‘I had no intention of falling for her, but it was a foregone conclusion before I even got to Edinburgh.’ I swallow the lump forming in my throat. The past twenty-four hours have been a rollercoaster of emotions. Who am I kidding? It’s been a rollercoaster for the past six months, and longer.
‘I avoided her for years because of the way she makes me feel. I love her, man.’
Ryan’s expression softens. If anyone understands what it’s like to be in love with a woman, it’s him.
‘You fucking lied to me, Archie.’
‘It was more of an omission.’ My defence is feeble. My apology isn’t. ‘Ryan, I’m so fucking sorry, man. I swear. We were going to tell you at the graduation. This isn’t some casual hook-up. It’s the real deal for us. I swear it.’
‘You should have told me.’ His hands fall to his side. ‘Just take care of her, okay?’ His tone is as reluctant as his acceptance.
‘I didn’t touch the salary you wired me.’
‘I know you didn’t. But why? Why do you continue to lay your life on the line for my family without taking any payment?’
My eyes meet his. ‘Because you and Jayden dragged me out of my own personal hell by giving me a job, a purpose, when all I wanted to do was die, like I should have done along with my men on that final tour of duty. Because your family has becomemyfamily over the years. Because it’s a fucking honour.’
‘Then you’d better pay up.’ He extends an upturned palm.
‘I’ll wire every cent back to you.’ I pull out my phone, intending to do it there and then.
But Ryan shakes his head. ‘Not the salary, Arch. I need good men like you on my payroll. But you owe the twins a fiver for the swear jar. They made me promise if I heard you swear, you’d pay up.’ A small smile lifts his lips before he slaps my back in an awkward man hug.
‘Guard her with your fucking life,’ Ryan mutters into my ear. ‘Or it won’t be me coming after your balls with a carving knife.’ He nods at his wife, who is smothering Victoria with hugs and kisses.
‘Of course. You have my word.’ Not because Sasha scares me, but because a life without Victoria does.
29
VICTORIA
As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. The scandal has died down. Angela, Sasha and Ryan’s PR manager released an official statement to the press announcing that Archie and I are in a loving, committed relationship and that we wish to have our privacy respected as we enjoy this special time in our lives.
The Harrison situation was defused by the testimony of several other medical students. Apparently, I’m not the first woman he’s laid his grubby hands on uninvited. Hopefully, I’ll be the last. None of them have pressed charges against him, though. I can only assume mummy and daddy had to dig deep into their pockets to make the threat of court cases disappear.
The past couple of weeks at Hope Farm have easily been the best two weeks of my life. I’ve been all over the world with Ryan and Sasha, on tours and movie premieres and a million other red-carpet events. New York. Vegas. The Maldives. But nowhere has called to me like the picturesque Cotswolds countryside.
Archie’s home is so beautifully remote. We only ventured into the small nearby town a few times, but nobody batted an eyelid. It’s the first chance I’ve had to be truly anonymous since Ryan Cooper came back into my sister’s life all those years ago.
Huxley Castle looks remote from the outside but growing up, it was always filled with guests, strangers, and staff. Even before my family became famous, there were always eyes on me. I was ‘poor Victoria’ the girl who survived the car crash that killed her parents.
Here, I’m no one and I’ve loved every minute of it.
I haven’t put on a flick of make-up since I arrived. Haven’t seen a designer dress, let alone put one on. We’ve walked the land, been shooting, swum in the lake, sipped champagne… and other delicacies, you could say.
But the best part has been watching Archie build a bond with his father he never thought possible.
The smile gracing Archie’s lips is no longer a false one to mask the hurt he’s hiding. It’s genuine. Warm. Overflowing with happiness.
I doubt I’ll ever use my Instagram account again. Being unplugged from the pressure of social media platforms has been utterly empowering. I’ve missed chatting to Libby and Mel, but the past couple of weeks have taught me I don’t need to be in constant contact to feel part of a friendship group. I don’t need to check everyone’s social media updates the second they post them.
While suffering from FOMO, I was actually missing out on so much more - the minute details of the real world.
The tiny details are really the big things. Like the subtle way Archie gravitates to me, like I’m the sun and he’s the earth.
If he did that when we were in Edinburgh, I missed it. Maybe because my nose was permanently buried in my phone. Or maybe because he was so busy watching everything around us. Scanning for danger.
It’s been a real eye-opener. I feel as if I’ve matured into the woman I’ve always meant to be. I’ve been searching for something my entire life, but I never imagined it was solitude. Simplicity. Love and laughter.
