‘But it’s a good thing, surely, given that she’s happily married?’ Rose tugged her hat off, leaving her curls wild around her head.
‘Exactly. Thank you Rose.’ I glared at Sam menacingly. ‘My husband is something you seem to have conveniently forgotten about during this whole interrogation.’
‘Moi?’ Sam said, feigning indignation.
‘Yes, you know what you’re like Sam. Anything for a bit of juicy gossip.’ Rose turned to me. ‘But E, what on earthisAdam doing here?’
‘I honestly don’t know. I legged it,’ I admitted sheepishly.
Rose studied me questioningly. ‘But?’
‘But what?’
‘Come on, we know you, remember? There’s no way you saw Adam Bowers and felt nothing at all.’ She nodded at me. ‘Look how flustered you are. You don’t get that flustered when you see Mr Higgins walking his dog along the road do you?’
I grinned at the thought of our old geography teacher Mr Higgins setting anyone’s pulse racing. ‘I couldn’t let him see me,’ I said. ‘I couldn’t breathe.’
Rose crossed her legs and leant her chin on her fist. ‘I wonder where he’s been all this time.’
‘We know where he’s been Rosie,’ Sam cut in. ‘Travelling round the world playing his guitar and spreading his seed far and wide. The question is, why is he back?’
We fell silent for a few minutes, then Sam spoke.
‘When did you last Google him?’
I looked up indignantly. ‘I don’t Google him!’
‘Yeah you do. So come on, how long’s it been?’
I sighed. ‘Not for at least a year.’
Sam looked impressed. ‘Wow, that’s very restrained.’ He stood, walked across the room and returned with his iPad. ‘Let’s look him up.’
‘No!’ I cried.
Sam’s fingers hovered in mid-air. ‘What do you mean, no?’
‘Honestly Sam, please don’t do it.’
Sam put the iPad down slowly and twisted round to face me. ‘This has really rattled you, hasn’t it?’
I nodded.
‘And I take it you haven’t mentioned this to Greg?’
I looked up. ‘Of course not. I came straight here.’
Beside me, Rose nodded. ‘Wise decision.’
‘Poor Greg though,’ Sam said.
‘Why poor Greg?’
‘Well, you know.’ He shrugged. ‘He always hated Adam for being the man you loved more than him, didn’t he?’
‘Sam!’ Rose said.
‘What? It’s true.’ He held his hands up in protest. ‘I’m not saying you don’t love Greg, E, I’m just saying, this isAdam. The love of your life Adam, who you had a mad, passionate affair with. Greg was your rebound guy who stuck around, and he knows it.’
