‘Who was that?’ Richard asks, glancing out of the back window and then at me with concern.
‘I don’t know,’ I reply.
‘You looked like you might know her.’ He’s confused at my reaction.
‘I thought I did, but I don’t,’ I quickly tell him, my heart pounding.
Who was she? Who were they? He said he’d never sell it. Did he move back here? Did he bring his family with him?
Maybe it’s a sign, a small voice inside my head says. Maybe it’s time to let him go.
No. No. I’ll never let him go.
Tina is gorgeous and personable and I urge Josh not to let her get away as he climbs back into the willow-green Jaguar convertible that he’s supposedly test driving.
‘I know.’ He smiles contentedly. ‘I’m beginning to come round to your way of thinking.’
‘Really?’ I squeak, so full of excitement that I momentarily block out the image of the curly-haired woman that has been plaguing me. ‘Do you think you’ll put a ring on her finger?’
‘Maybe,’ he says. ‘I’ll keep you posted.’
I give him a massive hug and let him climb into the car.
‘Don’t crash it,’ I warn. ‘I can’t believe you’re actually allowed to drive this thing out of the garage.’
‘What they don’t know won’t hurt them.’
‘Josh!’
He laughs. ‘I’m joking. The owner is a friend of mine. He even trusts me to look after his children.’
‘Youbabysithis children?’ I’m astounded.
‘Well, it’s more Tina’s thing, if I’m being honest.’
‘That sounds more like it. See you tomorrow?’
‘I’ll be there.’ He’s a pallbearer at the funeral.
Richard and I climb back into the car. ‘Where next?’ he asks. ‘Back to the hotel to check in,’ I say firmly. ‘I want to get ready for tonight.’
‘Fair enough,’ he concedes.
That night, after dinner with my friends, I walk out onto the small hotel balcony while Richard heads to the bathroom to get ready for bed. I stare up at the sky and see a full moon, yellow and enormous, like the one I saw years ago with Ben at Mount Lofty. Here the sky is lit from the lights of the city, but up in the hills I know it would be matt black and full of twinkling stars.
A single tear slides down my cheek and underneath my shirt.
‘Hey,’ Richard says quietly. I don’t turn to look at him. ‘Bathroom’s free.’
‘Thanks,’ I choke out.
‘Are you okay?’
I nod, unable to speak.
‘I wish you’d tell me what’s going through your mind,’ he says.
‘Nothing is,’ I lie.
