DJ was just standing patiently by the open
door, watching the stairs like Santa Claus was due here any second. The hero
worship that Josh got from his son was a little sickening and heart-breaking.
Kids forgive and forget so easily. I missed being a kid sometimes.
Josh strutted up the stairs, smiling as DJ
ran out into the hallway, jumping on him immediately. I sighed and raised one
eyebrow, silently asking him what he was here for, unannounced, uninvited and
unwanted.
“Do you feels better, Daddy?” DJ
questioned, clinging to his dad as if he was going to disappear in a puff of
smoke any second.
Josh smiled awkwardly, and I really hoped
he felt guilty for not coming last night when he was supposed to. Maybe he was
going to suggest he take him for tonight instead and bring him back tomorrow.
He never usually turned up on the Saturday if he cancelled on the Friday night,
so this was totally unexpected.
“Yeah, buddy, I
’
m feeling a lot better,” Josh replied, kissing the side of DJ
’
s head but keeping his eyes trained on mine. I
couldn
’
t help but notice the smirk
on his lips as he looked at me. His expression was, for want of a better word,
smug.
“So, what
’
s up?
” I asked, crossing my arms over my chest,
glaring at him so he knew he was in the doghouse.
He smiled sadly, but it seemed a little
forced somehow. “I need to talk to you about something important.” He looked
down at DJ and smiled. “I need to talk to Momma, why don
’
t you go play in your room?” he suggested, setting DJ down on his
feet.
DJ pouted.
“But I
’
m playing with Auntie Anna and Cam!”
Josh
’
s eyes tightened. “Yeah, I figured she was here because of the
trained ape standing at the door,” he replied, his voice a little harsh.
“What is this about, Josh? Can
’
t it wait?” I suggested, flicking my eyes to
the lounge to see that Anna was packing up Cameron
’
s stuff. I frowned angrily because Josh seemed to be chasing my best
friend away.
“No, it can
’
t. I really need to speak to you now. In private. Maybe you could
ask
Li
ttle
M
iss
I
mportant, if she could watch DJ and we could go grab a coffee or
something,” he suggested distastefully.
Anna made a
disgusted
sound in the back of her throat as she walked into the hallway.
“Little
M
iss
I
mportant is now
leaving
,
” she growled sarcastically. She turned to face
me and forced a smile. “Want me to take DJ to mine for a couple of hours?
Ashton can drop him back before your dinner with Paige,” she offered.
I frowned and looked back at Josh. I hated
that he was ruining my day with my friend. Was it not enough for him that he
ruined my night last night? When Josh nodded encouragingly, I chewed on the
inside of my lip, wondering what on earth could be that important.
I looked back to Anna and smiled
gratefully. “You sure that
’
s
okay?”
“Absolutely.” She looked down at DJ. “Want
to come to mine and play? Ashton will play on the Wii with you.”
DJ looked a little torn. You could see the
want on his face, as soon as she mentioned the Wii he was hooked, but at the
same time his eyes darted to Josh, obviously wanting to spend some time with
his dad.
Josh nodded. “Go with Anna, buddy. I really
need to talk to your mom,” he instructed. DJ smiled weakly; I could tell he was
disappointed and it made me want to punch Josh in the face with a brick. Josh
helped DJ with his shoes, while I went to the hall cupboard and pulled out the
spare car seat that Nate had bought for his car. The whole time, Anna
’
s eyes were looking anywhere but Josh. I saw
her jaw tighten as his gaze flicked down to her ass. She looked like he was
three seconds from feeling her foot on his balls.
Once DJ left with Anna and Rick, I blew out
a big breath and closed the door, turning back to Josh. I mentally crossed my
fingers that he wasn
’
t going to
tell me that he was going to fail on the child support
again
this month.
If he was, I was totally screwed.
Josh smiled sadly as soon as we were alone.
“So, I have something to tell you. I don
’
t know how you
’
re going
to take it,” he started, shrugging. For some reason, I thought this was going
to be really bad news, but his posture was to the contrary, he actually looked
like he was secretly enjoying this. I nodded for him to continue, unable to
speak. “I went out last night and I saw your boyfriend all over other girls. He
fucked one of them in the bathroom. After that I saw him kissing another girl
too.”
Oh God, no.
My heart sank as I took in his words. Nate,
the guy who I had given the chance to, the only guy I had trusted with my heart
since I got hurt, the one who made my day brighter, had cheated.
But would he though? Would he
really
?
He
’
d promised me, he
’
d assured me so many times that he would never
hurt me like Josh did. I trusted Nate. I trusted Nate a hell of a lot more than
I trusted Josh.
“
I don’
t believe you,” I whispered, shaking my head fiercely. Although I
trusted Nate, the smug look on Josh
’
s face was terrifying me. He looked so confident, so self-assured,
so certain.
“I didn
’
t think you would, bunny.” He pushed his hand into his pocket,
pulling out his cell phone, flicking through it quickly. “They say a picture
speaks a thousand words,” he added.
