Page 149 of Ace My Heart

“I think it’s probably for you,” he murmured. I wrinkled my nose at him, but left the room, heading down the stairs and opening the front door.

“Hi, Mel.”

I looked out at Brad and Amanda, opening my mouth, but then shutting it when I realised I didn’t know what to say. I hadn’t seen either of them in six weeks. I’d actively avoided them for six weeks.

“Hey Brad … Amanda,” I said shyly as I moved aside to let them in. Brad looked at me for a long moment as if he was looking at a stranger, but then his eyes softened, and the stiffness went out of his shoulders as he walked inside.

Amanda followed, and I couldn’t help but notice that she wouldn’t look at me, and her hands were shaking.

“Uh, do you want to …” I began, but I wasn’t sure how to go on.

“Go sit out on the patio, Mel,” Joel’s voice echoed from above. I looked up, finding him leaning over the loft railing, smiling tenderly down at me. “I’ll make some drinks and bring them out in a little while.”

Seated, and thankful for the distraction of the harbour glowing in the late afternoon light, I tapped my fingers on the table.

“How have you been?” I asked, chancing a glance at Brad.

He shrugged. “Good. For a while there I wasn’t sure if you cared anymore.”

I hung my head, ashamed. “It’s not like that, Brad. I wasn’t sure if you’d want to speak to me now that Joel and I …” I couldn’t finish that sentence. I didn’t need to.

“He loves you,” Brad murmured.

I smiled despite the little tug of sadness I felt for Brad. “I know.”

“Smellie, you’re happy. That makes me happy.”

I turned to him then. “Sorry I’ve been avoiding you,” I said. Brad smiled, then nudged me with his shoulder, jerking his head towards Amanda. She sat slumped with her head bowed, hands in her lap.

“Mandy-Moo,” I said. She flinched but didn’t look up.

“Nothing that happened was your fault, you know that, don’t you?” I asked, turning my chair and reaching out to untangle her hands from her lap, winding my fingers through hers.

“Yes … no … I don’t know. I just feel so guilty.” She sniffed and I realised that she was crying. I moved my chair even closer, wrapping an arm around her shoulders as she shook.

“He had us all completely fooled,” Brad added, sounding like he had been saying this to her for weeks. Another flash of guilt burnedthrough me. I should have been the one to tell her. My radio silence would have seemed like an accusation to her.

“Brad’s right. I can’t remember how many times I thought,‘oh, this Thomas guy, he’s perfect for Amanda, and he seems so steady and sensible and so infatuated with her’.”

“I’m seeing a psychologist about it all,” she confessed, as if there was something wrong with that.

I squeezed her shoulders. “Well, you’re more sensible than me. I’ve just been distracting myself from the unresolved trauma by throwing myself at Joel!”

Amanda giggled wetly. Brad shook his head, looking mildly ill.

Mental note – don’t mention sexy-times with Joel in front of your best friend who is in love with you.

“Have you all kissed and made up?” Joel asked, and I looked up to see him walking out with a tray of cocktails. I smiled gratefully. Alcohol would definitely help.

“Thanks, mate,” Brad said as he accepted one of the drinks. He even gave Joel a small smile as he took a sip. Progress!

After a Sandra Herbert home-cooked meal and multiple drinks, things were decidedly less frosty between all of us. Amanda was actually laughing at something Joel said, and the haunted look in her eyes wasn’t quite as obvious.

“He is obsessed with you,” Brad murmured in my ear. I turned to him questioningly. Joel and I had barely touched each other all night.

Brad half-smiled. “The way he looks at you … I feel like we’re all about to go up in flames.”

My heart thrummed and I glanced at Joel. He was looking at me, and suddenly I did feel like I was about to spontaneously combust.

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