Page 21 of The Vow We Made
“Still nothing. She heard rumours and I couldn’t deny any of it, so she called it a day.”
I don’t know how to console him, so I signal for another beer and a pint of Guinness. We’re silent for a while and lost in thought.
He finally confesses, “I know I treated her like shit, but now it’s done, I miss her, like,reallyfucking miss her.”
“Really?”
“What?” he asks. “It’s the truth.”
“Come off it, Will, think about it. It was never going to last, not the way you carried on and if you really were in love, you’d want her twenty-four-seven. She’d be here right now.”
“I suppose so.”
“Iknowso mate.”
“I’ve been a knob,” Will huffs. I stare at my pint glass while he pulls the label from his beer bottle. Finally, he says, “What will you do about Victoria?”
I shrug and blow the air through my puffed cheeks. “Not a lot I can do. I didn’t work hard enough on the night or take her number. I’ve probably missed out.”
“You’re not wrong there. She’s a real sort and won’t be on the market long.” He’s quick to reassure, “But you could try again.”
“I’m pretty positive I’ve fucked it up. I don’t know if she still has my number and I’ve got no way to get in touch.”
“Still got your number?”
I glance back at him. “Never mind.” Resting my elbows on my legs, I clasp my hands in front of me. “To be honest, it might not be a bad thing. My job comes first, you know that. I couldn’t give a girl like Victoria the time she deserves.”
“You know what?” He sits back, folding his arms as if he’s an authority on the matter. “I think there’s only so long you can use that excuse.”
“It's not an excuse,” I argue, but in truth, Will has a point. I don't take chances. Women come and go, but at the end of the day, it all boils down to one thing. Time. I don't have any spare for anyone else. I'm a doctor first and a partner second, but then I think of Victoria and wonder if I could swap that equation.
“I can see it in your face, Aiden. You like this girl. So why don’t you do yourself a favour and go with your gut?”
“Maybe I will,” I agree surprising myself.
Will tilts his bottle forward, suggesting a minor toast. “Right, let’s stop this shit and look to the future.” I do the same with my pint glass. “Here’s to a new start,” he suggests.
“A new start,” I repeat, while we toast and take a good gulp.
I sit back and joke, “Talking of new starts, you and Luke need to stop calling women ‘sorts’ and ‘birds’. One of these days, you’ll get flattened for it.”
He holds up his hands. “We don’t mean anything by it. It’s just the way we are.”
“You could at least try.”
His raised eyebrows and tight lips tell me this old leopard won’t be changing his spots anytime soon.
Luke’s ears must be burning because he appears from nowhere, landing on the sofa and dropping between us. He spreads his arms over the back, making himself comfortable.
“Talk of the devil,” I say.
“What are you two old gits going on about?”
“You’re not so spritely yourself,” I tell him.
“Spritely.” Will laughs. “Now there’s a word you don’t hear anymore.”
“It’s because he’s a consultant and comes from good stock, don’t you know.” Luke mimics with a cut-glass accent. “Right then,” he continues, “what have I missed?” Luke often reminds me more of an eager child than a thirty-four-year-old man.