I closed my eyes as he held the phone out
towards me. I really didn
’
t want
to look.
This
had
to be a mistake. Nate
wouldn’t do that to me. All the times that I’d thought about us breaking up, it
was never because he’d cheated; it was always because he just had enough of me
and wanted someone better. I always thought he would have the decency to break
it off with me first. Josh was lying, trying to split us up. He’d never liked
Nate, that much was obvious from his attitude towards him, so maybe he was just
trying to make me doubt my boyfriend.
But if he was lying, then why was he still
holding out his phone to me with a smug smile?
“
I don’
t need to look at whatever you have on there. Nate wouldn
’
t cheat on me. He
’
s nothing like you,” I rebutted, shaking my head, praying that my
words were right. I didn
’
t want to
doubt Nate, but there was always that memory of Josh in the back of my mind,
forcing that little bit of doubt there even though I was trying to be
confident.
“Bunny, I saw it! He was all over this
girl, then he took another to the bathroom. They were in there for ages. What
was he doing in there with her? Getting make-up tips?” he asked sarcastically.
My whole body had started to go slightly
numb; my heart was starting to hurt. I was silently grateful that Anna had
taken DJ away so that I didn
’
t
have to try and put on an act for him.
“I spoke to him on the phone last night. He
didn
’
t… he can
’
t have!” I cried, shaking my head fiercely.
Josh laughed wickedly. “I used to call you
too, remember? I
’
d be talking to
you while I was zipping up my pants after screwing some chick. He
’
s no different to me, you just fooled yourself
into thinking he was.”
I flinched at his words. I pictured Nate
’
s face and his eyes that were always so
truthful when he spoke to me. I didn
’
t know what to believe. “Show me the picture,” I whispered.
Josh grinned and held out the phone to me
again. “That
’
s the one he fucked
in the bathroom.”
Oh God, please let this be a mistake.
I closed my eyes and held out my hand,
praying with every bone in my body that this was something innocent. As Josh
placed the phone in my hand, I realised that it had the power to shatter
everything that I had built up in the last four and a half months. All the
progress I
’
d made, all the growing
I
’
d done by letting someone close
to me. This little electronic device had the power to rip mine and DJ
’
s life apart. I didn
’
t even want to look at it. But I had to.
I held my breath as I looked down at it. I
wasn
’
t sure if I should be happy
or sad when I saw the two people on there. It was clearly Nate; he was holding
a girl
’
s hand, they were just
heading into a ladies bathroom together. I recognised the girl too. Emma. He
’
d told me that they
’
d slept together and that it was a casual thing that happened
occasionally when they were both out and lonely. In the photo, they weren
’
t doing anything though. Nate
’
s expression as he smiled at her wasn
’
t the cocky smirk that he used to use on me
when he was trying to win me over. Her body wasn
’
t pressed against his; in fact, she wasn
’
t even looking at him. If someone had just showed me this picture of
their night out, I wouldn
’
t assume
anything along the lines of what Josh was implying.
I looked back to Josh and shook my head.
“That doesn
’
t prove anything,” I
said fiercely. Sure, Nate had slept with that girl,
a lot
, but that didn
’
t mean that
’
s what they were going in there to do. Or did I have a little too
much faith in him? Was I just being blind because I didn
’
t want to see anything there? Was I being the old Rosie that would
rather let something slide, rather than deal with it properly? I didn
’
t know the answer.
Josh snorted. “I have more photos.” He
snatched the phone from my hand, moving to stand next to me as he swished
through his gallery, showing me shot after shot of Nate and Emma. They were
talking, she was standing close to him, his arm was around her shoulders. The
photos were getting worse, but still no kissing like he
’
d said.
“I thought you said he kissed her,” I
whispered, swiping at the tear that fell down my face even though I was trying
my hardest to keep them at bay.
“I didn
’
t see him kiss her. I saw him kiss a blonde chick,” he replied,
still swiping through his gallery, showing me more images of Nate and Emma. I gulped
and wished this wasn
’
t happening.
I wanted to trust Nate, I really did, but my past was coming back to haunt me.
I felt like a worthless pile of trash just like I did when I let Josh walk all
over me. I was stronger than this; I was supposed to be over it. I looked up at
Josh as he continued to flick through the photos that he
’
d taken of Nate like some sort of crazy stalker. He had a grin on
his face. He was totally enjoying this, and that just proved to me how
different Josh and Nate were. Nate would never take pride in hurting someone.
If the roles were reversed, then Nate would feel bad that I was hurting; he
wouldn
’
t be grinning like a moron
while he broke my heart like Josh was doing right now.
I stepped away and shook my head. I didn
’
t believe him. If I had to choose between
trusting Nate, and trusting Josh, then there was no question. “That proves
nothing. You
’
re seeing what you
want to see there because you don
’
t
like him,” I protested, glaring at him.
