“Of course,” Wendy said, sounding surprised. “Is something wrong?”
“Not at all! I just forgot it’s our… anniversary…?”
“Wasn’t that last month?”
Damn their too-conscientious nanny.
“No, not ourweddinganniversary,” Beth improvised. “I mean, the anniversary of when… Byron and I… first kissed?”
“Cute. Well, Viv’s caring for another couple of kids right now, so if you’d like, I could take Si with me when I leave and keep him until later?”
Beth chewed her lower lip. The thought of all that free time was indulgent, maybe even reckless…
It was also the old voice creeping through the back door to tell her only a lousy mum would leave their child with someone else so they could have sex. Because God forbid, she wanted to have sex. Christ, have mercy on her for desiring her husband. And Lord only knew the same people shaming her for doing so would be the first to throw stones if she got divorced because she and Byron stopped banging.
“That would be incredible,” Beth heard herself say. “Thanks so much, Wendy.”
“Anytime! See you soon.”
Beth felt strangely disoriented as she returned to her car, shopping bags in hand. She waited for the sky to open andlightning to strike her in punishment. Nothing happened. It was almost like no one cared, like no one even knew. She piled her new clothes into the backseat and found herself smiling. For the first time in what felt like forever, she had a sexy secret. A little corner of herself restored to herself.
3
Hey, Aquarius. I’m just letting you know that Simon’s staying with Wendy and Viv until late tonight. I want us to spend some time together xx
In the hours that followed Beth’s text, Byron tried to convince himself nothing was wrong. Sure, she’d never gotten a sitter on her own before, let alone on a random Tuesday night, but it probably wasn’t a big deal. Yet, as he sat in Dukes Bar and Grill, trying to talk with his mates, part of him was panicking. He’d attempted to call a couple of times, but Beth just texted back, saying she was busy and to have a good flight. He was having a few drinks with the boys before he was due at the airport, and after two pints, he found he couldn’t keep his stress to himself.
“Beth wants to see me when I get home,” he told Derek. “Hang out, just the two of us. She got a sitter.”
His best friend blinked across the beer-stained table. “Anniversary?”
“Nah.”
“Probably wants a divorce, then.”
Former midfielder Sloan ‘Willow’ Williams choked on his beer, and Byron glared at Derek. “Thanks.”
“Anytime.”
“I’d want a divorce,” Willow chipped in. “You barely talk, Byzo. And let’s be real—you’re not aging like you wanna be.”
“Yeah, you can shut up any time you want, Ginger.”
“Maybe you should put one of those tracking things on her car?” Patrick ‘Psycho’ Normal, captain of the Hammerhead Sharks, suggested.
Byron scowled at him. The guys on a team ribbed each other, but they usually weren’t dumb enough to rib the coaches. Then again, Patrick had been friends with Derek and Willow for years, and he clearly thought the rules didn’t apply to him, at least not over beers on a Tuesday afternoon.
“You looking to see a lot of the bench next year, Psycho?” Byron asked.
“Ah, none of that,” Derek said easily. “Pub embargo applies.”
“I dunno what you mean,” Patrick said, eyes wide with fake innocence. “I’m being serious. I hear trackers are real cheap online…”
Byron wished he’d kept his mouth shut about Beth. “None of you ask me for anything ever again.”
“Oh yeah, it’s so fucking hard for you with your new coaching gig and your hot wife,” Willow said comfortably. “Another beer?”
“If you’re buying.”
