Promises (20 page)

“Hello?” c
alled a female voice. Worryingly, it came from Sol’s house, causing her to drop her book into her lap and glance up.

“Yes?”
A shiver of apprehension snaked down her back. The woman looked like a fashion model—tall, dark and devastatingly beautiful. Alex resisted the urge to put a bag over her head, instead pasting a smile on her face.

“I don’t suppo
se you know where Solomon is?” Sue’s gaze trawled over her, which wasn’t pleasant. Her teeth glowed against her dark skin in an appearance of a smile and her eyes were shards of glass that splintered over Alex.

“Er
, shopping maybe, why?” Alex wished she was wearing something other than a plain dress.

“Oh, it
’s just that he rang me. He asked me to meet him here.” A cold smile slid across her taut features. “I made the mistake of telling him I was in the UK. And, well, you know what men are like. He insisted that I come down here straight away.”

“Sorry
, I’m a bit confused. You’re saying you and Sol are an item?” A wave of sickness practically knocked her off her feet, and her hands began to shake.

“Of course
. It’s just a matter of time before the engagement’s official.” Sue flashed a grin, a smattering of brilliant white teeth against dark skin. “It’s just fortunate I’ve finished casting. He’s been nagging me over and over to meet with him.”

“Er
, c-casting?” Alex felt like a stuttering idiot.

“I’m a model
. A supermodel, actually. I command what I want.” She smiled down at her, a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

“And you’re
telling me you’re shacked up with a carpenter?” Alex shook her head in disbelief.

“A what?
Are you real? What gave you that idea?” Sue reacted in genuine amusement.

“Sol, he’s a carpenter
.” Slowing and faltering over the words, Alex suddenly realized there were an awful lot of holes in his story. Yet she’d accepted all of them.

“Honey, he’s a mul
ti-millionaire. Didn’t he tell you he owns the largest chain of hotels in the UK?”

Alex held her hand to h
er throat, wishing it were lies. But she knew it was true. Everything suddenly made sense—the hotel, the way people looked at them. They were never looking at her, only at him. And he’d lied! She shuddered at Sue’s use of the term “honey.” Sol always called her that. Now she knew why!

“
Ah, I see.” Sue flashed a sympathetic grimace. “He’s done this countless times, pretending to be someone he isn’t then moving on. It’s a game with him.” She looked down at Alex, pity etched on her face. “I hope you didn’t fall for him. I’ve told him to stop it, but for some unknown reason he gets a perverse pleasure out of it. Along with the sex, obviously.” Sue stared dispassionately at the woman before her who was breaking into a thousand fragments. Coldly, she examined her nails, then glanced back up at Alex to observe as the girl’s composure disintegrated before her eyes.

“
Let me get this straight. He’s not available, he’s with you. He’s not a beach bum, he’s a millionaire, correction, a multi one. And he’s got a voracious appetite for lying?” She cursed herself for falling for his act. She’d believed in him, loved him, trusted him, and for what?

“Ye
s, that just about sums him up,” agreed Sue, noticing how Alex paled.

Alex stared
blindly at her. Her mind swirled in a wretched mess. She felt sick. This was a nightmare, her worst. Her defences came crumbling down. Everything she’d hidden behind galloped to the forefront. Her mind screamed and the only thing that she could think of was getting away—far away and for good. She never wanted to see his lying face again.

Nodding
at the tall dark-haired woman, Alex wondered why Sol had spared so much as a glance for her with a woman such as this one to look at. She gave a wry grin, her eyes strangely dry, and she shrugged. Her life here was over.

“Tell him, tell him
 ….” Alex looked into the cold eyes of the woman and knew she wouldn’t relay anything. And did she want her to? What could she say to him after what he’d done to her? He’d ripped her heart out and left it bleeding. What more could she ask for? “Tell him goodbye!” Alex stumbled into the house, determined to be out of it as soon as possible.

* * *

Sue smiled and settled into the seat in the garden.
Game, set, and match
, she thought, heedless of the girl’s tattered emotions. All that concerned her was Sol and his arrangement with her. The red-haired bitch could burn in hell.

H
earing a car pull up, she wandered around to the front of the house. She callously observed as case after case was thrown into the waiting taxi. Alex paused and turned, giving one last fleeting glance before getting in.

It was over an hour later when the Por
sche came screaming up the road. The car shrieked to a halt and a car door slammed.

“What the hell are you doing here?” shouted
Sol, storming across the back of the house. A mist of perspiration settled over his face, his breathing was rapid, and his usual easy stride was stiff and rigid.

“I came to see you
,” Sue smiled, standing and swaying provocatively towards and against him.

“I’m not interested
. You’ve wasted your time,” he spat harshly, moving past her.

