A Sense of Guilt ✔

Chapter 16

'You're late,' Katherine said as Joe came in. 'I called you three times and you didn't answer.' She hated that she sounded so accusatory but she'd been looking forward to spending the evening together. She'd wanted to tell him where she was at with the wedding plans and get a bit of his input, it was their wedding after all.

'Sorry my phone was on silent,' Joe said going into the kitchen and switching the kettle on.

She looked at him standing with his back to her and her exasperation spilt over. 'Have you been out drinking? You could have invited me along.'

Except she really didn't like his friends so no wonder he didn't think to.

He turned around, his eyes briefly meeting hers. 'Sorry, I met up with Shannon. I didn't think you'd want to join us,' he admitted as the kettle boiled.

'Shannon?' Her throat constricted with dread. 'You've been drinking with Shannon?'

'I met her for coffee this afternoon.'

'It's now well into the evening,' she said her voice shrill.

'I went onto a bar with some of the guys.' She looked at him, her frustration bubbling, he was being unbelievably reticent.

'And you couldn't call and let me know you were staying out with the guys?' she said her lips pursing. 'Anyway which guys? And why did you meet up with Shannon? What was that all about?' She took a few deep breaths, telling herself to calm down.

'I met up with Donnie and some friends of his, I don't know them so well,' he said with a vague shrug of his shoulders. 'Sorry I didn't let you know.'

'That's your third sorry,' she snapped her temper flaring. 'I don't give a damn about Donnie and his friends. I want to know what the hell you were doing meeting Shannon, and why didn't you tell me?'

Joe looked at her blankly. 'I didn't tell you cos it's no big deal, I told you she was a friend.'

'I thought she was more like a passing acquaintance nowadays? I certainly didn't agree for you to be meeting up with her which is obviously why you didn't tell me.'

She folded her arms across her chest waiting for him to contradict her.

'I'm telling you now Kat,' he said ignoring the boiled kettle and getting a beer out of the fridge instead.

Her jaw clenched along with her hands. 'Well, I don't want you seeing her. At least not without me being present.' She didn't care how unreasonable that sounded, it was disrespectful him meeting up with his ex.

'Kat she was my best friend,' Joe said softly.

'She's your ex-girlfriend,' Kat spat, trying her hardest not to yell.

'Yeah and before that she was my best friend.'

His words cut into her like a knife. 'That's news to me, I thought Donnie was your best friend.'

'He is now. But growing up Shannon was, and then we got together and she was both.' She almost wondered if he was trying to hurt her?

She watched as be began to drink his beer, it was as if he had no idea of the effect his words had had on her.

Maybe he didn't know her at all...

'So you think you can be best friends with Shannon again?' she asked finding her voice. She fake laughed, hell would freeze over before she accepted that.

'No probably not,' he said in a tone that suggested he didn't care.

'So why did you meet up?' she asked letting out the breath she didn't realise she'd been holding. 'What did you talk about?'