Page 18

After changing for the medal ceremony and leaving Coby in the marshalling area, I’m heading back toward the athletes’ area at the back of the pool deck, where I prepare to receive my medal. My pride and elation for myself and my country is still incredible. To have done this not once but twice, is something I could never have dreamed of.

Smiling to myself as I walk with a spring in my step, I see a couple hugging over in the corner. I smile at the love people show around here. It’s amazing the support you have when you have the right people by your side. Even though the Hughes aren’t here right now, I still have Coby, and he’s all the support I need.

I continue to stare at the couple—I vaguely recognise the girl as Katie. Opening my eyes wider—as I had no idea she had a boyfriend—I stop on the spot when they separate and stare at each other. My heart leaps into my throat when I see the guy she was hugging so tenderly is none other than…

… Coby.

My stomach flips.

He leans in, kissing her cheek.

Bile creeps up my throat as I watch them interact.

My heart sinks.

I’m shattered.

How could he do this to me?

After everything we’ve been through.

We’re not officially a couple, but I thought we meant more to each other than this. My eyes fill with tears as my heart thumps.

His eyes shoot up as if he senses me, and my chest tightens at his expression. He frowns while he shakes his head slightly.

Katie turns to me, and her eyes widen.

“Lacy!” Coby calls.

That’s just the kick I need to knock me back into gear.

I turn, my feet hitting the concrete.

Tears cascade as the betrayal sinks in.

Coby saw Katie behind my back?

Is that why she was so nice to me?

Because she didn’t want to let me in on their secret affair?

How could I have been so stupid?

“Lacy, Lacy, wait!” Coby calls but I keep running.

Suddenly, arms wrap around me, pulling me up.

I spin around to face him, slapping at his chest as he grabs my flailing hands.

“Jesus, Lacy, stop! Stop and listen.” His harsh tone halts my breakdown but doesn’t change my mind. I don't know if I’m strong enough to continue after everything that’s happened to me lately. I struggle in his grip, but he pulls me in, encasing me completely. “Lacy, baby, please just stop! It’s not what you think.”

“It’s exactly what I think. You and Katie are back on, and you’re doing it behind my back.”

He exhales slowly, closes his eyes, and then reopens them. “No, we’re not. It was not what you think it was. Katie and me mean nothing to each other… other than friendship.”

“It didn’t look like nothing, Coby. You were hugging, then you kissed her.”

Katie steps up, and I glare at her as the tears flow down my cheeks. “ You ! I thought you were my friend, but all this time, you were stabbing me in the back.”

Katie sighs and shakes her head. “Lacy, you’ve been through a lot, and that knock to the head has apparently damaged your thought processes. Coby would never go for me—”

“Then why the hell were you hugging like that?” I yell as I struggle against Coby’s grip but fail as he holds onto me even tighter.

“I was thanking Katie for being your friend, and realising just how awesome you are. She told me you were amazing and that she had no choice but to be on team Lacy. She was sorry for everything she’d done. All she wanted to tell me was that she was happy for us and that she was glad I was moving on with you. She’s happy for us, and she wishes us the best of luck. And that I have to take care of you, or she’ll kick my arse,” he yammers.

My breathing hitches, and I stop fighting.

I gasp and turn to Coby.

He gives me a small smile. “That’s the truth, Lace. We talked about how fabulous you are and that we’re happy for each other. That’s all. It was a… thanks for being there kind of thing, and that was it. There was nothing romantic about it at all, baby. I promise.”

I gulp and glance at Katie.

She purses her lips and nods. “I’m sorry you caught us hugging, Lacy. I know that would have been weird to witness, and in hindsight, I guess we didn’t need to do that. But we’d just shared a nice chat, and we were both on such a high and so happy about you, it was just two old friends being, well… friendly. I promise, Lacy, that’s all it was. You have nothing to worry about. I’m not after Coby. He’s far too sappy for me anyway,” Katie quips.

