Page 57 of A Summer of New Beginnings
Zara sighed. ‘Hmm. He said as much. He told me he loves me.’
‘What?’ her friends yelled in unison.
‘I know. All that time I waited for him to say the three little words and he waits until after he’sbloody cheated.’
‘Well, I hope you told him to take a running jump onto the Jubilee Line,’ Marco huffed.
‘Did he seem sincere, Zee?’ Shelley asked.
Zara rested her head back. ‘He seemed to be. But he hurt me so much and I won’t play second fiddle to his ex.’
Marco grabbed her hand. ‘Damn right you won’t. You deserve someone who putsyoufirst. Doesn’t she, Shelley?’
‘Bloody right she does,’Shelley concurred from the front.
They arrived back at Zara’s home and her friends helped her inside with her minimal luggage. Jake arrived just as they were pouring wine and Marco got a few big bags of crisps from the kitchen. They all sat round the living room in their usual spots.
Zara glanced round the place. It was so strange to be back. It wasn’t even that she had been away for a longtime. In fact, she hadn’t feltthisstrange when she had been away longer and further afield. Shelley was right. Something had changed in her.
Shelley snuggled up to Jake on the sofa as she asked, ‘So, this guy who took you in after your near-death experience. What was he like?’
Zara envied Jake and Shelley’s relationship. It was so natural. Effortless but in a good way. There was no pretence.Both could just be utterly themselves and the other loved them in spite ofandbecause of that fact.
Zara smiled. ‘His name was Lachlan. Lachy for short. He was sweet and kind. He made me laugh too. It was really good of him to take me in, considering the first time he met me I was uber nosey about his circumstances and the second I was illegally camped on his land.’
Marco sat up straight. ‘Youmet himtwicebefore the accident?’
‘Yes. The accident was the third time I met him. He was wearing a kilt too, Marco. You’d have loved that.’
Marco placed a hand over his heart. ‘Did he have thick calves?’
Zara laughed and nodded and Marco pretended to pass out, and then from his reclined position on the floor he said, ‘Is he gay, by any chance? Oh, please tell me he’s gay and you got photos.’
At that point Zara’s cheeks flamed and she tried to turn away and feign interest in something else. ‘Was there much mail whilst I was away?’
Shelley leaned forward. ‘Hang on a minute. You didn’t answer Marco’s question andwhyare you glowing like a beacon?’
Ugh, perceptive as always.‘He’s not gay. There. Now you know,’ Zara huffed.
Marco sat upright again. ‘Andhow, pray tell, do you knowthat for a fact? Married to a woman, was he?’ he asked with a tilt of his head.
‘No. He wasn’t married. If he was…’ She decided to own her decision and straightened her spine. ‘If he was married or with someone I wouldn’t have slept with him.’
There was a sharp intake of breath so loud that Zara expected the room to implode. She waited for the fallout.
‘Sothat’swhy you were so upset to behome. You really like him, don’t you?’ Shelley’s voice was soft and filled with concern.
Zara smiled but her eyes began to sting as she nodded. Talking about Lachy made her realise just how much she missed him and, what was worse, that it was unlikely that she’d ever see him again. It wasn’t as if she would bump into him on the high street. And she wouldn’t be going to Scotland again any timesoon.
Shelley and Marco leapt from their places and hugged her. She was sure it was just tiredness and that she would feel better after sleeping in her own bed, but she let the tears flow and allowed her friends to do what they did best.
‘Did he feel the same about you?’ Marco asked.
Zara shrugged. ‘Honestly, I don’t know. I think it was maybe just a one-night thing. No strings attached. That’swhatIintended, anyway. I didn’twantto feel anything. I just wanted to feel sexy and desirable. And he really made me feel all those things. But then it was over. And now… I don’t know how I feel apart from sad and miserable. But why do I feel like this, for goodness’ sake? I hardly know the man. And we didn’t exactly get off to the best start. And I don’t want to have a stupid long-distancerelationship. But all I can think about is his smile and how good he was to me. How he made me feel. And his little house and Bess the dog.’ She sobbed and her body shook even though she knew how crazy she must soundandlook. She’d been with Josh for a year and hadn’t cried so much when he’d cheated on her as she had over the man she knew even less and a place she’d never wanted to visit in thefirst place.
Once she had calmed down she wiped her face on the mountain of tissues that Jake had awkwardly passed over to her and she laughed. ‘You know how there’s jet lag? Is there such a thing astrainlag? Orbikelag? Because I’m telling you right now, it exists. It should be acknowledged because it’s the only possible reason for me feeling this way. And that’s what I’m putting all thisdown to. This temporary lapse in sanity is simplybike lag.’
‘Oh, well, that’s easy! I know the cure for bike lag!’ Marco chimed in.
Shelley rolled her eyes but grinned. ‘This should be good.’
Marco disappeared into the kitchen and returned moments later with a massive box of chocolates and another bottle of wine. ‘Tadaaaaa!’
