Page 105 of The Weekend Getaway

“You can’t. You have a girlfriend, remember?”

“Doesn’t mean I can’t call you.”

Pulling back to look him in the eyes, she smiled through her tears. “Men are such idiots sometimes!”

“Thanks,” he replied sarcastically. “I was being serious, though. Keira’s cool about you.”

“No woman would be completely cool with the situation.” She ran her hand affectionately through his hair. “Things were bound to change between us at some point. It was inevitable. And it’s probably not a bad thing. It’ll just take some getting used to.”

“You’ll always be my best friend.”

She shook her head and looked at him in that condescending way of hers – as though he was completely clueless. “Keira will be.”

“You’ll be a close second,” he said, a smile breaking slowly over his face.

She rested her head on his shoulder. “I suppose that’ll have to do.”

Chapter Thirty-Four

Keira’s heart was beating furiously as she neared the Mermaid Inn. She’d messaged Noah from the airport when she landed, then spent the walk into the town panicking about his reply. Him saying they needed to talk sounded serious, and not in a good way. What if she’d put herself in a position of being dumped in person? In the circumstances, over the phone would have been preferable, not to mention cheaper.

Outside the pub she reminded herself how upset he’d been that she couldn’t visit and how committed he was to making their relationship work. If anyone had been hesitant it was her. She was getting worked up over nothing. As soon as she saw him everything would be fine.

The chatter in the pub floated on wood-scented air as she took tentative steps inside, dragging the little suitcase behind her. Her stomach dropped as she spotted Noah sitting at the far end of the room, huddled close to Seren. With their heads together, neither of them noticed her. From the look of them, they were oblivious to anything around them, aside from each other. Noah put his arm around Seren and ran a hand over her hair. In return she turned her face to his neck in a gesture so intimate it made nausea sweep up from the depths of Keira’s stomach.

Her gaze stayed on them as she took a step backwards, then another. Bumping into something solid, she whipped around, apologising profusely to the guy she’d collided with.

“Keira?”

Her eyes darted up to Trystan’s face, and she silently cursed her bad luck. “Hi. How are you?”

“Fine. I didn’t know you were here …” He trailed off as he glanced over the top of her head.

Braving another look, Keira witnessed Seren stroking Noah’s hair while gazing lovingly into his eyes. Having seen enough, she tugged on the handle of her suitcase and shuffled ungracefully around Trystan to get to the door.

Out in the fresh air, she took a deep shuddering breath.

“Does he know you’re here?” Trystan asked, following her.

“No. I thought I’d surprise him.” She wiped tears from her cheeks. “Turns out he surprised me.”

“I’m sure that was perfectly innocent. It’s just the way those two are.”

“It didn’t look innocent. Especially since he messaged me earlier saying we need to talk. He’s planning on splitting up with me.” She took a few paces up the road. “I’m such an idiot.”

“Where are you going?” Trystan asked, raising his voice.

“I don’t know.”

“Sorry to tell you this, but you don’t really have anywhere to storm off to.”

“I need to go home,” she said desperately.

“You can’t. You’ve missed the last flight and ferry. You’re stuck here. Even if you weren’t, you should still talk to Noah.”

She closed her eyes as the reality of the situation sank in. Noah was going to split up with her and she’d have to stay over at his place because she had nowhere else to go. Even if she could find accommodation at such short notice, she couldn’t afford it.

“At least hear him out,” Trystan said. “I’m almost certain there’s nothing going on between him and Seren.”