Cole read my silent plea. His lips curled in a sad smile.
‘Eight weeks.’
All the air in my lungs left me on a sigh. I put my glass down before I dropped it. The last time Ashley and I had had any sex was well over six months ago. My moment of relief was cut short when I saw the look of utter devastation on my friend's face. What were the right words to say to someone who had found out the person they were in love with was a pathological liar and their entire world was crumbling before their eyes?
‘You alright?’ I asked quietly.
Cole scratched his jaw. ‘Honestly?’
I nodded.
‘I’m fucking terrified. But this kid didn’t ask to be brought into this mess. It’s not their fault, so I’m gonna do my best to be a good dad.’
‘Never crossed my mind you’d be anything else.’
Cole tried to smile, but it slid right off his face. Replaced by a hollow expression I recognised all too well.
Four months ago, I’d been in his exact same position—my whole world blown up by the exact same woman. And I did the only thing that I could do to protect myself, and that was self-isolate. Kicking everyone out of my life and allowing myself to wallow in my grief. Until someone who was so full of light and colour literally stomped her way into my life. And the only thing she’d ever demanded of me was to openup. She’d listened when I’d ramble on about football, even though I could see her eyes glaze over, she still did her best to follow along and ask questions. She never pushed me to give more than I wanted, and she didn’t get angry at me when I shut down. I knew I frustrated the hell out of her, but she never walked away.
I could convince myself that it was the book and a promise of being in print that kept her coming back—but those words didn’t sit right in my gut. Like a song played out of key, the thought of Fallon betraying me just feltwrong.My heart battered hard against my chest, speeding up like it was waiting for me to finally get to the point.
My brother's words from earlier blared out in my head. 'That’s not a woman who uses people for her own gain. She doesn’t manipulate. Can you honestly see her selling you out?’
Clarity froze my feet to the floor. I couldn’t. Fallon was many things, but she wasn’t a liar.
The image of her standing in her flat, arms folded in on herself, protecting herself fromme—made my stomach bottom out.
I’d been so lost in my head that I hadn’t noticed Cole speaking. My ears caught the tail end of whatever he was saying and my breath hitched.
‘—I should’ve realised before I saw the video, I can’t believe I fell for her lies.’
‘Wait, what video?’
Cole looked a little startled by my sudden interruption. ‘The one that woman sent. I don’t know her name, but I got sent it. Everyone on the board of directors for the club got sent it.’
‘Show me.’ I demanded—about ready to lurch across the counter and wrestle the phone from his hands. Thankfully Cole didn’t argue and turned his phone so I could see the screen.
It was dark at the beginning and I distinctly heard a muffled voice curse. A smile twitched my lips. I knew that voice.Rosie.
I cradled the phone in my hands and watched as the blurry image became clear showing the back of the woman I’d convinced myself I was in love with, facing off with the woman I was. Without a shadow of a doubt. Hopelessly in love with.
And I tossed her aside like it was nothing.
I pressed play and watched as Fallon teased out the truth from Ashley.
‘Oliver never hit you.’Fallon’s voice came out strong and sure.
‘Oliver’s barely capable of being rough in bed, he couldn’t raise a hand to me if he tried.’
I watched a couple of minutes more before my stomach churned. I’d seen enough. I turned the phone off and let it drop to the counter with a thud. Cole looked wrecked as he stared at me, gauging my response.
‘My apology probably means fuck all to you, right now… but I’ve got to say it anyway. I’m sorry, Oliver.’ Cole’s head dipped with a firm nod, punctuating his sentence.
‘It’s funny. I’ve wanted to hear her admit the truth for so long,’ I trailed off, trying to collect my racing thoughts. ‘I’m not gonna hold this against you, man. Because I know how good of an actress she is, and I honestly couldn’t say that if I was in your shoes that I wouldn’t have done the same fucking thing.’
My words propelled him backwards, a sharp breath leaving him. His steel-coloured eyes blinked rapidly. Emotion clogging his throat, Cole coughed into his fist, ‘Alright, where’s Oliver Blake? You know the guy who goes toe to toe with refs and thinks it’s a good idea to scream about bad tactics to his coach.’
I swiped a hand down my face, smiling. ‘It’s been a hard few months.’