Finally, it clicks, and I break a smile.

Coby lets my arms go.

I take a deep breath. “Well… shit! I’m sorry.”

They shake their heads and smile. “No, don’t be. I can see how it would have looked. And if I caught you hugging and kissing your ex on the cheek, I probably would have flipped, too. But I swear, there’s nothing to worry about. I only have eyes for you.” Coby grabs my hands and rubs his thumbs over my skin, setting a fire running through my body that only he can ignite. “You’ve been through a lot. I understand your reaction. But you have to trust… trust that I will do everything in my power to never hurt you like that.”

I clench my eyes tight and sigh. “I am sorry. I should have trusted you.” I open them again and smile.

“It’s already forgotten. Just promise we can still be friends?” Katie asks.

I reach out and pull her in for a hug. “Of course. I think I’m expecting everything to go pear-shaped at any minute because that’s my life . My life is one big disappointment after another, and now it’s awesome, and I’m waiting for the rug to be pulled out from under me again. It’s no excuse for how I acted, though. I’m sorry.”

“Lacy?” I hear my name being called out, and the voice is familiar, but it’s way off in the distance, so it doesn’t register straight away as I pull back from Katie.

When I turn around, my heart leaps into my throat.

I’m not sure if it’s in a good or a bad way.

“Mum? Dad?” I holler as they, along with Stacy, run toward me. “W-What are you doing here?”

They pull up just in front of us.

Coby yanks me into his side.

“Is that any way to greet your family?” Dad asks and reaches out, pulling me to him in a hug. I leave my hands down at my sides as he yanks me to his chest. He chuckles and shakes his head. “Oh c’mon, Lacy, you haven’t seen me in so long. The least you can do is give your father a hug.”

I scoff and pull back, rushing into the arms of Coby. “ The least I can do ? How about I haven’t seen you in so long because… I’m the daughter who couldn’t give you anything useful, so you abandoned me, and therefore, you don’t deserve a fucking hug?”

He flares his nostrils as Mum exhales and steps closer. “Lacy, honey… we’re here to celebrate with you. Let’s be happy and not bring up the past. We want to take you back. We miss you.”

Scoffing, I purse my lips. “So, Dad got you to say that because it’d sound like utter bullshit coming from him, right? Well, sorry, Mum, but you can’t pull it off either. And yes, I’m going to celebrate with my family. But I’ll tell you something… family is not necessarily blood. Family is those who are there to support you. Not those who come back when the timing is… how shall I say this… right.”

“Lacy, don’t be so absurd. Are you suggesting we only want you back in our lives because you made it to the Olympics and won gold ?” Mum demands.

Dad looms over me and puffs out his chest.

“Dad?”

He huffs and points his finger right in my face. “Lacy, you’ve won gold. That’s a huge honour. We should have believed in you, yes. But you must do the right thing and come back to our family. You need to share your fame and bring all the benefits that come with it back to your family. You owe us that much. We gave you life, Lacy. Don’t take that for granted.”

“Oh my God, do you actually hear yourself? You gave me life… so I owe you everything? Well, I’ll tell you, Dad… I didn’t start living until I left your clutches. I never knew life could be so good away from you and your rules and restrictions. I’m better off without you. I made something of myself without you . If you want fame and fortune, you’ll need to find it some other way. You’re not coming anywhere near my gold or the rewards that come with it.”

“You think just because you’ve lived a small percentage of your life with that drug cheat family that you’re living a full life, Lacy? We have money. We have connections. Think of how far we could move your career along if you come back to us. If you stay with the drug cheats, you’ll be tainted with the same brush. Hell, you probably are a drug cheat yourself!” Dad sneers as Mum winces. Stacy starts to cry.

Anger surges through me. My blood boils as my face burns. I clench my fists and lunge forward, screaming at the top of my lungs as I reach for my father’s neck. Coby grabs my waist and holds me back as I try to kick him. My hands flail about, but Dad smirks as I scream while Mum holds onto Stacy.