“I met your neighbour
,” she said and waited. “She seemed a bit upset when she left.” Sue was unprepared for the anger that Solomon unleashed.

“What the hell did you say to her?”
Suddenly turning, he held her shoulders in a pincer grip.

Sue
cowered beneath him, feeling afraid of him for the first time ever. “I told her we were an item.” She swallowed hard. “Which we are. You know that, honey.”

“Shut the hell up
! You’re nothing to me. Now what else did you say?” he snapped. His hand shaking, he brushed it across his eyes.

“She
thought you were a carpenter?” Sue’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “So I told her who you really are.”

“
Bastard bitch,” he yelled furiously, threading a trembling hand through his hair. “Get the hell away from me before I do something I regret.” His whole body was quivering and he slammed a fist into the door. The wood splintered and blood soaked his grazed knuckles. He paced around the small grassed area, all the while shooting glances over at Alex’s home.

Sue backed away warily.
She’d never seen him so out of control. Giving him one final glance, she ran for the safety of her car.

* * *

Alex had left two weeks ago and Sol was still anxiously waiting for her. Cursing that he didn’t have her mobile number, he wandered without direction down to the beach bar.

Tanya
sat looking out at the sea when he ambled up. She took in the sorry state of him and called him over. “Think you need a drink.”

“Think you’re right
,” he agreed, his mind full of images of Alex. What was she doing? Was she okay? It wasn’t about him at all. He was terrified for her.

“She’s gone
,” he said, stating the obvious.

Tanya
sucked from her straw. “I don’t know what you did to her, but it had to be bad.”

“What do you mean?” N
ot bothering to look at her, he stared down miserably at his drink. He was itching to go looking for her, but had no idea where to start. Instead, he sat not so patiently waiting for her to return home.

“I had a strange text,
but it might make sense to you.” She opened her mobile and gave it to him.

Solomon gazed at it, a lump in his throat
. “Leaving Brindley Bay forever. Guess I’m a swan.”

He glanced
up at Tanya, a shaft of fear lancing through him. He knew he wouldn’t like the answer to the question he was about to ask. “Why would she leave forever? What about her house?”

“Oh
, that. It’s not hers, she only rented it.” Her answer threw him into a blind panic. He’d wasted two weeks waiting for her to return, when she’d never intended to come back. For Christ’s sake!

“And her
job?”

“
She handed her notice in, just upped and left.”

C
allum glanced across at Solomon. Rising, he moved around the office. “You really need to eat, Sol, you’ve lost weight. You’ll be no good to anyone, the state you’re in.”

Sol glared at him and snapped, “If I want advice I’ll ask for it, so shut the fuck up.”

Callum winced at his words. “Why don’t you ring her?”

“I did
. She’s changed her number now,” he muttered, remembering the call and her words, which still had the power to bite into him.

“Hi Alex.
It’s Sol. I, er, got your number off Tanya,” he’d said to start off the conversation, if it could be called one. He’d held the mobile tight to his ear, his long strides releasing a restless energy as he had paced around the room.

“Oh right, the beach bum
who just happens to be a millionaire. You really took me in, Solomon.” Her voice was quiet, the words clipped and short. She stared out the window she stood alongside, looking up at the grey sky.

“I didn’t do it deliberate
ly, Alex. I was going to tell you.”

“Really, like when?
” she’d yelled, spinning away from the window. Breathing had suddenly become difficult and she snatched in great gasps of oxygen. “Before or after I met your girlfriend?” She brushed at the tears that dripped down her face. “I trusted you, loved you, believed in you, and for what!”

“Alex
, listen to me. Calm down.” Sol paused his pacing and rubbed his tired, burning eyes.

“Calm down! Are you for r
eal? You’ve taken me for a fool. Did you laugh about it with your high class friends? Well did you?” Her voice broke and a sob slipped through. She moved from the window and circled the small apartment, each step precise and rigid. “You promised me, Sol. You promised me your life, and now you’ve ended up destroying mine!” The tears dripped and fell, rolling down her cheeks unchecked. She gripped the phone, her knuckles white.

“Alex
, I love you. Don’t believe a word that Sue said. She’s not and never has been my girlfriend. Please?” He could hear her distress convulsing down the phone, making him want to throw up. He wanted to go to her, comfort her. The coil kicked into his stomach and he began his restless pacing again.

“You love
only yourself, Sol. But you’re happy to toy with whatever bitch you can get on her back.” She slumped down on the nearby chair. “But it won’t be me. Never ever again. You’ve taught me a valuable lesson.”

“P
lease, Alex, stop and think. Just meet me so we can talk about this,” he’d begged, knowing it was already a lost cause.

