Beautifully Unbroken by D.M. Brittle Page A

told him where you were going and why.”
    “And she didn’t tell you either?” I asked, feeling anger once again building.
    “Nope.” Casey shook her head. “I had no idea where you were until Cooper rang me on the Saturday afternoon to ask whether I had heard from you.”
    “What!”
    “Blake got wasted – I mean, forget-your-own-name kind of wasted,” she said, wide eyed. “I have never seen him in such a state.” She reached over and took my hand. “Everyone saw him leave with Sara.”
    I was struggling to process everything. Sara had known that my dad was dying. She knew, yet she didn’t tell anyone? Instead she waited for Blake to get wasted and took him home. I felt sick.
    “So are they seeing each other? Are they a couple?” I asked, not sure I wanted to know the answer.
    Casey shook her head. “No, it was just that one time. She has a habit of turning up wherever he is and making out like they’re together, but I know he wouldn’t lie to Alex, and he said it was just that one time.”
    I looked over at Casey, who seemed to be remembering something. “What is it?”
    “The day after the party, I overheard him in Alex’s apartment. I walked in after I had spoken to you on the phone, and he was telling Alex about the night before. He was saying how much he regretted it because he had fallen for someone else and that even though he wasn’t sure she felt exactly the same, he couldn’t stop thinking about her. He said he felt as though he had betrayed this someone else even though they weren’t actually together.” Realization dawned on Casey’s face. “It’s obvious now that he was talking about you.” She shook her head. “I walked over and told them both that I had just gotten off the phone to you and that you had taken the call about your father at the party. Thinking back now, it was obvious. He got up off the sofa and seemed agitated; he obviously realized that Cooper had just helped you. He stormed out, and Alex found him later at Sugar Lounge; he was wasted yet again, completely out of it.”
    “Oh God,” I said quietly.
    “He feels terrible, Jo,” Casey said carefully. “You do know he doesn’t do relationships, don’t you?”
    “I know. I should have realized he was no different just from the fact that he doesn’t date. I just felt he was different.” I frowned.
    “He has changed, Jo; how he feels for you has changed him. He wants you.”
    “It’s too late. Thank God I found out what he’s like before I fell into that trap again.”
    “It’s not his fault,” Casey stressed. “Sara knew about your father and didn’t say anything. What kind of a person does that?”
    “He still jumped straight into bed with her,” I said sadly.
    “You need to talk to him, Jo.”
    “I don’t think so,” I laughed as I stood and went to empty my plate into the bin.
    “Tonight, at Alex’s birthday meal, he will be there.”
    I had completely forgotten what date it was. This had been arranged for a while now; Alex was thirty today. Casey had arranged a meal at his favourite Italian restaurant, and then we were heading back to one of Alex’s clubs for a private party.
    “Casey, I’m so sorry; I kind of have plans already tonight.”
    “How? You only got back last night.” she said in disbelief.
    “I ran into Cooper this morning. I promised him a thank-you dinner for being a good friend to me the night I had to go back to London.”
    Casey smiled. “Perfect. Bring him along. Show Blake what he’s missing out on.” Casey rubbed her palms together in excitement.
    “I’m not going to use Cooper to get to Blake, Casey; that’s not fair.”
    “You won’t be using him; you will be thanking him for what he did. And Blake would be seeing what a dick he has been by hopping into bed with Sara at the first opportunity.”
    “I don’t like it; it’s not right,” I replied.
    “And Blake sleeping with Sara was?”
    “Blake and I were never official; he can sleep with who he