“Bunny, you
’
re damn right I don
’
t
like him. He
’
s a dick! He
’
s got my girl and my son all under his spell
and look what he
’
s doing to them.
He
’
s making you think I
’
m lying when
he
’
s
the one that you should be glaring at,
not me!” he shouted, throwing his hands up for emphasis.
“I need to speak to Nate,” I whispered
feebly.
Josh stepped forward and slipped his arm
around my waist, pulling me against his chest, stroking my back soothingly. “
Bunny, I
’
m sorry, but he
’
s not what you think he is. He
’
s a player, and he
’
s doing the exact same thing that I did all those years ago. He
’
s out there screwing girls, leaving you
waiting around for him thinking he
’
s the best guy in the world.”
I closed my eyes and tried not to believe
that. But Nate had been so drunk on the phone last night, so maybe…
I moved my arms up and pushed on Josh
’
s chest, making him step back a couple of
paces, his arms dropping from my waist. “What girl did he kiss?” I asked,
squaring my shoulders. I wasn
’
t
ready to give up yet.
“Some smoking hot blonde chick. He was
hanging all over her, then later they started making out, she went home with
him,” he replied, shrugging.
Smoking hot blonde chick. Went home with
him. The words were actually painful as they repeated over and over in my
head.
“You have a photo of her?” I asked, nodding
down at his phone in his hand. “Why didn
’
t you take one of them kissing, if they really did?”
I raised one eyebrow at him challengingly.
If he
really
saw Nate making out with a blonde, then why didn
’
t he take a photo of it? He
’
d taken loads of Nate with Emma doing nothing.
Why not take a really incriminating one if it actually happened. That would
really drive the point home to me, wouldn
’
t it?
He frowned. “I didn
’
t get a picture of them kissing, but I think she
’
s in some of the photos in the background,” he
replied. He started flicking through his phone again, before holding it out to
me again, pointing to the right hand side of a hugging Nate and Emma.
I looked down at the photo, and I felt
anger boil in the pit of my stomach. “You saw him kissing that girl?” My voice
was rough as I struggled to remain in control.
“He was all over her. He practically felt
her up while they were making out.” He put his hand on my shoulder, squeezing
supportively.
“
That
girl? You
’
re sure it was her?” I asked, tightening my jaw. He nodded in
confirmation. I dragged my eyes away from the photo and looked up at him. His
brown eyes locked onto mine, and I literally wanted to punch him in the face.
“She
’
s a lesbian, Josh!” I snapped,
shoving the phone back into his chest. “My man
’
s a fucking seduction master, huh? He can even charm a lesbian into
bed, according to you!”
His mouth dropped open, his eyes tightened.
“What? She can
’
t be!”
I laughed bitterly, pointing at his phone.
“The girl in that picture is an old family friend. Her name
’
s Coraline Cooper. Trust me, she
’
s a lesbian. I
’
ve never had a girl look at me the way she does. Nate
’
s not her type, and you, you
’
re a lying fucking asshole!”
He shook his head. “Maybe it wasn
’
t her then, there were a couple of blondes
there with him. Maybe it was the other one, I might have got her wrong,” he
said, flicking through his phone.
I nodded in agreement. “Yeah, show me the
picture of the other blonde and I
’
ll
tell you who she is,
after
you tell me again that he was feeling her up
and kissing her.”
He held out the picture that I knew he
would. I
’
d already seen her in the
background when I was looking through the ones with Emma in them. I smiled at
Josh triumphantly. “That
’
s Paige
Peters. Nate
’s little sister,
” I
informed him, folding my arms over my chest.
He made an angry growling sound in the back
of his throat. “Fine! I didn
’
t see
him kissing anyone, but he took that brunette into the bathrooms, I saw that. I
took pictures of that, so you can
’
t
say it didn
’
t happen! He cheated
on you last night, and you just don
’
t want to believe it.”
My hands were shaking from rage. “He could
have been doing anything in there with her. The evidence you have is bullshit.
Why are you trying to hurt me? I
’
ve
honestly never met anyone as selfish and self-centred as you are,” I ranted,
shoving on his chest again.
“
I don’
t like seeing my family with another guy. He
’
s a fucking punk who
’
s
stealing my life! I hate him, and I want him gone, Rosie!”
“Get out,” I ordered, pointing at the door.
He shook his head, stepping closer still,
bending so he could look into my eyes. “I want you back, bunny. I
’
ve changed. I was young when we were together;
I wasn
’
t ready to settle down with
a girl and a child. But I am now. Please, leave that asshole and give me one
more chance. I love you so much. I was an idiot for doing that to you. Please?”
His eyes were pleading as he took my hand.
I snorted and ripped my hand from his
grasp. “You
’
ve changed? From where
I
’
m standing, you haven
’
t changed at all. You
’
re still a lying jackass.” I turned away from him and closed my
eyes, trying to calm down. I was so angry that my body was shaking from it. I
literally wanted to kill him for lying to me. “You need to leave, right now!”