“I just wanted to check on you,” Peyton said, breathlessly. “Alfie just dropped me off at the airport, but I wanted to make sure you were okay before I got on the plane.”
“I’m fine,” I said and trailed a hand down the wooden banister. “Alfie was kind enough to let me stay here for the night while I think about a few things.”
“I know. He told me on the car ride back to London.”
I smiled a little. “I’m glad he took you back. I’m sorry. I should’ve taken you myself since you came out here to see me.”
“Oh, don’t worry about it,” Peyton said. Voices echoed in the background. “I got to spend time with you, and I don’t blame you at all. Harry’s a prick. Even his own former friend doesn’t understand what happened to him.”
“It’s a mystery,” I said.
I didn’t have any answers either besides perhaps too much alcohol, money, and bad company. Those groomsmen were the worst characters. They cheated on their girlfriends. They drank all the time. I had no idea why Harry craved their company over everyone else’s—including Alfie’s.
“Alfie seems like a good man,” Peyton said. “I really enjoyed his company on the drive to London. He was going to stay somewhere in Ashburton tonight to give you some space to think.”
“I know. He is a good man.”
I chewed on my bottom lip anxiously as I thought of tomorrow morning. What would I honestly say then? I had no idea where I was going to besides possibly back to America to start a new life again. My job was flexible, at least in that sense. I wasn’t even sure what motives Alfie honestly had for letting me stay here. While I gathered that Alfie had changed over the years, I was still a bit cautious when it came to him.
I wasn’t much of a better person by hanging around my ex-fiancé’s former best mate. It was tempting, too. He was incredibly attractive, sexy, and so confident in where he was in life. I loved that about him.
Bad idea, Molly. Don’t go into that area of your brain.
“I can literally hear the wheels in your brain turning,” Peyton said, teasingly. “I wouldn’t judge you if you slept with Alfie. In fact, I think you should do it.”
I rolled my eyes. “I can’t just jump into Alfie’s arms. I’ve only been separated from Harry for a little over two hours now.”
“So? What better way to get over someone than by sleeping with a gorgeous man who is guaranteed to piss off Harry in the process?”
“I’m not after blood, Peyton. I don’t care what Harry does anymore.”
“I don’t believe your façade of strength,” she said, sighing. “Whatever. As long as I know you’re okay, then I’m going to let it go.”
“I’m going to be fine,” I said, assuredly. “I just need a few days to regroup on what I want to do, so don’t worry about me. Have a safe flight back.”
“I will. The offer is always there if you want to come visit for a little bit.”
“Thanks. I might take you up on that someday soon.”
We hung up after I promised to call with my plans even though I had none. I was stuck in a horrible limbo of between my past life and future. It felt even stranger to be roaming through an empty house that belonged to Harry’s former friend.
I found a small library and nook that was stocked well with various books. I spent the next hour browsing through several subjects on Astrology. It seemed odd that a man like Alfie would be into Astrology, but I found it also endearing at the same time. He believed in fate and the stars.
Romantic. My lips curved up as I clicked the light off in the small library before venturing down to the guest room. It was pitch-black downstairs, but I managed to find my way through the dark hallways back to the guest room. Throwing a couple of logs into the fireplace, I collapsed on the large bed to stare up at the moonlight dancing across the ceiling.
I didn’t let my brain go to that bitter part that wanted to remind me I should have been married right now. I let a dreamless sleep take over me, instead.
> Chapter Five
Alfie
Ashburton, England
The hotel lobby was thankfully empty when I reached the front desk the next morning after a long night of tossing and turning thanks to the sound of Harry’s drunk voice. I had no idea if he knew I was staying at the hotel too, but he never once pounded on my door. I did hear a gaggle of females though around 2:40 a.m., along with the other groomsmen though, so that comforted me a little bit. He was too drunk and distracted to think of anyone else in the hotel.
It made me sick to my stomach thinking of Molly running away in her wedding dress, all her dreams of a beautiful wedding pissed on because of Harry. No one deserved that type of heartache.
William had called to inform me that Molly had indeed shown up for the evening. They didn’t have any clothes for her, but at least she had a robe and a place to stay away from the chaos of what happened.