Page 31 of The Betrayal
Pushing through the door, I undo my light trench jacket and search the restaurant. I’m wearing a black skort, knee high heeled boots and a white blouse vest. Maybe a little over done for lunch but I felt like I had a spring in my step.
I spot Connie straight away.
Long brown hair that sits at her waist, beautiful dark hazel eyes and a figure to die for. Sitting next to her is Reese. Honey blonde hair and opal eyes with glowing tan skin. Tall, lean, hardly any boobs but I’m a little jealous. No need for a bra and she can lay on her front with no problem.
Walking up to the table, Connie stands up with a glisten in her eye as she pulls me in for a cuddle.
“Oh my god, Ari you look amazing!” she compliments me, and I hug her back.
“As do you,” I beam, and she does. She’s wearing a little capped sleeve scallop necked cream tee, high waisted skinny jeans and chunky doc martens. She looked good. Happy. Glowing.
Loved that for her.
Reese scooted out of her chair and wrapped her arms round my neck, embracing me.
“Totally gorgeous. We’ve missed you. Brunch just hasn’t been the same without you,” she sticks her pouty bottom lip out as she steps away from me and takes her seat opposite me, her British accent thick. She wears a white long-sleeved bodysuit, high waisted mom jeans and white sneakers.
“I know, I’ve just been swamped with work.”
Not technically a lie.
“We get it,” they both nod in unison.
Reese works with Killian, which is Connie’s dad, but also her husband. I scrunch my nose up at my thoughts. And Connie was their nanny for Celeste, which was her baby sister.
“So,” Reese browses the menu, her perfectly shaped brows lifting, “how are things?” she peeps over the top of her menu, nose turned up, eyes cast down.
In other words; have you sorted it out with your dad yet?
“Standard,” I half shrug, picking my menu up and looking for what I fancy.
Unfortunately, six foot five, dark and handsome dad’s best friend isn’t listed under lunch, and I let out a sigh, suppose I’ll have to settle for the prego roll.
Crying shame really.
“When will you sit down and talk to him?” Connie asks very blasé, as if the question is a routine one and not one out of nosiness.
“No idea, not interested to be honest.”
“I don’t believe that,” Reese lays her menu on the table, blinks a couple of times and I chew the inside of my lip.
“I love my dad, of course I do. Adore him. I’m just not ready yet. He hid stuff from me, he could have picked up the phone and been like ‘oh hey, guess what…’”
Connie puffs out her cheeks.
“Do you know what bugs me more is that he told everyone else before me. That’s what cuts me up. It isn’t about him being with Amora. I am glad he has found someone, I really am. He deserves it all,” I pause for a moment, “but he could have told me, yet he chose not to. I was forgotten about.”
“I get it…” Connie reaches across and places her hand on top of mine.
“Oh yeah, I forget that Reese was fucking your dad behind your back.”
And Reese chokes on her water, spitting it out onto the table, eyes wide.
“Ari,” Connie rolls her eyes, lifting her hand and grabbing some napkins to mop up the water while Reese is trying to catch her breath.
“I didn’t know he was her dad in my defense.”
I laugh, shaking my head from side to side just as the waitress comes over.