‘So, have you told this woman how you feel? – because I’m guessing not, as you’re talking to me about it.’
‘Yeah. I – did think of confessing to James, or any of my other male mates, but I— They won’t understand.’
‘They might.’
‘Not like you.’
‘Well, I’m touched by your trust. Yes, really. Stop looking at me as if I’m being sarcastic. So, you have to tell this woman how you feel. Because you can’t grieve forever. Well, you probably can and always will grieve for her, but brutally, you also have to look to the future.’
Cam shook his head. ‘I can’t. She’s engaged.’
‘As in to be married?’
‘Yes. To a builder called Nate.’
Iona winced. ‘Oh, shit.’
Cam had expected ‘tough love’ from Iona and found it strangely comforting that she was being sympathetic. ‘Yeah.’He downed a glug of Irn-Bru for courage. ‘And I may have told her that you and me are – an item.’
‘Cam!’ Iona swatted his arm. ‘Why the hell did you do that?’
‘I don’t know. I suppose I was in shock when I realised she was engaged. We were on a call and ... I was trying to ask her on a date.’
‘Up here?’
‘No, I suggested I go down there, to Cornwall, and she thought I meant to see the whole team and then her workmates burst in with party poppers and kicked off a surprise engagement party.’
Iona groaned. ‘Cam. Why have you got yourself into this? The first person you are remotely interested in since Rachel died.’
‘Not remotely,’ he muttered. ‘Literally, yes, but ...’ Remote wasn’t a word he’d use to describe the way he felt about Jenna.
‘And you’ve fallen for her like a bloody stone and she’s getting married?’
‘I realise it’s hopeless.’
‘Hmm.’ Iona crushed her empty can in one hand and chucked it in a bin. ‘It does sound pretty hopeless.’ She looked at him and a gleam of ruthlessness lit her eyes. ‘Does she like him, her fiancé?’
‘If you’re implying I should try to break them up, there’s no way I’d do that.’
Iona shrugged. ‘Why not? I persuaded Laura to go out with me – and she was almost engaged.’
‘Almost isn’t actually, and you did Laura a favour. Her partner was evil.’
Iona beamed with satisfaction. ‘True ... so what’s this Nate like?’
‘I can hardly judge after seeing him online for about two minutes.’ True, Cam had made his assessment of Nate. He was tall but not as tall as Cam, with blond hair, probably dyed to look more surfer-boy. Looked like he might lift a lot of weights but then again, he was a builder.
‘That’s long enough to know if he’s a twat.’
‘He – seems protective, from what I can make out. He helped her grieving family when her brother died.’
‘Oh dear. That’s bad. If he’s kindandthoughtful. The important thing is: how does she seem – with Mr Perfect?’
‘I – can’t really say.’
‘Yet you’ve known her for a while? And well enough to fall madly in love over a screen?’
‘She’s a good person. Kind, funny. And she understands how it feels to lose someone close.’
