‘Oh stop!’ thundered Bunty before hanging up.
Jasmine burst into more giggles. But she stopped immediately upon seeing a certain woman with long dark hair walk past on the coastal road through her window. She got up from her desk and went into the garden. Scurrying to the hedge, she ducked down and watched Ellie brazenly stroll up next door’s path and knock on the back door. Jasmine’s eyes narrowed as she saw Robin answer. Then, with a heavy heart, she saw Ellie enter and the door close.
Chapter 24
Robin banged the door shut, then turned to face Ellie.
‘What exactly are you playing at?’ he asked wearily. He really didn’t have the time, energy or inclination to bother with her. His head was pounding after last night’s birthday bash and the last thing Robin needed right now was Ellie.
She looked at him coquettishly.
‘I just want to talk Robin, that’s all.’
‘About what?’ he demanded.
She fluttered her eyelashes. ‘Us.’
‘Us? There is nous,’ rasped Robin.
‘But there could be.’
‘Are you for real?’ he replied incredulously.
‘Things didn’t work out for me with—’
‘Yeah, I gathered that,’ Robin cut in harshly. ‘And I’m guessing you thought, I know,’ he put his finger on his chin in mock contemplation, ‘I’ll go back to Robin after all this time and rip him off again!’
Ellie winced slightly, not quite expecting this reaction from Robin. Yes, granted he might be surprised to see her, a little bruised perhaps, but not this outrage and disdain he was showing her. Anger blazed from his eyes. She quickly changed tack – Robin was her last chance. She was homeless and skint; poetic justice really, that her solicitor boyfriend had proved to be even more mercenary than her. After being booted out of his house, he’d cleared their joint account and took everything he’d ever given her, even the jewellery, back.
‘I wanted to talk properly, to apologise, when I first saw you last night,’ she began.
‘You mean when you forced yourself upon me?’ he asked sardonically.
She pouted. ‘I mean before Jack frogmarched me out of the pub.’
‘Well good for him. If I hadn’t been so pissed I’d have done the same.’
Ellie faked hurt, but Robin had seen it all before and was wise to her tactics.
‘And it’s a bit late in the day for apologies, not that I need to hear any. I’m so over you.’ He stared her out.
A flicker of bitterness cast over her face. Evidently, he had moved on from her, she no longer had any pull on him like the old days. This wasn’t going according to plan. Not at all.
‘I suppose this is to do with her next door?’ She tipped her head in the direction of Jasmine’s cottage.
Robin frowned. What did she know about Jasmine? He folded his arms and remained silent.
‘I’ve read all about her in the paper. A real damsel in distress, you might say.’
Robin’s jaw tightened, but she carried on regardless.
‘And who better to be her knight in shining armour?’ she taunted sweetly.
‘Keep Jasmine out of this,’ Robin warned in a low voice.
‘I’ve heard about you skivvying for her, obviously playing the sympathy card, was she?’ Ellie asked with spite.
‘Right, that’s enough, get out.’ Robin opened the door for her to leave.