“Go to hell
, Solomon Avery!” Her reply came cold and clipped. “Millionaire, liar, first class bastard!”

“I’m already there
,” he said sadly.

“Good,
then welcome to my home!” She flung the phone across the room.

* * *

Alex lay back on the settee, staring blankly out at the grey sky, uncaring of the weather. In fact she didn’t give a toss about anything. She’d closeted herself away at her friend Ruth’s. It was an ideal choice because, as an air hostess, Ruth wasn’t there much, leaving the flat for her own use. However, she was due back later in the day. Alex heaved a sigh, knowing Ruth would start the lecture again. But Alex didn’t want to hear or listen to it again. She’d sent one text to her mother telling her not to worry and hadn’t contacted her since. For two weeks she hadn’t seen a soul, and that suited her. She preferred to wallow in her misery.

Rising, she
moved over to the window, pulled the curtain back, and stared listlessly outside. She had no interest in anything, not even food, and the weight had dropped off her. Leaning against the wall, she let the tears fall and cried for what might have been, and now never would be. She wondered if she’d ever feel alive again, but deep down she knew she was that swan they’d seen. A swan without its mate, left to languish and pine. It was just a shame he didn’t feel the same.

* * *

Solomon sat in the chair, staring at the photo of them, the only one he had, and shook his head in despair. Fiona had sent it to him, despite hearing about their breakup, and since then he’d feasted on it constantly. He fretted about where she was, what she was doing, if she was safe. That was the thought constantly battering him. His eyes burned from lack of sleep as he took another sip of whisky. Not even that heat could numb the pain he was in.

His
first call had been her mother. He’d sped there from the Bay once he’d realized Alex wasn’t coming back and Tanya had shown him the text. But neither Fiona nor her son could say where Alex had gone. It was as if she’d never existed, evaporating into thin air, leaving him with bittersweet memories and the one photo taken at the wedding.

Sol cursed Sue for poisoning her, and cursed himself for not telling Alex who he was sooner. But would she have been with him at all if she had known? Sol was at a loss.

At least he’d come clean to her mother. Sol remembered the shock on her face, how her overriding need for grandchildren was suddenly replaced by a greedy need to know how much money he had. As usual, she thought it was her God-given right to ask about the state of his bank account. The merest hint of a smirk landed on his face when he’d told her, and she’d gripped her throat and collapsed onto the settee. However, once over the initial shock, she’d moved back to her favourite subject. His fingers clenched at the memory of her words.

“Well at least you can afford IVF if either of you are not firing on all cylinders
,” she’d quipped. Fiona had no doubts that the two of them would work it out and get back together, even though her daughter was nowhere to be found. “Plus you can pay for her breast reduction.” That comment had earned her a black scowl from Sol.

His thoughts
remained on Alex, but a small voice at the back of his mind whispered that if she’d truly loved him, she’d have waited. Instead she’d taken the first opportunity to run. What about her promise to trust him? He shook his head. She did trust him; he was the one to break that trust.

H
e tossed the whisky back and threw the glass at the wall. He watched it smash and splinter into a myriad of tiny shards, as broken as he felt.

* * *

Ruth silently stole a look at Alex, realizing she had to pull herself together. She’d allowed her the space she needed to wallow in self-pity, but now she needed to move on. Put closure to it.

“
What are you going to do?” Ruth had to fetch up the question. “You know you can stay here for as long as you want. But I don’t think sleeping on the settee long term is a good idea.” She gently prodded Alex, needing her to come to the decision herself.

Alex moved away from the window she’d been
staring out of, watching the people below. She tugged at an errant strand of hair and pushed it apathetically behind her ear, then scrubbed a hand over her red-rimmed, watery eyes.

“
I’ll get a job, I guess. Don’t know what or where, though.” Slumping despondently down into the chair, she picked up the paper and glanced at the situation vacant section without interest. “With what they’re paying, I couldn’t afford a place to live. But one thing is for certain, I’m not moving back in with my mother. That’s one route I’m not going down.” She threw the paper back on the coffee table. “I’d rather sleep on the streets first. Can you imagine how she’d harp on about how I lost a good man? Yeah, ‘good’ my ass!”

“What about a live
-in type of job?” suggested Ruth, squinting at the pages before putting on the glasses she tried not to use. Vanity prevented her from admitting that her vision wasn’t as good as it had been.

“What
, like a housekeeper?” choked Alex. “I don’t do domestic. Don’t forget, messy is my middle name.”

“What about a waitress?”
Ruth’s eyes lit on the vacancy. “It’s a hotel, so maybe they’d have staff quarters.”

“Don’t ta
lk to me about bloody hotels!” Alex closed her eyes, squeezing them tight so no tears escaped.

“Look
, just because he makes his money from them doesn’t mean you can’t get a job there,” reasoned Ruth logically.