“ Leave !” Coby yells.

Dad curls up his lip as I calm down slightly in Coby’s grip. Huffing, I glare at Dad with such ferocity that, if staring could kill, he’d be keeling over right about now.

If only.

“And who the hell are you? Her bodyguard?” Dad snarls.

I stare right into his eyes. “No, Dad. He’s the guy I’m having mind-blowing sex with. Now leave and don’t ever … and I mean ever … try to see me again.”

Coby stiffens against me as Dad stares down Coby, his chest heaving and his nostrils flaring.

Mum puts her hand on his chest to stop him from inching forward.

“She wants nothing to do with you, jerk face. So I suggest you fuck off before I call security and have you escorted from the premises,” Katie pipes up.

“You’ll regret this, Lacy. You…” he points to me, “… and this family… we’re done.” He storms off.

“We were done when you kicked me out at sixteen. This is your doing. You suffer the consequences,” I thunder.

Mum sniffles. “I love you, Lacy. I never meant for this. He’s just so…”

I squeeze Coby’s hand, and then I step over to Mum. She regards me with watery eyes, and I open my arms. She immediately pulls me in for a hug.

“Yes, Mum. But just because he and I are done doesn’t mean we have to be.”

She hugs me tightly.

I glance at Stacy. “And that goes for you, too, Stacy. You’ll always be my sister.”

“We love you, Lacy. It’s so different with you gone.” Mum sobs.

“Yeah, Dad’s so mean… to both of us,” Stacy states.

I try not to cry in front of them.

“Mum, you need to leave… take Stace and leave. You’re strong enough. You can do it. Stace would do so much better without him, and you would, too.”

Mum’s bottom lip trembles when she pulls Stacy to her side. “Would you like that, Stace… to just live with me?”

“Mum, we need to get away from him . He’s awful to you. He stifles me. He kicked his eldest daughter out. He’s not a good man, Mum, and you deserve a better life without him .”

“Amen, sister!” Katie shouts from behind us, making us all chuckle.

Mum turns from me to Coby. “So… he’s cute, hey,” she whispers.

I roll my eyes. “Oh my God, Mum.”

She gives me a wink. “We better go. John will be waiting for us. But I’ll keep you informed. Maybe once we’ve left and settled into a new place, you can come over for a visit?”

“I’d love that, Mum.” I lean in and kiss her cheek, squeezing her in a tight hug, and then I reach out, pulling Stacy into a family group hug. “I love you, guys,” I whisper.

We let go, and they turn and walk off toward the exit where my dad will inevitably be waiting for them.

“I hope they’ll be okay,” I murmur as Coby pulls me to him.

He cuddles into my back and kisses behind my ear. “They will be now you’ve given them the strength to do what you did. You’re amazing, Lacy. You show people how life can be better, how people can live their dreams. You astound me at every turn.”

“Oh, geez… see you are a sappy shit.” Katie chuckles and then smiles as she walks off. “That was badass, Lacy. You sure told him!” She continues to stride away from us, and finally, we are alone.

Coby turns me to face him, and I wrap my arms around his neck, smiling with a sigh. “Wow! That was an intense few minutes. Finding my man in the arms of another woman and having a battle with the ex-family. I don’t know which one was worse?”

He rests his forehead against mine and shakes his head. “I’m sorry you had to go through both. But you’ve come through them equally as strong, and to me, it just shows how resilient and brave you truly are.”

Smiling, I take in a deep breath. “I couldn’t have stood up to Dad if you weren’t behind me, keeping me grounded.”

He leans in, kissing my lips briefly before pulling away. “I will always be here to keep you grounded. I’m not going anywhere.”

“I can think of somewhere you can go.”

He raises his eyebrow and purses his lips. “And where’s that?”

I gaze into his dazzling blue eyes. “Our nook.”