Away With the Fairies (The Swallow Barn Cottage Series, Book 2)

Going With You

It wasn't supposed to be a double update, but I have the most amazing readers... so here is 1 out of 2 for today's double update :)

Love,

K. xx

***

"Because–" Why indeed, Fiona? "Because I need to talk to Nate. And I haven't been texting him, you see. I always used to, every day. Even when I was still home, if I was gone for more than a few hours, I'd sort of check in. And I haven't. Not since you and I–" She trailed away and started adding the spices into the yogurt for the marinade. "And I don't want to call him, because it looks now that he's trying to sell the pub, and–"

"What?" he interrupted her, and she glanced at him.

"It could be one big misunderstanding," she started, but then gave it a thought and shook her head. "Actually, it makes perfect sense. That's why he let me come here. Because he needed me out of there. It's funny, really." She gave out a humorous chuckle. "I wouldn't have protested. If he said that's what we needed to do, I'd just sign all the papers."

"And you want to go there tomorrow," he said. "Fiona, you have no friends or living relatives, right?" he asked.

She shook her head. "None. I have Alice, but like I said she's elderly. She told me that there's also–" She suddenly felt embarrassed - who tells one's lover that their husband preferred them to someone else? That they've been tossed aside like an empty tube of toothpaste? - and went to the fridge to look for ginger and garlic.

"There's also what?"

"It doesn't matter," she said.

"It matters to me," he said and stepped to her.

She fidgeted with a ginger root.

He covered her hands with his right one, and Fiona stilled.

"He's cheating on me. He's been cheating on me for years, and somehow I didn't see it," she said in a small voice. "But I have cheated on him too, haven't I? I can see how it can happen. If he fell in love, or he just hated living with me, and needed affection and warmth and–"

"Are you mental?" he said in a low raspy voice and jerked his hand away from her.

Fiona's eyes flew up.

Worst possible wording here, Will.

"Him fucking other women has nothing to do with affection, and especially nothing to do with you," he said. Oh, he's being... eloquent. It mean, he's on that level of anger. "He's just an arsehole."

"You don't know him." Fiona frowned. "I appreciate that you take my side in this situation, but–"

"Fiona," he growled in some sort of a warning, "There are no sides in here. Not after what he's done to you. What he's been doing to you for years."

"It's just that maybe he was unhappy, you see?" she tried again. "People do all sorts of cruel things when they're in pain."

"Has he ever hit you?" he asked sharply, and Fiona shook her head. "Grabbed you? Restrained you? Took something away from you when you didn't– 'behave?'"

Oh. Right. 

Maybe, you should lie, a sudden thought flushed through her mind. It's so embarrassing.

But I can't lie. Especially not to him.

"When your brother offered me the job, he grabbed my arm and pushed me out of the flat to the landing. I had to wait there." For four hours. "But he let me back in." She saw muscles dance on his jaw. "He was angry! It doesn't excuse it, but what would you–" She bit her tongue because she saw his eyes narrow.