“I don’t understand.”
“Spencer has a PA who needs to be fired, and I was quite sure she would try and sabotage him at some point. I wanted to catch her out and protect him.”
I stare at her.
“I put security cameras in his office.”
“What in the hell does this have to do with me?”
“Did you know that Penelope came to him the day before you saw her with William at dinner. Did you know that she wanted him to meet her for sex that night?”
“What?”
“Did you know that they argued, and he kicked ‘Stephanie’ out of his office.”
“I don’t understand.”
“No, you wouldn’t.” She sits forward. “Because you’re a selfish little bitch who won’t even listen to what he has to say. You’re so caught up in your own fucking agenda that you can’t see the forest for the trees.”
“Go to Hell. You don’t even know me.”
“I’ll tell you what I do know,” she whispers angrily. “I’ve watched hours and hours of footage from Spencer’s office this week, trying to piece together anything that will prove his innocence.”
My face falls.
“That’s right, sweetie.” She sneers. “I’ve heard his conversations with you. I’ve seen him defend your honour to your brother. I watched your arguments over me, and Hell, worst of all, I’ve watched him fuck you on his desk.”
My eyes hold hers.
“And I would give anything to have him look at me the way he looks at you. To hear those three words I’ve so desperately wanted to hear for ten goddamn years.”
My eyes fill with tears.
“Don’t be a fucking idiot, Charlotte. If you leave him, it will be the biggest regret of your life.”
I blink quickly, unsure what to say.
“The man I’m in love with is in Santorini as we speak, waiting for you.”
I drop my chin to my chest as sadness overwhelms me. “Did you sleep with him?”
“Time to go,” a voice snaps.
We both look up to see Anthony looming over us like a gorilla.
“Who the hell are you?” Sheridan sneers.
“I’m her bodyguard, and I don’t appreciate you upsetting her.”
“Oh, just fuck off, you idiot.” She sighs with an eye roll. “We’re in the middle of something here.”
He looks at me and I nod. “Please go.” He walks off to the other side of the pool.
Our eyes meet again, and hers are cold, while mine are full of tears.
“You love him?” she whispers.
I nod. “Yes.”
“If you knew Spencer Jones at all, then you’d know damn well he wouldn’t have slept with me this week. He’s in love with you. He’s a proud man, and if you don’t go to him soon, you won’t ever get the chance again. You’ve hurt him deeply, Charlotte. Truth is, you may already be too late.”
“I don’t know how to get past this. Every time I picture him, I see her.”
She exhales heavily. “I can’t help you with that one. If Spencer loved me, nothing else on this Earth would matter.” We stare at each other. “Are you really going to let Penelope take him from you, for something that happened four years ago when he had no idea who she was or that she was even married?”
I stare at her as a clusterfuck of emotions run through me.
“Fuck the tabloids. Fuck your family. Take what’s yours and hold onto it with two hands.”
“Is this your motivational speech?”
“This is your ‘wake up to your fucking self and get to Santorini’ speech.” She drains her glass and stands, and without another word, Sheridan walks off into the distance.
She flicks her hair over her shoulder, and I watch her sexy little figure sashay out through the reception area.
I glance down at the memory stick in my hand.
What now?
Spencer
The sea breeze floats over my skin as I watch the reflection of the moon dance across the water. I’m on the balcony, high up above the ocean with the most beautiful view at my fingertips. The fire pit is lit and I stare back into it.
I can hear the celebrations in the distance. There’s muffled music and coloured lights sporadically strung from one property to another on the hill above me. They all twinkle in the distance. Every so often, a crowd cheers as they celebrate together.
Their giggles hang in the air with an eerie echo.
It’s New Year’s Eve. It’s December thirty-first. It’s my birthday.
I’m in Santorini, and I’m very much alone.
She didn’t come.
And here I am, scrolling through photos of Charlotte on my phone, remembering the good times.
It’s Heaven and Hell all rolled into one.
Image after image, I see her smiling beautiful face staring back at me.
It’s almost like I can feel her arms around me. I remember back to when we first met and the way my heart began to beat faster whenever she looked at me. The way my stomach would flutter at her smile…
Her kiss… her perfect kiss.
I exhale heavily and pinch the bridge of my nose. I’ve had some bad birthdays in my life but this one takes the biscuit.
I haven’t left the villa all day, convinced if I did that she would come while I was out. Maybe it’s me. Maybe I’m destined to have the people I care about walk away from my life.
My mind goes back to a time when I would be feeling just like this—alone in my bedroom, waiting for him to call me on my birthday. Waiting for him to extend an olive branch, and desperate for the smallest sign that he did, in fact, love me like my friends’ fathers loved them.
I drag my hand down my face. This is fucked.
And then the doorbell of the villa rings out.
The doorbell? What?
She’s here.
I stand and run to the front door, opening it in a rush. But it’s Wyatt who stands before me, not Charlotte.
“Hi.” I look past him. “Where is she?”
Sympathy flares in his eyes. “Charlotte asked me to bring you this.” He holds out a sealed cream envelope. I read my name written on the front in her fancy handwriting.
My eyes search his. “Where is she?” I whisper, pushing it past the lump in my throat.
He shakes his head. “I’m sorry, man, she isn’t here. She wanted me to hand deliver you this.”
I don’t remember closing the door, getting back to my place by the fire, or opening the letter.
I hold it in shaky hands.
My beautiful Spencer.
Happy birthday, my darling.
I wish I could be with you today to celebrate.
I frown and close it back up. I can’t do it. I can’t read this fucking letter. I don’t want this fucking letter.
I want her.
Somehow, I force myself to read on.
I’m so sorry for the pain you’ve suffered over the last two weeks.
Please forgive me, my love.
Inflicting this on you is something that I will never recover from.
We meet people at certain times of our lives for reasons unknown.
But I know exactly why I met you.
You taught me how to love, and how to be loved in the most beautiful way.
I cannot thank you enough for all of the times that we have shared.
However…
“No.” My heart begins to race and I skim ahead on the letter. “No, Charlotte.” My eyes fill with tears. “Don’t you fucking do this to me,” I whisper angrily. “Don’t you dare fucking do this to me.”
No matter how hard I try, I cannot move past your relationship with Penelope.
It kills me that I can’t be a bigger person, and I can barely see what I’m writing through my tears right now.
My heart is completely broken, and it will never recover.
It’s not fair for you to be with me when my love for you is tainted this way.
You deserve better.
Not all love stories have a happy ending, my darling.
Some are beautiful, some are fearsome, and some are tragic, Our love story is all of those things, I’m letting you go, Spence.
You will always be the love of my life, the man who taught me who I really was.
My soul mate and my everything.
Please remember me with love, sweetheart, and with time, I know you will understand.
Love should never be tainted, especially not one as beautiful as ours.
I love you.
Dream catch me when I fall.
I screw up the letter and stare at the flames of the fire.