“I know
,” agreed Alex. “But what if I get the job then find out he owns it?”

“So?”
Ruth shrugged her small shoulders and took her glasses off, rubbing the bridge of her nose. “Firstly, there are hundreds of hotels in the UK. He can’t own them all. And secondly, so what if he does? You don’t honestly think he’s going to be staying there, do you?”

“I don’t know
.” She fiddled with the silver ring on her finger, twisting it around.

“
You need a job, and I’m not trying to hurry you, but I do need my own space.” Although Ruth had been away the majority of the time that Alex had been staying there, Alex’s constant moping about and her unwillingness to fend for herself was starting to grate on her. Alex had quit her job and fled her home without a thought about her future. While Ruth had been understanding for a time, she felt Alex should be past the point of coddling. Beyond that, Ruth was feeling guilty that she’d ignored Paul for so long and was amazed he was still keen after weeks of abstinence.

“Why didn’t you
tell me?” Alex glanced up, shock rolling across her face “Sorry, but I didn’t mean to crowd you.”

“It
’s not that,” Ruth assured her.

“Then what?”
Her brows arched and she clutched her throat “I mean, I know I’ve messed your apartment up, and the dishwasher is overloaded. But—”

“Hey, it
has nothing to do with the fact you’re a slob.”

“Then what is it?”

“I thought I’d give you time. But Paul, my, er, partner is missing his extra flight duties,” Ruth tried to explain as tactfully as she could, but was unable to stop from flashing a wide grin.

Ale
x looked up at this bit of news. “All these years I thought you batted for the other side. You never mentioned a relationship and I just kinda thought ….” She cocked her head. “So you mean you’re not?”

“No
, Alex, never have been. Just selective, much like yourself.” Ruth smiled and wrapped her arms around herself dreamily. “But you should see him, he’s gorgeous. Unfortunately, he is married, but I suppose I can’t have it all.”

“Aw
, sorry Ruth. Are you sure there’s a future with him? I mean, he has a wife and kids, too, I assume?”

“Yep
, two. He’s putting them through uni. He’s a lot older than me,” she admitted, the mere thought of him sending shivers down her spine. “But once they’re sorted he’s promised me he’s leaving her.” She looked at Alex, waiting for her condemnation. “And I believe him.”

Alex sighed
, doubting the truth behind the words. “At least one of us should end up in a secure, loving relationship. I hope it works out for you. I really do. I just pray he’s not like the asshole I’ve fallen for.”

Ruth saw the torment on her friend
’s face and wished she could conjure her misery away.

“I’ll ring tomorrow, see
what’s on offer.” Placing a hand on Ruth’s arm, Alex squeezed it. “I wish you’d told me sooner. I know damn well what it’s like for the well to run dry.” Alex gave a short chuckle at her own joke. For the first time in what felt like an age, her mouth moved into a semblance of a smile.

“Glad you haven’t taken offence.
I was dreading telling you.” Her brow furrowed. “But don’t think you’ve got to accept just anything. You know I’ll always be here for you.”

“I know
, Ruth. You’re about the only person I can rely on. Let’s keep our fingers crossed I get this job, though how the hell I’m going to cope as a waitress, god only knows.”

* * *

She was up early the following day. For the first time since her split from Solomon, she felt in control of her life and was determined to move on. Even if it was a menial job, it would be hers, and she was in charge of herself. A surge of confidence boosted her spirit as she punched in the number.

“Yes, that’s right, I was wondering if the position is still available
.” One part of her prayed it wasn’t, so she could hold her hand over heart and say she’d tried. The other part of her felt guilty for standing in the way of her friend’s sex life, or rather, demolishing it.

“Hmmm
, really, I’m glad to hear it. No, I haven’t any experience.” Maybe that fact would put a spanner in the works. “Oh, so I’ll be trained there, er, excellent. Tomorrow, um, yes of course I’ll be available for an interview. What, today? Yes, I can make it. Okay, see you then.” She jotted the time down, her stomach twisting. She hated interviews.

T
hen she thought of Solomon.

I
t was his fault she was in this position. She swore that if she ever saw him again she’d make him pay. But that part of her life was over, and it was time to go back to Roger. She’d rather remain a lonely old spinster than allow herself to be put through the emotional gamut again.

Then
she paused, reflecting. Was it all his fault? There had been no need to quit her house and job. She couldn’t blame Sol for her impulsive actions. The more she thought about it, the more she realized how rash and stupid it was. At some point she could have faced him, told him what she thought instead of upping and running. She sucked in a sigh. Okay, she was alone, but she would get this job and she would get on with her life. She felt a strange headiness and another rare jolt of confidence. And she smiled.