‘This one.’ She picked up the yellow shirt that she’d put down earlier. ‘Makes me think of you as a lion,’ she purred up at him, easily distracted from teasing Steve.
When Leo looked back, to his very great relief, Anna and Steve were already moving back through the French windows. Great. Anna seemed very uptight. Was she pissed off with him? They’d been in a really good place this last few weeks and he’d been enjoying her company.
‘Your flatmate is very pretty,’ said Zdenka, her eyes beadily watching his like a blackbird spotting a worm.
Leo gave a non-committal smile.
‘It must be hard living with her.’
‘Not really,’ said Leo, his heart sinking as he saw Steve returning to the roof terrace and realised that he was coming to retrieve a stray can of Coke. He’d just picked it up as Zdenka said, ‘I don’t believe you. There’s still chemistry there. Michaela told me that you and Anna used to be married.’
Steve dropped the can of Coke and it exploded on the stone tiles, spinning round, spraying fizzy soda everywhere. Leo swallowed and closed his eyes, unable to believe that the words had been released, like the proverbial genie.
Steve looked at him, his face turning puce, his shoulders hunching up around his ears, reminding Leo of an angry wrestler.
‘What the––? You and Anna? You’re fucking kidding me.’
He marched over and took a swing at Leo, who tried to move but was caught squarely on the chin. Steve packed a bit of power and Leo lurched backwards, landing on the table, which promptly collapsed under him with a crash.
Zdenka stepped back out of the way, her hand over her mouth.
‘Steve! What are you doing?’ Anna came rushing out, her appalled gaze zipping between Leo on the floor and Steve nursing his knuckles. She stood between the two of them. Leo wanted to close his eyes, to avoid the coming car crash. Anna’s face was lined with confusion and anxiety.
‘Is it true?’ Steve demanded, his head lifted like a pugnacious boxer ready to take another swing.
‘Is what true?’ Anna’s voice quavered.
‘Him and you.’ Steve’s finger pointed at Leo and then at Anna, contempt scoring angry lines into his face.
Anna’s eyes shifted to Leo, a guarded expression settling in her eyes. He saw her swallow.
‘You were married to him?’ Steve spat the question as if the words were pure poison.
She met his eyes and nodded. Leo admired her for not flinching and not trying to make any excuses.
Steve looked as if he might be sick as he repeated. ‘You were married tohim.’
Anna nodded again.
For a moment, despite his aching jaw, Leo actually felt sorry for him. There was so much pain in his face.
‘For how long?’
She blinked and opened her mouth but nothing came out.
‘Six months,’ said Leo.
‘I wasn’t talking to you, you bastard,’ snapped Steve, glaring at him before he whipped his head back to face Anna. ‘You were married to him. And you didn’t think to mention it.’
Anna blushed vivid scarlet.
‘And I guess the two of you have been getting to know each other again, have you?’
‘No!’ cried Anna. ‘Not like that. I didn’t know how to tell you.’
‘Didn’t know how to tell me that you’re shacked up with your ex-husband? I’m not bloody surprised. Especially as you hadn’t ever mentioned being married. You must think I’m a right schmuck. Did it amuse the pair of you – your little secret? Except it appears the whole neighbourhood knows, everyone apart from me.’
‘Nothing’s happened,’ said Anna, a desperate pitch to her voice.
