about that.” To be honest, I’m not sure I would be quite as good without the added fuel of my anger.
Ben pulls down the photo, and we return our axes to the counter before heading to the craft brewery next door for a beer.
“They make these great fruit-based beers.” Ben says as we belly up to the bar. “I recommend the blueberry.”
We spend the afternoon testing every beer on the menu, or at least I do, because Ben is driving, and I’m grateful Ben doesn’t ask about Josh or mention last night’s brouhaha even once.
By the time he pours me back into my flat, I’m drunker than I’ve been in a long while, and I can’t even remember what we talked about all afternoon. But I’m not so drunk I don’t know what he’s done for me today.
“Thanks, Ben,” I slur as he settles me on my bed, pulls my shoes off, and drapes a blanket over me. “I really needed that.”
“I got you, little Gee. Always.”
And my last thought as I drift off is,that’s nice, I only hope they’ve also got Josh.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Josh
Iwakeupthemorning after the party with another hangover courtesy of vodka. But I have things to do and people to see, so I rinse and repeat by throwing back three paracetamol, having a long shower and heading to the café on the corner for the hangover breakfast of champions.
I don’t even attempt to call Greer. An apology phone call won’t cut it. I don’t waste my time. First, I head over to the Carters’.
I do it right by ringing the front doorbell, not slipping in round the back like I’ve been doing all my life. Somehow that seems like an unsavoury metaphor for what I’ve been doing with Greer, and there will be no more sneaking around.
Mama C opens the door. I’m not sure what I’m expecting, but a teary hug isn’t it. Despite what Will said, I at least expected some disapproval or disappointment for the way I’ve gone about things.
“I imagine you want to see Harry. He’s out the back, cleaning the pool. You know how he gets if there’s even one leaf in it.” She shoos me out before I have a chance to say anything at all.
Harry has his back to me, scooping the already pristine pool as I head down the yard. It’s not till I get to the pool gate that he realises I’m there.
“Hand me the bottle of testing strips will you, son?” He points to a little blue plastic tub sitting on the sun lounger. He gives me the once-over as I hand it to him.
“You’re looking a bit worse for wear this morning.” He takes a couple of steps into the pool and dips the tiny white strip into the water, then holds it up to the side of the bottle to estimate the results. He doesn’t say anything more, so it’s over to me. It’s show time.
“I’d like to apologise for my behaviour last night, Harry. I was rude, and it was unforgivable to cause such an appalling scene in your home.” I pause, hoping for something from him, although I’m not sure what.
“And?”
“Of course, I’ll apologise to Ethan and Jessie, and Guy.”
Even though Will said Harry and Stella are fine with this, the granite look on Harry’s face is giving me cause to doubt. Then I realise. If I want Greer, if I’m going to deserve a woman like her, I have to earn her. And as much as I’ve been fighting it—fighting her—Greer is what I want. More than that, she’s what I need.
“I also wanted to tell you I’m in love with your daughter. I’m sorry for the way I went about things. Sorry for the way you found out. I’m not sorry for loving her.” I pause to try and read his face, but he’s still giving me nothing.
“Go on.”
“I realise I don’t deserve her, and I've hurt her, but I want you to know I intend to win her back. And whilst your approval—yours and Stella’s—would mean the world to me, I will be fighting for her regardless. I hope you can understand and maybe accept me like you’ve accepted Jessie.”
“And how do you plan to do that, son? Because from where I’m standing, you screwed up big-time last night. If there’s one thing I know about my daughter, it’s that she’s got my stubborn streak, and she can hold a grudge like a champ. Winning her over won’t be easy.”
“Well, to be honest, I haven’t quite worked out how I’ll get her back yet. But I will. Because I love her. And I won’t give up. I’ll spend the rest of my life proving it to her, and to you, if that’s what it takes.”
Harry finally lets out one of his giant laughs. “Well, let’s hope it doesn’t take that long. Her mother will never forgive you if she doesn’t get to plan a wedding.”
“It’s taken me a while, Harry, but believe me when I say, if there’s no wedding, it won’t be on my account.”
“Would you mind giving me a heads up on when that’s likely to be? I lost a couple hundred on how long it would take for this to come out, and I need to recoup my losses. Not to mention regain my dignity. Stella won’t let me hear the end of it if she wins again.”
