Page 99 of Unless It's You
“I’m sorry you’re angry. But I can’t take it back. I love her. And I hope you can accept that.”
“I’m not mad you love her, mate.” He raises his eyebrows.
“You’re . . . not?”
“No. I’m mad you lied. I’m mad you didn’t think you could be honest with me.” Ben gulps his pint, then sighs deeply. “Aren’t we best mates?”
“We are.”
“Then treat me like it. Always.”
Relief courses through my veins.
“I will. I promise.” I pause. “So... this is okay?”
“I’m still mad as hell you lied. But yeah, it’s okay.” He shakes his head. “It’s a good thing that when I kissed her last weekend, it was kind of like kissing a dead fish. I tried to get her to talk to me after she ran out—after you, I guess it was—but she cut me off. I wanted to tell her that wedon’tbelong together.”
His words wash over me, relief in every drop. He doesn’t think they belong together. He is dating Ulrike again. This is all going to be okay.
“How about to make it up to me, you buy the next dozen rounds of drinks?”
“Done.” I laugh.
Ben studies me. “It might get a little awkward. But honestly, I’ve never heard you say you loved a girl. You barely tolerate the women you hook up with. Even Helen. The look on your face right now is ridiculous.”
I reflexively reach up and touch my jaw, as if the answer is under my beard, and Ben laughs. I crack a grin.
“You deserve happiness with someone, Ethan. And if it happens to be with Stella? Alright then.”
I nod, my throat tight, my chest warm.
“Thanks, mate.”
“Let’s have one more before you go off to shag my ex-girlfriend.”
My eyes widen. “Um . . .”
“Right, as soon as it came out, I heard how inappropriate that sounded, and I promise I won’t call her that again.”
We both laugh, and I go to get the pints. One more pint with my best friend, then I need to make two more stops before heading to Stella’s flat.
My body hums with the thought of being with Stella. Especially now that the Ben part is sorted, there’s nothing holding us back. I was honest with him, and it didn’t backfire, like I’d so dreaded.
We’ll just keep That Night—the one before she and Ben got together—as our little secret.
39
STELLA
To:Richard Ramsey
From:Stella Hart
CC:Ethan Fraser
Date:03 August 2024
Subject:Re: Re: Stella’s Final Bucket List Update for Approval
