‘All I ask is that you don’t lose sight of us.’ Owen reached out to hold her hand. ‘And I love you too.’
Without giving it a second thought, Roxi pushed her plate to one side, moved around the table and straddled him on his chair. She slipped her tongue in his mouth and her hand down the front of his chinos. His arousal was immediate. He reciprocated with his own hand, and within moments, she had pushed the rest of the dishes to one side and was lying flat on her back on the dining-room table, while Owen hitched up her skirt and moved his head between her legs.
She purposefully made enough noise to be picked up by the Audite and it wasn’t long before Owen was inside her for the first time in as long as she could remember. Sex with him was never an unpleasant experience – but then neither was getting a dental descaling or repainting a wall, yet she wouldn’t want to do them every day. But if it kept Owen happy and his attention on her, it was a sacrifice she might have to make more often. She wondered what she used to think about when they had made spontaneous love in the past because, now, she was consumed by how cold the table felt on her exposed bum and whether the dishwasher would need to go on a full or half cycle later. Soon after, she pretended to climax as she knew that her deep moans and groans never failed to tip Owen over the edge. She wondered if his mistress Cooper had learned this trick yet.
‘Oh, guess what?’ she asked as they slipped their clothes back on. ‘We’ve been offered a few days away on a spa break in the Lake District if you fancy it? As long as you don’t mind me filming some content while we’re there.’
‘Perfect. I could do with a pampering. And just think of the fun we’ll have in that hotel room without the kids.’ He winked.
‘I can’t wait,’ she said through gritted teeth. ‘I’ll book it tomorrow. It’ll be a midweek treat. Perhaps Wednesday to Saturday?’
‘Midweeks aren’t great for me at the moment,’ he replied and returned to his seat and his dinner.
‘Oh, why’s that?’
‘I’ve just got . . . a lot on.’
‘Can’t you take a couple of days off?’
‘What about a long weekend, I could take a Friday and a Monday off?’
‘But not a Wednesday or a Thursday?’
‘I’m sorry, but no.’
Roxi’s heart sank and, still semi-naked, she suddenly felt very exposed.
49
Jeffrey
The silence was heavy and stifling as Jeffrey carried threecups of peppermint tea on a tray from the kitchen and into the garden. He felt Noah’s eyes burrowing into him as he placed it on a table, took a seat sheltered from the sun by the canopy and turned his tablet on.
He looked to Luca then Noah. Their present demeanour was far removed from when he’d first met them and he’d catch them holding hands or giving each other a reassuring pat on the arm. Luca appeared uneasy, but Noah’s expression and body language was tense. He tapped his index finger against his thigh as if waiting for this afternoon’s session to begin. But Jeffrey was in no hurry. He was savouring the awkwardness. He took his time as he casually opened a page of notes and pretended to read them, as if reminding himself of what they had discussed yesterday. ‘Right,’ he said breezily, ‘where shall we begin?’
‘How about with me being called into my hospital’s Human Resources department this morning for an informal “chat” about my marriage?’ Noah asked.
‘And how did that go?’ said Jeffrey.
‘Well, let’s see. First, my manager told me she’d been informed Luca and I had been Levelled up. Then she asked if there was anything the hospital could do to help. I told her no, it was a misunderstanding that would be sorted out soon.’
‘That doesn’t sound too bad,’ said Luca.
‘I haven’t got to the best bit yet.’ Noah ceased to temper his tone. ‘Now imagine a woman old enough to be my grandmother reading from a list and asking me if I’m a “top or a bottom” and whether we’ve tried “S and M”, “watersports” or “rimming” to spice up our sex life? Then imagine her turning the computer monitor around to show me artists’ illustrations of suggested sex positions. Does that still not sound “too bad”?’
‘Oh my God,’ said Luca, covering his face with his hands. Jeffrey couldn’t be sure but Luca appeared more amused than annoyed.
‘I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me.’
‘Why did she do that?’
‘Because to remain on the Sanctity of Marriage Act’s five hundred Best Businesses list and get more Government funding, the hospital has to be seen to be providing a duty of care to their staff. Divorcees have a negative impact on their reputation and, these days, no one wants to work for a company that can’t look after its own, even if it’s in the old part of town. It’s why they organize those bloody awful mandatory family fun days every summer. If they slip off that list, they’ll get even less funding.’
‘I am sorry the work we’re doing here has had such a negative impact on you,’ said Jeffrey, ‘but I’m sure that HR is just following protocol.’
‘What did you tell her?’ Luca asked Noah.
‘That it wasn’t a conversation I wanted to have, and I asked to leave. She didn’t try and stop me.’ Noah looked to Jeffrey, as if daring him to scold him. ‘Well?’ he asked.
