Livi toyed with her glass of water. “I don’t think so. Too much to do here.”
“I thought you wanted to spend some time with him.” I’d decided to push her on this. Lawrie had been around less than ever. There had been a time when we’d seen subtle signs of affection between them, and although there was no animosity, that affection was minimal now.
“I do. We both do. He’s just busy with work and when we talked about it, we figured that if I went, I’d be on my own for most of the time. He’s discussing an investment in a hotel there, and he’ll be in meetings most of the time. His CFO’s going too, so I’d be pretty much redundant.” She smiled and shrugged. “And I know we don’t spend all day every day together, but it’s nice being around my girls. I’m really enjoying having you both here.”
I dodged her hook to talk about something else. “Why did you want to go with him in the first place?”
“We need to be together a bit more.” Her smile was watery.
“Livi, is he cheating?” There was no point being subtle anymore. She knew I was trying to find out what was going on.
My mother had always had a policy of not lying to us, apart from about Santa Claus, who she still tried to pretend was real.
“I don’t know.” Her jaw clenched. “I think he might be.”
“Is that why you wanted to go with him?”
“Not the only reason. We’re drifting and this is becoming a relationship of convenience. I understand that people don’t always stay faithful, Jameson, and a marriage doesn’t have to rely on people being faithful to work – we don’t live in medieval times anymore – but it needs to have honesty and a spark.” She looked out towards the sea. “And sometimes you need to press the reset button on your relationship, which is what we intend to do.”
“Will he be here for the party weekend?”
“Absolutely. He’s promised me that.”
I nodded, my head reeling with what she’d said. “Did you and Gav cheat?”
Livi laughed. “I knew one day you’d ask me that.”
“Did you?”
“It wasn’t cheating, Jay Jay. We had an open relationship later on in our marriage. We still have now.” She gave a smile that was far too much like a Pandora’s Box. There were secrets in it that I wasn’t sure I ever wanted to know.
More than a couple of years ago, my parents had spent a weekend together here. Gav had flown out, wanting to use the studio to record some songs, and Livi had been here alone. I’d dropped by unexpectedly, breaking up a long journey to Jaipur with a much needed long weekend in the sun.
They’d only been using one bedroom.
I’d kept that information to myself, not even telling Lala, knowing how her head imploded with anything to do with our parents being together.
“Do you still sleep with Dad?” I opened the box, unable to resist.
She looked at me, her head tipped slightly to one side, as if she was evaluating what the fallout would be from her answer.
“Yes.”
I swallowed and wished there was some Long Island in my iced tea.
“Does, I don’t know, does Lawrie know?”
“Not in detail. He knew the relationship with Gav was complicated when I met him. If anyone ever tells you that love is easy, Jay Jay, they’re lying. It isn’t. Black and white doesn’t ever exist; sex is for pleasure and for power. Marriage is something completely different. No more talk of Lawrie or your dad, not like that anyway.” She sat back, her gaze back on the sea. “Lara has been telling me about the bartender who’s opened Còctels in Santa Gertrudis. I’m going to ask him to organise the drinks for the party weekend.”
I took this redirection happily. “I think he’s something to do with the Kelly family who ownEl Jove. At least he used to work there.”
“Probably. I think most people on the island have worked forEl Joveor one of their other places. What’s he called?” She picked up her book, a interior design hardback written by one of her friends who was still married to an ex-bandmate of Gav’s.
“Tommy. I don’t know his last name. If you’re asking him to do the bars for the weekend, shouldn’t you know who he is?”
Livi laughed. “I know he has Còctels. I was planning to turn up there and speak with him. Some things are better done in person.”
“He’ll probably say no.” He’d struck me as not really needing an event like what Livi had planned. “I think he’ll have better things to do.”
