'You're late,' Katherine said as Joe came in. 'I called you three times and you didn't answer.' She hated that she sounded so accusatory but she'd been looking forward to spending the evening together. She'd wanted to tell him where she was at with the wedding plans and get a bit of his input, it was their wedding after all.

'Sorry my phone was on silent,' Joe said going into the kitchen and switching the kettle on.

She looked at him standing with his back to her and her exasperation spilt over. 'Have you been out drinking? You could have invited me along.'

Except she really didn't like his friends so no wonder he didn't think to.

He turned around, his eyes briefly meeting hers. 'Sorry, I met up with Shannon. I didn't think you'd want to join us,' he admitted as the kettle boiled.

'Shannon?' Her throat constricted with dread. 'You've been drinking with Shannon?'

'I met her for coffee this afternoon.'

'It's now well into the evening,' she said her voice shrill.

'I went onto a bar with some of the guys.' She looked at him, her frustration bubbling, he was being unbelievably reticent.

'And you couldn't call and let me know you were staying out with the guys?' she said her lips pursing. 'Anyway which guys? And why did you meet up with Shannon? What was that all about?' She took a few deep breaths, telling herself to calm down.

'I met up with Donnie and some friends of his, I don't know them so well,' he said with a vague shrug of his shoulders. 'Sorry I didn't let you know.'

'That's your third sorry,' she snapped her temper flaring. 'I don't give a damn about Donnie and his friends. I want to know what the hell you were doing meeting Shannon, and why didn't you tell me?'

Joe looked at her blankly. 'I didn't tell you cos it's no big deal, I told you she was a friend.'

'I thought she was more like a passing acquaintance nowadays? I certainly didn't agree for you to be meeting up with her which is obviously why you didn't tell me.'

She folded her arms across her chest waiting for him to contradict her.

'I'm telling you now Kat,' he said ignoring the boiled kettle and getting a beer out of the fridge instead.

Her jaw clenched along with her hands. 'Well, I don't want you seeing her. At least not without me being present.' She didn't care how unreasonable that sounded, it was disrespectful him meeting up with his ex.

'Kat she was my best friend,' Joe said softly.

'She's your ex-girlfriend,' Kat spat, trying her hardest not to yell.

'Yeah and before that she was my best friend.'

His words cut into her like a knife. 'That's news to me, I thought Donnie was your best friend.'

'He is now. But growing up Shannon was, and then we got together and she was both.' She almost wondered if he was trying to hurt her?

She watched as be began to drink his beer, it was as if he had no idea of the effect his words had had on her.

Maybe he didn't know her at all...

'So you think you can be best friends with Shannon again?' she asked finding her voice. She fake laughed, hell would freeze over before she accepted that.

'No probably not,' he said in a tone that suggested he didn't care.

'So why did you meet up?' she asked letting out the breath she didn't realise she'd been holding. 'What did you talk about?'

'Just this and that,' Joe said loosening his tie. 'She's going through a hard time.'

'Why have I got to drag this out of you?' she asked her impatience spilling over.

'It's not my place to break Shannon's confidences.'

His mild tone made her even more pissed off. 'Shannon's confidences?' So another woman was confiding in her partner and he thought his loyalty lay with her. 'We're getting married and you think it's appropriate to have your ex-girlfriend confiding in you? And for you to keep her secrets?'

'I'm not going to tell you what she said,' he replied irritation creeping into his voice. 'If she wants you to know she'll tell you herself.'

Katherine scoffed. 'We're getting married, surely she doesn't think you'll not tell me?' If Shannon did think that she was trampling all over her boundaries.

Joe looked at her his eyebrows furrowed. 'I don't know what Shannon thinks but there's no reason for me to tell you.'

'Well I want to know,' she insisted. If he hadn't been so evasive she wouldn't have been half as interested. He must be hiding something.

Joe looked at her for a long time. 'You know I think we have different ideas about what being in a relationship means,' he said quietly.

'We never used to,' she said fear seeping through her.

'Right now you sound like you want to control my whole life, this isn't what I signed up for.'

Bile rose up in her throat. 'What are you saying Joe?'

'I think we need to reconsider the wedding.'

~~~~

Joe could see the colour drain from Katherine's face and he felt terrible.

'What do you mean?' she asked her voice barely audible, and he shrugged helplessly. He knew he should come clean and confess, it was the fairest thing to do. He couldn't pretend that Shannon was a one-night thing, he wanted to see her again.

'Kat we seem to have some pretty different ideas about what being in a relationship means,' he settled on saying. He didn't want to hurt her with the actual truth, she'd be blindsided.

Katherine swallowed hard, her eyes glassy. 'We never used to. I tell you everything but since Shannon's come onto the scene you're acting all secretive.'

'No I'm not,' he said, his guilt making him defensive. He was lying and he wasn't being fair. Kat wasn't at fault, he was.

'You're lying to me,' she said her voice breaking. 'You tried to hide that you were meeting Shannon, you won't tell me what she said, and now you're saying you don't want to marry me anymore.' The tears that had been threatening to fall now ran down her face. She looked so miserable that Joe wrapped his arms around her, wanting to console her.

'It's not that I don't want to get married exactly,' he said running his hand through her hair. 'But lately we seem to have some pretty different outlooks on things.' He hated how reasonable he sounded but Kat looked wretched and he couldn't tell her the truth.

'So you want to postpone the wedding?' She looked at him, sadness etched in her face.

'I think we need to sort some stuff out,' he said prevaricating at the moment of truth. 'I don't think we need to do anything hasty.' He knew if they cancelled the wedding their relationship would be over, and he wasn't entirely sure he was ready for that. When he was was with Shannon he was sure she was the one he wanted but he wasn't convinced she felt the same. She was obviously mixed up and maybe on the rebound?

'Joe if you want to call it off I'd rather know now,' Katherine said sounding stronger again, he knew she hated indecisiveness.

'No but I think we have a few issues to deal with. I don't want to start our marriage off on the wrong foot, how shit would that be?' She looked like she was somewhat reassured and he knew he was being unfair to both women. Maybe he needed to get Shannon out of his system and he could go back to being happy with Kat again.

Katherine pressed her fingers to her temple. 'I'm getting a headache, I'm going to go to bed,' she said and he knew she was lying. However, he let her go since he shouldn't have mentioned the wedding until he had half an idea of what he wanted to do. Now Kat was all churned up and he was responsible.

He picked up his phone and he couldn't resist texting Shannon. 'Can't wait to see you again babe xxx'.

He was pleased when she instantly replied with, 'yeah me too xoxo'. He deleted the messages and got another beer out of the fridge. He sat down and contemplated the whole situation. It was so messed up. He was behaving in a way that was against all he believed in but he didn't want to give Shannon up just yet.

~~~~

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