‘That’s better. Okay, here’s the thing. I’d like you to stay in Kinshore and organise a celebrity-pro-am charity poker tournament to raise money for MND. I did some research, and it shouldn’t take longer than a couple of months to set up, promote and host. Presuming you know the professionals, I can sort the amateurs.’
She shifted forward in her seat. ‘Oh, wow! That’s an awesome idea.’ Then she leaned back. ‘But… I dunno, Sean. Your soon-to-be-ex-wife hanging around like a bad smell organising a big gambling event? Not sure that’ll go down well in a small town where you’re seen as a prince.’
Sean choked on his orange juice. ‘Seen as a prince! I likened the family reputation to royalty, not myself to a prince. You’ll need to try better than that to get out of it.’
Silence from Cherry, which he decided was a good thing.
‘Do I sense you coming round to the idea?’
‘Mmm. Could be.’
‘Come on, you love it. You said so yourself. It’ll be like nothing you’ve ever done before, I can guarantee. Bring all your mates, presuming you know loads of poker players?’
‘Yes, I know lots of people. Hmm…’ Cherry examined all four corners of the room at least ten times. Was she imagining what it would be like to live here for two months? Finally, she settled back to him. ‘Okay. Okay. I’ll do it.’
Sean grinned. ‘Great! This will be so good, Cherry. And when it’s over, you can head off, I guess. Goback to your old life. Whatever you like. But with your connections and mine, we can raise a decent amount for a really good cause.’
She didn’t say anything else. To be fair, she had committed to a lot and would need time to get her head around it.
‘It could be good for you, too,’ he added. ‘Staying here for a bit, getting out of the poker touring circuit. You can still play online, but in between, you can go for walks on the beach, feel the Scottish wind in your face, eat well, sleep in the same bed every night – which is the one you slept in last night, by the way.’
‘Really?’ Cherry gaped at him.
‘Really what?’
‘You want me to do all this whilst living under your roof, and you don’t expect me to sleep with you?’
Sean laughed, more incredulous than amused. Did she think this?
‘I don’t know what sort of guys you’ve been with in the past, but that’s not my MO. I’m asking you to do something that means a lot to me. As much as I’d like to sleep with my wife, I want you to be okay with it. So there are no other expectations on top of that. What sort of guy would I be if I made that part of the deal?’
‘I see. I just wanted to check.’
‘Actually…’ He thought for a second, fast-forwarding through the next two months and what this would be like for him in this tiny wee town where everyone had something to say about everyone else’s business. He wasn’t ready to admit to all the naysayers that his whirlwind marriage had been one giant mistake. Have people say,Sean Butler’s lost it since his father died and made another one of his stupid decisions. And if he could change Cherry’s mind then people never needed to know. ‘I do have one request.’
‘Please, go on.’
‘Behind closed doors, you can be whoever you like. We sleep in separate rooms, if that’s what you want. I won’t ignore you, but I’m going to be busy, anyway – at work, training, surfing, doing odd jobs for folk. However, because I have some pride, in public, we are husband and wife, okay? For two months, we are madly in love and nothing can prise us apart. The marriage was not a mistake; it was the best fucking decision either of us made. Nobody knows we are breaking up. Nobody.’
Cherry examined him. Had he proposed a stupid idea? Was it unreasonable to ask her to pretend for two months whilst helping him raise money for the cause that was so dear to his heart? Faking it was part of her job, so it couldn’t be that hard.
And he could pretend everything was fine. He did that any time he had a problem. The hard part would be trying not to fall for her any harder.
Surely, though, they could both employ their best self-discipline for the sake of charity. Fake it without making it. Or fucking things up.
Or fucking.
And to Sean’s relief, Cherry seemed to be on the same script because, finally, she nodded and repeated his words back to him. ‘Okay, the best fucking decision either of us made. Sure, hubby, I can go along with that.’
Chapter 8
Cherry
In the Scotland of Cherry’s memories, warm and sunny days like today took on a starring role, the rainy ones sheltering in the wings. Why was it she could only remember pleasant weather from the past yet a mixture of good and bad memories?
Still, she was grateful for the sunshine. And the walking sunshine in six-foot-four human form had gone to work. Something about getting back into the swing and giving her some space.
‘Feel free to make dinner if you like,’ he’d said, unaware of the implications of that suggestion. ‘There’s a handy wee shop on the high street until I can get to the supermarket in Campbeltown. But don’t engage the wifies working there with any chat about us, please, or it’ll be over town in five seconds flat.’
