‘Nothing’s happened!’ he echoed. ‘Apart from the fact you’ve lied to me and made me look a right berk.’ Steve jerked a thumb towards Leo, shooting him a bitter look. ‘He must have been laughing his socks off. I need to get out of here.’ He pushed past Anna but she grabbed his arm.
‘Steve, wait. Let me explain.’
‘Explain the fuck what?’ He shoved her away from him so violently she stumbled forward, almost losing her footing.
Pushing himself upright, fighting the head-spinning sensation, Leo took a step forward and caught her by the arms to stop her fall. Steve grabbed him and wrenched him out of the way, stepping up to stare Anna in the face.
‘You’re a lying bitch. I bet you’ve been sleeping with him. No wonder you were always so quick to defend him. I’m done.’ He turned and strode back towards the apartment.
‘No!’ she shouted. ‘I haven’t done anything wrong. How dare you speak to me like that. It shows how little you really think of me, which is why I was planning to end things with you before you caught the plane.’
‘What? You were going to finish with me?’ Disbelief echoed in every word.
She lifted her chin. ‘Yes. I’m sorry but it’s not working anymore.’
‘Funny that.’ He jerked his head towards Leo.
‘It’s nothing to do with Leo. We’ve both stopped making an effort. I don’t think either of us loves each other anymore. I’m being honest.’
‘Honest? That’s fucking ironic given you’ve been shacked up with your ex-husband for weeks. You wouldn’t know honesty if it bit you on the bum. We’re done.’ With that he stomped down the stairs.
‘God, I’m so sorry, Anna,’ said Leo, worried by the shocked pallor of her cheeks.
She looked up at him and all he saw was confusion, as if she hadn’t quite processed what had happened. Without thinking and completely ignoring Zdenka, he folded her into his arms to comfort her. At first Anna’s body was stiff and angular and then, like a rag doll, she sagged against him, her head buried in his chest.
ChapterSixteen
For the next few days, Anna kept herself to herself, actively avoiding Leo, which was surprisingly easy, although perhaps he was giving her some space. She ignored the messages mounting up on her voicemail. Sadness warred with relief. Steve had been a big part of her life and she’d clung to the familiarity of the relationship because it was easy but it hadn’t been right for a while and she’d avoided doing anything about it.
Her cousin Rebecca had phoned first and Anna made the mistake of answering, sure that she was going to get a bollocking but equally sure she was going to tell her cousin she deserved better. No surprise, then, that Becs opened her conversation with ‘What the hell are you playing at?’
Before Anna could say anything, Becs said, ‘You’ve really cocked things up this time. Steve is livid. How could you do this to him? And with that Leo, of all people. Did you know he was going to be out there?’
‘No! Of course not,’ said Anna, stung by the accusation. ‘It was a complete shock – which is why I didn’t say anything.’
‘Well, the cat’s well and truly out of the bag now. James told me Steve was planning to ask you to marry him, next year. You can kiss goodbye to that one, now.’
‘Or I can realise that I’ve had a lucky escape.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘I mean I put up with his crappy behaviour for too long. We both settled into a rut. Habit. Security. It had run its course.’
‘Are you saying that to save face?’
‘No. This weekend, even before he found out about Leo, I realised that it wasn’t right anymore.’
‘Are you sure? I mean … he’s not the most exciting man on the planet but he’s steady and he’d never let you down.’ Her voice trailed off.
‘You mean like Uncle Henry.’
There was no answer. Anna knew Rebecca meant exactly that.
‘I feel a bit sorry for Steve. He’s very upset, thinking that you’ve been lying to him and laughing at him behind his back.’
‘I never laughed at him,’ said Anna. Guilt spilling up like bile. ‘And I didn’t lie to him.’ Although lying by omission was pretty much the same thing. ‘But I do admit I should have told him about knowing Leo.’
‘He didn’t even know you’d been married before, Anna.’
