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WORRY GNAWED AT HENRY’S insides. He had been trying to reach Ciara without an answer. Even Jenna had already left to have lunch with her friends.
Henry had called Mia in the morning to ask about Ciara. Mia had just told him Ciara had left the event with a guy.
It didn’t make Henry feel any better. He was sick with worry, running through possible scenarios in his mind.
He couldn’t wait much longer, or he would be late for lunch with his family. But he refused to leave before Ciara showed up—or at least answered her phone.
If he went to see his parents in that mental state, they would notice how worried he was. Then he would have to explain. He didn’t want to worry everyone like that.
Perhaps he was worried for nothing. He prayed he was.
To his luck, the flat door opened, and Ciara walked in.
“Where have you been?” was the first thing to leave Henry’s mouth while Ciara closed the door.
Water dripped down her hair. She didn’t have any makeup on, so she had likely washed it off. She looked good for someone on a walk of shame.
“You don’t want to know,” she said, shaking her head. “Just know that I slept in.”
Henry couldn’t tell whether she was grinning or grimacing.
“Actually, I do want to know,” he said, walking up to her. “You never sleep in.”
“Where are you going?” Ciara asked and gestured to the button-down Henry wore. She was trying to change the subject on purpose.
“I’m having lunch with my family.”
Ciara nodded.
“Do you want to come?” Henry would be late if Ciara agreed to come, but he didn’t care.
“No, not this time,” Ciara said and shook her head. “I need a nap.”
Henry scrunched up his nose, wondering how his best friend could be so tired. “You just said you slept in. What did you do last night?”
Ciara walked to the kitchen. “Let’s agree I didn’t just sleep with my ex.” She grabbed a glass from a cupboard. “Tell everyone I said hi.”
“Um, will do!” Henry said goodbye before he left in a hurry.
He couldn’t believe Liam had cheated on Iris.
***
LIAM WAS AT THE FAMILY lunch, too. It was uncomfortable for Henry. But at least Iris was stuck at work.
Henry tried to look for a chance to talk with Liam. He was planning to ask about his and Ciara’s night together, but he never got the opportunity to chat in private with his brother.
If his mother heard, she would freak out.
Henry had to wait through the lunch. When Liam was about to leave, Henry came up with an excuse to leave, too.
“I thought you would have stayed longer,” Liam said as he and his brother walked away from the house.
Henry tilted his head in confusion, but soon realisation hit him.
“Don’t tell me you were planning to see Ciara,” Henry hissed, pointing a finger at his brother.
Liam’s eyes widened. “How did you—”
“I know!”
Liam looked alarmed, his eyes still wide. “A-about what?”
“I know you slept with her.”
The alarmed look on Liam’s face twisted back into a frown. “What?”
“She told me.”
“She told you I slept with her?” Shaking his head, he continued, “Ciara told you that?”
“Well, aren’t you her ex? Where did you two spend the night? And how could you do that to Iris?” Henry couldn’t believe his brother and best friend had done that.
Henry wasn’t the biggest fan of Iris, but he couldn’t tolerate Liam cheating on her. Besides, Liam was still going to marry Iris, and Ciara wasn’t someone he should have toyed with.
“Last night?” Liam shook his head, confused by Henry’s words. “I was home with Iris last night.”
Henry opened his mouth to yell at his brother. Before any sound came out of his mouth, he processed the words.
“But Ciara...” It all dawned on him, and he realised his mistake. “Oh.”
“What?” Liam asked, not understanding Henry’s thought process.
“She slept with Jesse Kingston.” First his eyes widened. Soon, though, his expression turned into a grimace.
“Jesse Kingston? They’re still in contact?”
Henry shrugged. “Or they met at the speed dating event.”
Liam’s eyebrows knitted together. “Ciara went speed dating?”
“With Mia, yes,” Henry said and crossed his arms across his chest. “Which has nothing to do with you. So, why are you so interested?” He observed his brother, raising an eyebrow.
“I’m not,” Liam snapped.
“You’re not telling me something.”
Standing straight, Liam clenched his jaw. “There’s nothing to tell.”
“Except?”
“Nothing.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“Then don’t!” Liam sighed in frustration, shaking his head. “I need to go. See you later.” And with that, he flicked his wand and vanished.
***
LIAM HAD SUNK LOW. He had gone out for a drink, because his ex-girlfriend was sleeping with her other ex-boyfriend. Jesse Kingston, out of all the men in the world.
He was sitting in a pub with a whiskey in his hands. He kept his gaze on the golden-brown liquid in the glass, swirling it.
He was an idiot. It had been his fault his and Ciara’s relationship had ended at all, because he had given away his most treasured memory. He had forgotten how much he loved Ciara only to impress his stupid boss.
Despite not acting on his feelings, he felt as though he was cheating on Iris. He loved Iris and never wanted to hurt her.
But he could no longer deny his feelings for Ciara. Feelings that were wrong.
He didn’t know how to get rid of them, and he was growing desperate. He had even considered trying to find an enchantment to forget again. But those enchantments were rare.
His work files would have helped him find an enchantment like that. But the risks were too high.
Enchantments weren’t that simple. There were side effects. In the worst case, he would forget everything, including his family and Iris. Perhaps even himself.
Liam rarely needed someone to talk to, but now was one of those moments. The problem was he didn’t know who to talk to.
Henry was out of question. It would have been wrong to put him in that position. Henry would see Iris at family gatherings, and he lived with Ciara.
Liam also didn’t fancy the idea of talking to his friends about his problem. They were more or less Iris’s friends, too. One of them might accidentally blurt it out to Iris when they got together for drinks.
Liam considered telling his mother, but he chose against it. Liam’s father wasn’t an option either.
Naturally he couldn’t talk to Ciara, either.
He had no one to talk to.
Liam sighed, staring at the empty glass in his hand. He tried to tell himself he could work it out. After all, he loved Iris, and they were planning their wedding.
But he hadn’t figured out how to get Ciara out of his mind.