“Great, I’ll call you later or tomorrow and arrange something.”
Mase looks wary, looking just like our dad. “Dec, do not part with money, or even shake on a deal without all of the appropriate surveys and legal work done.”
I laugh at his over cautious big brother routine. “Of course not, plus, Liv is going to keep my feet on the ground.”
She grins across at me as I get to my feet. Mase rolls his eyes. Clearly, he doesn’t trust either of us not to get carried away.
I look at my watch. “Dad should be arriving anytime now, so, I will leave Anita with the cake and find the old man.”
I walk away and can already hear Mase giving Liv orders on not encouraging anything rash from me, while she is already airing plans to find her sister and hopefully something to eat.
Anita
The afternoon has been amazing. I loved every second of being here with Dec and feeling part of his family. They are lovely people and so warm in their interactions with me. There are children and babies everywhere and it is truly amazing to see the way Charlotte and Tommy welcome and embrace them all into their home, especially when you consider that most of the people present are no blood relation to either.
When Jimmy arrived, I was unsure if it was going to become awkward as he was entering the home of his ex-wife and her husband, but all parties were relaxed and seemed genuinely happy to be there, sharing the time together and the celebration of another grandchild due to enter the family in a matter of weeks.
I feel the scowl form on my brow as I look down at the lemon frosted cake I am cutting for everyone to take home. Christian. He is the only blot on the landscape, but even that hasn’t detracted from the positive experience of the day, not that he even acknowledged me, which suits me just fine. Liv was here, helping me, which essentially means, I cut the cake and she consumes anything that drops off. She needed a wee though, possibly about her tenth of the afternoon, so has left me to it.
The sound of footsteps coming up behind me in the kitchen as I am wrapping the cake makes me smile. I assume it is Dec until I feel an unwelcome but slightly familiar scent wash over me. Maybe Christian has decided he’s going to acknowledge my presence after all.
“I must admit, I’m a little impressed that you are still around, but I doubt it will be for much longer. Dec has, how shall I put this,a short attention span.”
His voice carries nothing but contempt for me.
“And hopefully Mase will get bored of your sister around the same time and all the trash can be taken out together.”
I am in no way amused by him or his comments, but laugh as I spin to face him and wonder what I ever saw him in.
“In case you’d missed the point of today, it is to celebrate the fact that Liv and her husband, Mase, are having a baby in a matter of a few weeks, so, whether you like it or not, Liv is going nowhere.”
He looks like he has a bad taste in his mouth and the sneer curling his lips confirms his distaste. There is a small glimmer in his eyes that suggests he knows I am right and that gives me a huge sense of satisfaction.
The look is soon replaced by a cockier one that is accompanied by a shrug. “You win some you lose some, so I’ll just have to settle for Dec kicking you to the kerb.”
What the fuck is his problem here, besides me and my sister?
“Christian, what happened, happened. You went back to play the faithful husband and father while I moved on.” My voice sounds calm and steady, but inside I am quivering.
He takes a step closer so I can feel his breath on my face, making me nervous that he is going to try and kiss me. He doesn’t. Instead, he laughs.
“Maybe I should catch up with Dec, chew the fat as it were. He can tell me all about how the two of you got together.”
My jaw drops. I can’t believe he would do that, although we both know his idea of chewing the fat translates to being an intention to out me as someone he used to sleep with and then I remember. Dec knows.
I’m the one moving closer now, almost daring him to follow through on his very obvious threat.
“Dec knows about us, so, go ahead, catch up, but then he might decide it’s time to catch up with your wife.”
With a huge sense of satisfaction, I watch as Christian steps back from me with a very nervous expression spreading across his face.
“Dec knows?” he asks, seeming to regain his composure.
“Yes.”
And then he seizes upon the one thing Dec doesn’t know, something nobody knows except for me and Christian.
“He knows everything?”
