Whatever’s going on here, I’m pretty sure they don’t need me hanging around while they sort it out. I trust Sean. I trust that he hasn’t been stringing me along or cheating on a partner with me, but I don’t want to stand here and listen while they talk this through.
“Call me later, yeah?” I manage a smile, because like I said, I trust him, and I don’t want him to think otherwise. But I need to go.
Hailey hurries after me as I walk to my car, rubbing my arms against the cold. “Vic?” she says, reaching for my arm again. “Wait.”
We’re in the middle of the car park, safely out of view of everyone, so I stop and turn around to face her.
“Who was that?”
I scrub a hand through my hair. “I’m guessing one of Sean’s ex-boyfriends.” A fairly recent one judging by what his sister said. I’m trying not to focus on how hot he was either. Tall, dark, and really fucking handsome.
Hailey gestures over her shoulder. “Don’t you want to find out what’s going on?”
“Yes, of course I do, but not like that. And not in front of people I’ve never met before.” I shake my head and huff out a harsh laugh. “You know, I told Joe you shouldn’t eavesdrop because you might not like what you hear. I should’ve taken my own fucking advice.”
“I’m sure there’s a simple explanation,” Hailey tries. “Sean doesn’t strike me as being a liar or a cheat.”
“No, he doesn’t.” I shiver again. Fuck, it’s cold. I need to get in my car since going back for my coat is out of the question. “Look, Hails, I’m going to go home. I’ll talk to Sean when he’s sorted all this out.”
“Are you okay?”
Am I?
I’m not sure.
But one thing I do know is that I don’t want things to be casual between me and Sean. I’m not sure they ever were. But thinking that I might lose this second chance with him, even for one split second, makes my chest tight and my heart hurt.
Footsteps sound behind us and I turn to see Sean jogging across the car park, dragging Reed with him. “Vic, wait!”
Fuck’s sake.
I take a step towards them, but my foot slips on a patch of ice and the next thing I know I’m looking up at the sky. “Ouch,” I grumble. My first thought is,that’s going to leave a bruise. My second is,I just fell on my arse in front of Sean’s hot ex-boyfriend.
Awesome.
“Jesus, Vic. Are you all right?” Hailey peers down at me, a hand now covering her mouth.
I narrow my eyes as I sit up. “Are you laughing?”
She shakes her head, but her eyes are all crinkled and Iknowshe’s grinning behind her fingers. Then she gasps, hand shooting to her belly instead, at the same moment Sean and Reed reach us.
Sean drops to his knees beside me. “Here.” He already has his coat off and he wraps it around my shoulders. “You okay?”
“Yeah,” I mumble. “Now, if everyone could forget they saw me go arse over tit, that would be wonderful.”
Sean’s lips twitch. “I don’t know what you mean.”
My gaze drifts to Reed, who looks incredibly uncomfortable, standing a couple of paces behind Sean. “Are you going to introduce us?”
“It’s not what it looks like.” Sean seems worried, like he doesn’t think I’m going to believe him, and I’m not having that.
I reach for his hand. “I know.”
“You do?”
I shrug, but that makes his coat slip off my shoulders, so I quickly slip my arms into the sleeves. “I trust you, Sean.”
His eyes light up and his smile is blinding. “Thank you.” He scoots forward and rests his forehead against mine. “I’ve sent Deb and Mike to my house. She meant well, but she’s really got the wrong end of the fucking stick.” He kisses me quickly, then stands and holds out his hand. “If you come back inside the pub, Reed and I can explain this whole mess.”
