JESS
‘Jess!’ Luke says, looking suitably horrified. ‘This isn’t … It isn’t … ’
‘Oh, I think it’sexactlywhat it looks like,’ I tell him, then spin around and pin my gaze on my best friend. ‘Don’t you, Hannah?’
She blanches. ‘Jess … I … I didn’t mean to. This is all a horrible misunderstanding! I—’
I walk right up to her, much too close for comfort. ‘Don’t even try! I saw what you did! I heard you … “You know it’s me you want”.’ I do a pretty good impression of her breathy last words to Luke before I disturbed them.
‘Jess … ’ Luke says from behind me. He knows I’m seriously close to losing control.
I hold up a hand, shoot a look back to him that says,I’ll deal with you later!before turning my attention back to Hannah. She starts to cry but I feel no pity. If anything, it just makes me angrier. ‘What did I ever do to you, huh? Was I that much of a crappy friend that you decided one day to just up and wreck my marriage?’
She has the nerve to look offended. ‘That’s not what happened! I didn’t mean to—’
I throw my hands up in the air and step backwards. I have to get away from this woman or I’m not going to be responsible for what I do. I let out a harsh, dry laugh. ‘Oh, well, that’s okay then. You didn’t mean it. That makeseverythingbetter.’
I walk away from them and stare at the inky ripples on the lake.How did you miss this?I ask myself.On top of everything else. Were you blind to this too?
I turn back around to face Hannah. My tone is calmer now, but no less harsh. ‘Seriously, Hannah? I saw how it destroyed you when Connor was unfaithful to you. You know how much that hurts, and yet you were prepared to do it to me. My husband and my best friend? That’s a double betrayal!’
She shakes her head. ‘You don’t understand!’
‘Then explain it to me. I know I’m not perfect, Han, but I think I’ve been a really good friend to you, especially in the last couple of years.’ I risk a glance at my husband. ‘In fact, we’ve both been good friends to you: Luke gave you a job when you needed it. I was there for you any time of day or night while you were going through your divorce. Sometimes you were round our house so much it felt as if you lived there with us. And all the time were you just trying to steal my husband because you couldn’t hang on to yours?’
It’s a low blow, I know. Connor would’ve cheated no matter what Hannah did, but I want to hurt her like she’s hurt me. I don’t care if I’m being unfair.
But instead of putting her hands on her hips and scowling at me, Hannah steps forward, placing a gentle hand on my arm, her expression filled with pity. ‘I’m so sorry, Jess … but we can’t help how we feel. It’s been brewing for months, years maybe, and I think your big anniversary just kind of put everything into perspective for Luke.’
I shake her arm off and shoot a worried look at my husband.
He meets my eyes. ‘I swear … I have no idea what she’s talking about.’
Now it’s Hannah’s turn to look confused. ‘I know we’ve never really been brave enough to say it out loud, Luke, but now’s the time … It’s better for everyone – especially Jess – if we just rip the plaster off and tell it like it is. We love each other.’
‘No,’ Luke says firmly. ‘I love Jess.’
‘The Jess you just moaned to me about not ten minutes ago? The Jess who’s oblivious to everything in your marriage and can’t see how lonely you feel?’ Hannah throws back. If I didn’t know her as well as I do, I’d guess she was getting angry, but she’s not. She’s scared, desperate. Bizarrely, that causes hope to shoot through me like a lightning bolt.
‘Yes,’ Luke replies hoarsely. ‘That Jess.’ And then he turns to me, puts his hands on the outsides of my shoulders and looks me deep in the eye. ‘I do. I do love you, even though all of what Hannah just said is true. I’m just not sure if you feel the—’
He’s prevented from answering fully because I launch myself at him and wrap my arms tightly around his neck. ‘I love you, too,’ I whisper into his warm skin. ‘More than you realize. More thanIever realized, too.’
His arms come around me, squeezing me to him, and then he pulls back, puts a hand either side of my face and then kisses me.
Somewhere behind us I hear Hannah let out a distressed hiccup. ‘But … but … ’
Luke and I pull away from each other and turn to face my supposed best friend.
‘Youknowthere’s more to us!’ she whispers, looking at him as if she’s waiting for him to come and save her.
He just shakes his head.
‘When you asked me to help with Jess’s present, I knew it was because you wanted an excuse to spend time with me. You didn’t need me to sort all of that out; you know you didn’t! And we spent way longer texting and talking about it than we really needed to.’
Luke glances at me, then replies, ‘Because I was uncertain about how Jess was feeling about our marriage, I was second-guessing myself horribly, and I knew I was going out on a limb choosing what I did. Getting your input saved me from losing my mind over that!’
Hannah’s lip quivers. ‘What about all the times you’ve been there for me, stayed late at work to talk to me? You’re always hugging me, sharing secret jokes. You know there’s something special there. I know you do!’
