Seb blinked, pushing Helen and the faceless douchebag she was seeing tonight out of his mind. “That would be great. I’d love to meet him.” Jimmy had met Eduardo, a lecturer in Humanities, during his recent stint working at the University of Chile and had spoken so much about this new man in his life that Seb already felt like he knew him. “Is he gonna move here?”
“He can’t just yet. He loves his job, and his parents are old. He won’t leave permanently until they pass away, could be years, so I’m thinking because I travel so much anyway that I might base myself out there in Santiago.”
Seb glanced at his watch. It was 2 a.m. in England now. Would Helen be home? Alone? But the last bus from the city departedbeforehe’d received her text. Maybe she’d bought herself a car, but that didn’t sound right, because a) she didn’t need one, b) she’d never spend money on something she didn’t need and c) she would’ve mentioned it.
She always mentioned things like that. She told him about her work, the ins and outs of setting up her company, details about the wire she’d recently purchased to repair the chicken enclosure—she’d even told him that it frickin’ rained for most of November in England, and now that it was almost Christmas, the sun was shining.
So, unless Tom had picked her up or she’d gotten a very expensive cab—both scenarios highly unlikely—had the douchebag driven her home?
And would he be staying for a frickin’ night cap?
“Ed and I are planning to head out to Golden Lake in the spring, too. Remember Luc and Ashish from Kingston?” Jimmy took another bite of pizza. “They’ve got a cabin there that they said we can use. Maybe you can join us for a long weekend?”
“That would be great.” Seb glanced at his phone. He should’ve asked Helen for details, like any friend would do, instead of telling her tohave fun. What if he texted Helen now? Would she still be up—with the douche?
“They’ve got a pet elephant they ride on the water.” Jimmy lowered his fork. “He’s called Dumbo and he’s kinda sensitive about his ears.”
Eh? Say what?
“All right, Seb, what’s up? You’ve been frowning all night. People are giving us pitying looks thinking we’re on the worst date ever.”
“I’m sorry, Jimmy.” Seb rubbed his face with both hands, wishing he could rub away the image of Helen with another man just as easily. “It’s Helen. She had a date tonight.”
And it’s burning me up inside.
“Still”—Jimmy air quoted—“Just Friends, eh?” He’d been razzing Seb about his and Helen’s agreement since September.“How’s that working out for you now?”
Seb gritted his teeth.
“Helen is allowed to date, isn’t she?” Jimmy said.
“Yeah, she’s allowed to date. She’s allowed to do anything she wants to do.”
Even sleep with somebody else.
Only Seb hoped she wouldn’t.
But Helen was a woman who really enjoyed sex. Seb loved her appetite, her playfulness. Her passion. It had been four months since they’d last made love. Four very long, frustrating, lonely months. The mere thought of being with another woman repulsed Seb, and he’d always assumed being with another man would repulse Helen just as much.
Seb balled his napkin, wanting to shred it to pieces.
Jimmy eyed him, a knowing smile curling his lips. “Sounds to me like you need to do something about how you feel, buddy.”
“Iamdoing something about it, remember?” He’d told Jimmy his plan weeks ago. “But it’s all taking time.”
And time was running out.
Chapter 36
Thefollowingweek,Helenwas walking back from the village up the lane that ran along the east side of the Pendlebury Estate when she came across Mr. Roberts. He was halfway up a ladder hammering in a Sold sign across Pendlebury Manor’s For Sale board.
“So, that’s it?” she said after greeting him. “The sale’s gone through?”
“Aye.” Mr. Roberts hammered the final nail and stepped off the ladder. “End of an era but the start of a new one.”
You can say that again.
Helen’s cottage was safe for now, and as soon as the new owners applied for any planning permissions, she’d make sure she had her say on any potential development of the estate. She’d already been in touch with conservationists and wildlife groups to get them on side to lobby the new owners to keep a large part of the grounds as a nature reserve.
