Page 76 of Toy Boy
Laney’s expression verges on delight, she can barely contain her joy at the news that Scott could be moving on to a brand new relationship.
Is that what he’s doing?
Is that what’s happening?
Why do you care…?
“Who? Who was he with? Do we know her?”
“Tania Wilding. She works for the hospital Trust.” I down a mouthful of beer and look at Laney. She’s still smiling. “She’s tall and stunning with long red hair and legs up to her armpits…” I take another, huge draft of beer, too much, actually, it’s gone down the wrong way, and now I’m hurriedly trying to stifle a cough. Laney goes to the sink, fills a glass with water, and hands it to me.
“Here. Try not to choke before the cheesecake, I’d hate to have to eat your slice, too.”
I drink the water, slowly, grateful for a couple of seconds respite.
“Does it bother you?”
I feel my eyebrows shoot up and my eyes widen. “Does what bother me?”
“Scott, with another woman.”
“No! Of course it doesn’t bother me.”
“Okay…”
Laney takes a sharp intake of breath, and I feel my hackles rise, I’m sensing another lecture is just seconds away.
“Do you still believe him when he tells you he’s a changed man?”
“Laney, do we have to…?”
“Do you believe him, Meg?”
I feel my shoulders sag in defeat. “I don’t know. I want to believe him, I really do, because I don’t want to be the kind of person who bears grudges…”
“Bears grudges? Megan, the man cheated on you, Christ knows how many times, I think you have every right to still feel angry about that.”
“But it’s exhausting, don’t you see? Hating him – no. I don’t hate him. But wishing he wasn’t here, wishing he hadn’t been the man he turned out to be, all of those things, those feelings, they’re exhausting.”
She frowns. “So, what are you saying, exactly?”
“Maybe we should try being friends.”
“Friends?” The level of incredulousness in her voice is through the roof!
“Wouldn’t it be easier, for everyone, if we just put the past behind us, properly this time? And really moved on?”
“I can’t believe you’re saying this…”
But it’s what I want. I’ve been thinking about it for a while now, and saying the words out loud…
“That day, when I met him for lunch, when I spoke to him… there was something there, Laney. Something in his eyes… something different…”
Laney throws back her head and lets out a loud “HA!”, so loud, in fact, that both Xander’s and Russell’s heads swivel quickly in the direction of the open kitchen door.
“He’ll never change, Megan. Men like him, theycan’tchange.”
“That’s a very blinkered view, coming from someone who has to believe that people can change. Someone who has to defend…”