Page 69 of Tangled Up In You

Sophie looked around his empty living area. “He’s not here?” Her heart suddenly felt heavy, each beat a thud.

“When I talked to him today he didn’t mention coming by,” Conor told her carefully.

“And where was he when you talked to him?”

Conor hesitated. He ran his hand through his short-cropped hair and then rested both hands on his hips. “I don’t think I should get in the middle.”

“Just tell me.”

“He was,” he said hesitantly, “at Julia’s.”

“Oh.” The blood drained from her face as images of Gavin and Julia standing closely together and talking came to mind.

“Nothing’s going on with them anymore, though. You don’t have to worry.”

“Nothing’s going onanymore?” she asked, tears filling her eyes.

Realizing his mistake, Conor closed his eyes and muttered, “Fuck me.”

Clearly, Gavin wasn’t going to tell her the truth. She needed Conor to fill her in on just what was going on with her fiancé. “How long were they together?” she asked.

“A year or thereabouts.”

“And they broke up when?”

“I dunno.”

Him not knowing when Gavin and Julie broke up made Sophie feel like such a fool because it meant theyhadn’tbroken up. She’d upended her life for Gavin, leaving home, school, her life. And all the while, he was still involved with another woman.

She’d agreed to marry someone she didn’t even really know anymore. Someone who had another lover. Maybe even someone he loved. She suddenly felt incredibly young. Young and naïve. She longed for her mother, longed for a protective embrace and assurances that everything would be okay. It was a false desire, though, as she knew her mother would only remind her that she’d raised questions about her readiness for this commitment and suggest she would have to fix these mistakes herself.

In a rush, she realized she’d been in denial, living in a fantasy, not a fairy tale. This cruel truth left her short of breath.

She raised a shaky hand to her mouth. “What have I done?” she whispered, her eyes filling with tears.

“What have you—no, Sophie. It’s not what you think. It’s certainly nothing to weep about.”

“I have changed my whole life for him. For nothing.”

“That’s not true. Jesus, don’t you know that he chose you? That’s what this all means? You have been the only thing on his mind since that Palladium gig. It’s right fucking annoying, to be honest.”

“You don’t understand.”

“Listen, Julia’s just a friend now.”

“Then why is he lying to me about where he is?”

“Probably so you wouldn’t think the things you are now.”

She could see in this answer how Gavin would manipulate things as well. He would twist it so that his deceptions were somehow her fault.

“I should go. I’m sorry to drop in on you like this.”

“Wait. Stay for a cuppa. Just ’til you calm down.”

Tea was the last thing she wanted. It wouldn’t replace the overwhelming feeling of betrayal nor would it bring back the hope she’d had for a future with Gavin.

Shaking her head, she turned to go. But he grabbed her hand and pulled her into his arms before she could move away. After a moment’s hesitation, she relaxed and let his warmth envelop her.

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