Page 53 of Always Beth
‘What’s wrong?’ I splutter.
As I step towards her, she moves out of my grasp and I know this isn’t about her husband, it’s me.
‘Beth? Sweetheart, what’s wrong?’
‘Don’t call me that. Don’t you dare call me that.’
What the hell have I done?Reaching forward, she rips the flowers from my hand and tosses them across the garden.
‘Beth, what the hell?’
‘I know,’ she grinds out forcefully.
‘Well, can you tell me because I don’t?’
She clutches her head in exasperation and rips the wine bottle from my hand. ‘Go home to Lauren, James. Go home to your wife.’
My wife? Oh shit.
I rush forward as she tries to close the door. ‘Beth, listen to me—’
‘Her or me, James?’
‘What?’
‘Her or me?’
I falter as I process her ultimatum. It isn’t what she thinks, but if this is the way it’s going to be, there’s only one answer. I could never choose. Now’s my time to tell her, but the fact of the matter is, it doesn’t matter my relationship to Lauren, she’ll always come first.
‘Her,’ I croak.
She raises the wine bottle and launches it towards me, I duck as it narrowly passes my head smashing into a red wine massacre all over the pathway.
‘Go home to your fucking wife.’ The door slams hard in my face and my heart sinks.
I turn and walk along the path, stepping over the glass as I go. I sigh heavily as I reach the gate and turn back and glance at the cottage. My voice breaks as I whisper the words I so desperately wanted her to hear.
‘She’s not my wife, Beth, she’s my twin.’
ChapterFifteen
James
‘What’s wrong with you?’ Lauren calls as I storm through the hallway.
‘Nothing, I’m going to bed.’
I’m three stairs up before she replies, ‘Who is she, James?’
I drop my head.Now she asks.‘She’s no one. It doesn’t matter, it’s over.’
‘James?’
For Christ’s sake, she can never drop it. ‘What?’ I wander back and stare at her through the lounge doorway.
‘It’s the girl from the cottage, isn’t it?’
‘It doesn’t matter anymore, Lauren.’
