Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 111775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 559(@200wpm)___ 447(@250wpm)___ 373(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 111775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 559(@200wpm)___ 447(@250wpm)___ 373(@300wpm)
There’s no cooling off from this. We’re not friends anymore.
“Ah, come on. Don’t be like that. She’s just a woman.”
It’s not about the woman; it’s about the betrayal, I signed.
Besides, if Nigel could do it once, he might try it again, and I had no intention of letting him anywhere near Maggie. A part of me wondered if he even really loved Emer like he claimed. Nigel was the kind of person who wanted what other people had. He saw us together, and he wanted it for himself, so he destroyed it only to lose both of us as a result.
“You’re my best friend, Shay. Don’t do this.”
It’s not a friendship when people do what you did.
I saw his frustration and self-pity turn to anger. “Oh, come on! You never even really loved Emer, not like I did. You were with her because she was the only girl in your work who could speak sign language—”
I wasn’t sure what came over me, but suddenly, my fist connected with Nigel’s jaw, and he went sailing backwards, managing to grab hold of a bush to keep from falling flat on his arse. It happened right as Rhys arrived, my cousin stomping into the garden.
“What the fuck is going on?” He glanced from Nigel to me. “Shay?”
Nigel was just leaving, I signed after I flexed my hand. I knew how to throw a punch, but my knuckles still smarted.
“I think you broke my jaw,” Nigel whined, and Rhys widened his eyes at me.
I didn’t break his jaw. He’s fine.
“Come on, Nigel, you look like you’ve been dragged through a hedge backwards, and you smell even worse. Let me drive you home.”
Rhys helped Nigel to his car, shooting me a look that said we’d talk when he got back. I stood by the door for a moment, then returned inside. My dad, my brother, Dawn and the kids were oblivious to the drama that had just unfolded out front.
“Was that Nigel I heard just now?” Dad asked. “Is he staying for dinner?”
No, I signed irritably. He won’t be coming to dinner anymore. I’ve ended the friendship.
Dad wore a shocked expression, as did everyone else. And even though all I wanted to do was sit in my room, quietly nursing my anger and resentment and guilt over hurting Maggie, I knew it wouldn’t help in the long run. So, instead, I spent the next half hour explaining everything that had happened with Nigel to my family. They were all horrified by what he’d done, and I was glad they agreed I was better off ending the friendship. I just didn’t see a way back to trust after something like that.
When Rhys returned, I knew by his expression Nigel had told him everything on the drive to his flat. Though, surely, he’d skewed the narrative in his favour.
My cousin blew out a breath, his hands in his pockets when he said, “Well, Shay, I always thought you were a peace lover. Never expected to see you throw a punch like that. Though, from what I’ve gathered, Nigel deserved it.”
Everyone’s shocked gazes fell on me.
“You never told us you punched him,” Dawn exclaimed.
As Rhys said, he deserved it, I signed irritably.
Dad cast me a troubled look. “I suppose he did, just don’t go making a habit of it.” He blew out a long breath. “Now, I better plate up this food before we all die of starvation.”
“What are you going to do about Maggie?” Rhys asked quietly when the others were busy discussing the kids. “It can’t have been easy for her being accused like that.”
I didn’t—I began to sign, but then realised he was right. He always was. Rhys was far too perceptive and emotionally intelligent to miss the fact I’d screwed up my relationship with Maggie before it had even begun. I’d basically accused her of being disloyal, and I didn’t know where to begin in scraping my way back from that. I’d woken up that morning on cloud nine. Now, I was deep down in the trenches.
I don’t know what to do, I signed. I fucked up. She’s hurt.
Rhys blew out a slow breath. “In that case, you’re probably going to need a grand gesture, plus a fair bit of grovelling.”
I thought on that as I recalled the pain in her eyes. Maggie’s face was etched into my heart, and I was desperate for a way to fix things. I wanted everything to go back to how it was last night. The more I considered it, an idea formed. There was something I could give her, something she wanted. I just hoped that, alongside a whole lot of grovelling, as Rhys put it, Maggie loved my gift enough for me to gain back a little of her trust.
21.
Maggie
I woke up to a voicemail from Therese informing me Jonathan was available for lunch.