Read The Candidate for Free Online Page B

here. Back. At last.
    Ginny looked up at his face. He seemed older, harder somehow. His jaw was set, his mouth clamped. But his eyes, as they looked back at her, were as she remembered, and full of sympathy.
    ‘Where have you been?’ Her voice was shaky. ‘You just disappeared.’
    ‘I know. I’m sorry, Ginny. But I’ve been busy. Working.’
    ‘What does that mean? Everyone works, Mac — but only you find it necessary to disappear for two years. I tried to call you … email … I thought we were friends.’
    ‘Ginny.’ He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, a casual gesture of a closeness nearly forgotten. ‘Of course, we’re friends. We’ll always be friends. But I couldn’t get in touch, it was just … impossible.’
    She shook her head, unconvinced. ‘So you decided to rock up to Dad’s funeral instead? Isn’t that all a bit melodramatic, Mac? Couldn’t you just have given me a call like a normal person?’
    He looked away. She wasn’t going to get the answers she wanted from him.
    ‘Mac.’
    He turned to face her again.
    ‘Don’t get me wrong. I’m glad you’re here. But it’s a bit of a shock.’ She paused. ‘How did you even know? About Dad?’
    ‘I caught up with some of the guys last night,’ he said quietly. ‘Paul told me about your dad.’
    ‘Right.’ Her voice was sharp; it stung that he hadn’t made contact with her first. ‘So it’s just me that you’ve disappeared on then? You still see the others?’
    Mac blew out a breath. ‘I don’t see much of anyone. And anyway, I wasn’t sure you’d want to see me. After last time.’
    They looked at one another.
    ‘I didn’t know where you were, Mac. I’ve missed you.’
    He nodded.
    ‘So … are you back? Or …?’
    ‘No, I’ve only got a few days off.’
    The relief she’d felt dissolved. ‘And then what? You just disappear again?’
    He shrugged, and looked over her shoulder.
    ‘Ginny?’ Miles called. ‘Are you ready?’
    Mac frowned. ‘He’s still hanging around then?’
    Ginny shook her head. ‘Don’t be a prick, Mac. You didn’t answer my question.’
    He looked back at her.
    ‘Are you planning on disappearing again?’
    ‘I can’t tell you, Ginn. I … can’t go into it with you.’
    ‘Can’t or won’t?’
    He shrugged.
    ‘For fuck’s sake, Mac.’ She stepped away. ‘Why even bother then? Why didn’t you just stay disappeared if that’s the way it is now?’
    ‘Jesus, Ginny, it’s your dad’s funeral.’ His voice was rising. ‘I couldn’t not be here.’
    ‘I don’t see how you get to make that call, Mac …’
    ‘Ginny!’ Miles was impatient. ‘Hurry up!’
    She half turned. ‘Wait, Miles. I’m nearly done.’ She faced Mac again.
    ‘Just go, Ginn. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come.’
    ‘Stop being so bloody magnanimous, Mac. It doesn’t suit you.’ She could feel tears begin to build. It was so unfair for him to just turn up like this, only to disappear again with no explanation, no promise of seeing her again. She couldn’t depend on him. He was making that abundantly clear, and it scared her.
    ‘Go then.’ She swiped at the tears. ‘Just bugger off.’
    ‘Ginn. Don’t be like that. I miss you, too. I wanted to see you, call — whatever. But I just couldn’t.’
    ‘Bullshit!’ She shoved against him as her sadness quickly turned to anger. ‘I needed you. And you weren’t bloody there.’
    ‘I told you, I’m sorry!’
    She shook her head and turned away.
    Mac grasped her hand then looked down, registering the diamond. ‘I don’t see why you’re so pissed off at me. It would appear Miles is looking out for you pretty well these days.’
    He couldn’t be further from the truth. There was no one looking out for her, certainly not the man who had given her the ring. Furious and overwhelmed, grief-stricken at having lost both her dad and — apparently — her best friend, she wrenched her hand free and slapped him hard across the face.
    ‘How dare you!