Commitment

Chapter One

Eddie Conway was not overly comfortable being surrounded by his family and friends, most of whom, he had hardly kept in touch with over the last five years.

In truth he couldn't be bothered with it all.

But after getting a lectured over the phone from both his parents a few weeks ago, reminding him of his family obligation's, and that he really did have to turn up for his younger sister Sarah's wedding, he found he had no choice but to attend it, just to keep them all of his back.

He had baulked at the idea of turning up on his own, so he had managed to use all his persuasive powers, and he had cajoled one of his female police colleagues, Cassie Murray, to accompany him.

She had reluctantly given in to him, even though she had not quite forgiven him yet for taking advantage of her drunken state a few weeks back at a party, so he ended up getting her into his bed,  then he had totally ignored her a few days after that, as if she didn't exist.

 So, when he had approached her at the start of the week, all apologies for the incident, she had her suspicions. After all, everyone in the Police station where they worked, knew the only person Eddie Conway cared about was himself.

But he had claimed that he really liked her a lot, it was just he was so busy with his workload of late,  which had meant he hadn't had time to give her  any attention.  In the end, she had decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. But now she was feeling stupid for doing so, as she realised that once again, he had just taken advantage of her good nature, and was only using her for his own convenience.

She thought he was softening up a bit, especially  when he had told her he wanted  to bring her along to his sister's wedding, to meet his family. She supposed he had thought of her of some importance in his life if he wanted to introduce her to his family, but then, the realisation set in now, that there was tension between Eddie and his family, who were coming across somewhat aggrieved that he had more or less neglected them over the years, when pursuing his police career, and  they were taking this opportunity when he turned up for the wedding to let him know, with several little digs about his absence in their lives

So, it was just shortly after they had arrived at his sister's wedding reception, it had started to slowly dawned on Cassie, that it had turned out that  Eddie had just wanted her along because he did not want to have to face his family on his own,  and her presence, was just his way of hoping that they  wouldn't hassle him in front of her. After all, she was a stranger amongst them.   But, even though her attendance by his side, had stopped them being completely forthright, it had not stopped the resentment slipping through as the day went on, with the little jibes about Eddie being a great detective, but a lousy son and brother, who couldn't keeping in touch with his family.

So Cassie had sat through the meal, and the toasts and the speeches, pretending she was enjoying herself, whilst inwardly, she was feeling more and more pissed with Eddie, who was making it clear that he didn't really want to be there with his family, any more than she did.  On top of that, It didn't help he kept pointing out to everyone when he introduced her to people, that they were not an together as such, and Cassie was only a colleague and friend from work who he was friendly with.

'More like the sucker,' she found herself inwardly seething. Which was why, when she manage to get him alone outside the function room, away from his friends and relatives, she decided to give him a piece of her mind.

"I might have known you were only using me once again," she hissed at him angrily.

Eddie's grey green eyes widened questioningly, "What are you on about?"

"Bringing me here under the pretence that you really interested in me, and trying to make out you were wanting to introduce me to your family... It's all a bloody sham, and you know it is, so don't try and deny it." she warned.