‘Grown-ups are so weird.’ Bella takes the note and stuffs it in the pocket of her shorts, hugs Chloe and runs over to the Jeep where Jayden is unloading the kids.
‘It’s so good to have you home,’ Sasha gushes, linking Chloe’s arm on one side and mine on the other, steering us back towards the fountain.
‘It’s so good to be home.’ Chloe inhales a lungful of air. She winks at her husband across the lawn as he puts a baseball cap on Jayden Junior. ‘Is it too early for champagne?’
‘It’s never too early for champagne,’ Sasha assures her, encouraging us to sit on the white intricately weaved wicker benches, laden with plump, plush pastel cushions. ‘I’ll go rustle up some and leave you two to catch up.’
Code for, ‘Leave Chloe to talk some sense into you.’
Sasha heads back towards the castle entrance and kisses her brother-in-law on the cheek before disappearing inside, leaving Jayden to haul Chloe’s enormous suitcase from the boot, assisted by a red-faced puffing James.
‘Come over here and give your Aunty Vic a kiss!’ Chloe shouts at her offspring, but they’re too busy playing with their cousins.
Chloe sidles closer, eyes raking over me.
I’ve lost about half a stone since I got here. Accidentally, that is. My stomach just can’t tolerate food.
‘Oh honey, want to talk about it?’
A sigh leaves my lips as I shrug. ‘What’s there to say?’
‘I know Archie was your first love, and that is something that will stay with you forever, but trust me when I say this, no one marries their first love.’
‘Sasha did.’ Even if Ryan did disappear off the face of the earth during that time.
Chloe arches a single eyebrow. ‘True, but that’s a rare exception to the rule. And they were both with other people in between, even if it was only for a night.’ She crosses one long, slim denim-clad leg over the other. ‘I had to kiss a load of frogs before I found my prince.’
‘I can’t imagine ever feeling for anyone else the way I feel about Archie.’ I gave him every single part of me. There’s nothing left to give to anyone else. Not now, not ever.
Chloe stares at me hard. ‘I know, honey, I know. There’s nothing like that first love feeling. It’s all consuming. It’s obsessive, addictive.’
‘I love him so fucking much it hurts.’ I glance round to check where the twins are. Looks like I got away with that F-bomb. ‘But in the end, it wasn’t enough. I wasn’t enough.’
‘Oh, sweetie, it’s not you. Can’t you see that? It’s not you at all. Archie fucked up big time. He was supposed to be guarding you and he left you alone. It doesn’t take a psychiatrist to work out he broke up with you because he’s trying to do the right thing by you.’
‘So, why does it feel so fucking wrong, then?’
‘Have you heard from him?’ Chloe’s eyes stray towards the far side of the estate, to where Archie’s cabin is situated.
‘Not a single word.’ That’s the worst of it. I lost my boyfriend. And my best friend too. Along with all my hopes and plans for the future. I neglect to mention I’ve tried to call Archie’s mobile every day only to reach his voicemail.
‘The worst thing about it is I finally found myself with him. Like, really found what I wanted. Where I wanted to be. And he ripped it all away from me, along with my heart. I don’t know where I’m going. What I’m doing. I don’t want to do anything other than what we planned.’
‘You’re so young, Vic. I know it hurts like hell, but the pain will ease. You will meet somebody else. Someone who deserves you.’ Her thumb brushes away a single tear, but the next one replaces it just as quickly.
‘It was me who sent him out for that stupid champagne. He was only gone for five minutes, and he shot the man who tried to hurt me. He did his damn job in the end. I’m fine, physically anyway. The culprit is behind bars, for now, at least.’
‘What do you mean for now?’ Concern colours Chloe’s tone.
‘He’s dying, Chloe. Stage four cancer. He said it himself. He had nothing to lose. He’ll be six-foot under before the year’s out.’
‘Good riddance. Hopefully, the devil’s got room for him in hell.’ Chloe shudders despite the summer sun.
32
ARCHIE
The countryside seems less quaint and more barren without Victoria to share it with.
