Never mind kissing her – he’d wanted to back her up against the door frame, run his fingers through that impossibly glossy chestnut hair, press their bodies close and promise her the world. Promise her everything he could humanly give her. Like he’d done with Natalie.
But he’d clearly failed to give Natalie what she needed. So, what made him think he’d do any better for Fran? What made him think it would be any different?
He’d forced himself to pull away from her, focusing on investigating the next room along the hallway, walking away before he made a colossal mistake. There was no way he was going to ruin another woman’s life. No way he was going to put himself through the heartache all over again.
This impromptu visit … this whole day … it had been a mistake.
Back at the Chateau les Champs d’Or, Johnny felt the tightness of the muscles in his jaw as he went through the motions, thanked Fran for her company, smiled and said he hoped they’d catch up later. Hoped she’d enjoyed the afternoon, hoped whenshe found Red again that all was well with the cat. Gave her, in effect, the gentlest brush-off he could manage.
Johnny watched her walk away. He’d made the right decision. If he kept telling himself so, he was sure he’d believe it, eventually. His real life beckoned. Dreams of a new relationship, a new life at Chateau des Rêves were just that. Dreams. Time to get things back on track.
Johnny headed for the bar – he needed something strong to settle himself down. Cognac. With plenty of ice.
With his order setting the bartender to work, Johnny glanced around. Close to the open doors at the far end of the room, he could see Ed and Ricky, facing someone seated in a high wingback chair. The stretch of leg Johnny could see was definitely Noel’s, as was the level of attention with which the seated man held the other two’s gaze.
With the glass of V.S.O.P. in his hand, Johnny headed for the group.
None of the men noticed his approach, Ed and Ricky fixed on whatever it was Noel was saying. Johnny caught some of his brother’s slurred words as he reached the group.
‘There was always something about her, something I couldn’t ignore. I know it was wrong, but there were feelings – it went both ways, I was sure of it. Boys, there’s no way I would have gone there, no way I would have messed with Johnny’s marriage otherwise.’ Noel paused. ‘And now? It’s all gone to shit, and I don’t know what to do.’
The look of horror on Ricky’s face as he clocked Johnny’s arrival, the scrabble to let Noel know who was standing right behind his chair, it all told Johnny that he hadn’t misheard.
His stomach dropped, the sweat in his armpits turning cold and clammy as the impact of those words and what they were likely to have meant hit Johnny with the force of a blast of cold water.Draining his drink in a single mouthful, he clattered the tumbler onto the low table and turned to Noel.
‘You are fucking joking me, aren’t you?’ Johnny’s question was rhetorical. ‘Outside, Noel. Right now.’
With no idea what was going to come next, Johnny bundled Noel out through the bifold doors, across the patio and away into the gardens.
‘What the hell, Johnny. Why are we out here?’
Because what he’d just heard could be about to take a sledgehammer to everything Johnny thought he understood about his life, and he didn’t want it happening in front of a roomful of people.
Johnny shoved at Noel, sending him into a low lavender bush. Branches and twigs popped and cracked under Noel’s feet as he fought to remain upright. He was way more than three sheets to the wind as he stumbled around, then turned his lack of balance into a stupid little dance.
‘Was it you?’ Johnny said, ice cold as he waited for an answer.
The dancing stopped, and Noel couldn’t look him in the eye.
‘Was it you with Natalie?’ Johnny repeated the question, with as much clarity as he could bear to voice.
‘You weren’t supposed to find out.’
Johnny could barely breathe. The idea of his wife and his brother together was strangling him. ‘What the hell does that mean? You and my wife have an affair and the only thing you’re concerned about is the fact that I found out?’
‘We couldn’t help it; we both caught such strong feelings.’ Noel sniffed, wobbled a little before regaining his balance.
‘And what about my feelings? What about Estelle? You’re not living on some reality show likeLove Island, Noel, this is real life. My life. Your life.’ Johnny was having trouble processingany of it. ‘Christ alive, what about having one another’s back? When did that concept leave the building?’
‘It’s been tearing me apart,’ Noel said, his chin dipping as he looked away.
‘Tearingyouapart?’ Johnny’s temper bubbled, then erupted. ‘You are a fucking arsehole.’
Johnny let fly with his fists, pummelling in the direction of Noel’s face, making enough contact to feel the force of the impact ricocheting through the splinter wounds on his palm. But even 99 per cent rat-faced, Noel was still a better fighter than Johnny, a blow landing squarely on Johnny’s jaw, jabbed upwards with enough force to make his teeth clatter together. His ears exploded with a squeal of sound, and he juddered backwards, becoming aware of other hands, other voices, people who weren’t him or Noel coming between them and pulling them apart.
Penny was so fit to pop with gossip by the time she found Fran, she was bobbing up and down on the spot.
‘Did you hear?’
