Fin’s mouth hitches apologetically. ‘I called to confirm the date he was arriving. Rory’s had a new kitchen fitted and was stressing about me staying there without access to a coffeepot or something equally as ridiculous.’ She waves away the recollection with her hand. ‘I’ve been waiting for you to tell me, Bea. You stopped coming home or left so early I couldn’t catch you. I thought about coming down to the hospital and making you talk, but you seemed to be telling me loud and clear to leave you alone. Of course, there were also the massive bouquets that kept appearing next to the basement trash.’ She shrugs, a small motion of regret. ‘You might’ve left one of the cards.’
‘You weren’t meant to see the flowers. I wasn’t hiding from you, just processing some complicated things.’ First, what an idiot I’ve been. Second, my anger. Third, my intentions towards Kit.
‘I’ll never judge you,’ she says, reaching for my hand. ‘Your life and your business. If he’s done something wrong and you decide to forgive him, I’ll never judge, if that’s what this is. Why you haven’t said.’
A burst of laughter breaks through my lips. Like a grenade.
‘He did something wrong, all right. He cheated on me.’ I can feel my jaw clenching, my anger resurfacing. ‘There’s no going back.’
‘That fucker!’ Her words are a little loud and a lot indignant. So much so that I have to try very hard not to look around the café to see how many eyes we’ve drawn. ‘Are you sure? After all the years you’d been together?’
‘He rolled on his phone while... you know.’
‘Can we castrate him?’ Her expression is serious and her gaze fiery. ‘There had better be fiery pits reserved in hell for people who cheat. I know,’ she adds, sitting bolt straight. ‘We’ll send for Nat to publicly shame him! If we pay for her flight, she’d totally stand outside his offices with a sandwich board proclaiming him to be worse than a dose of crabs.’
My laughter this time is genuine. Anyone who dressed as Natasha did for a bachelorette party then walked through a five-star hotel full of suits to find me at the request of her friend would do this, I feel.
‘You know it’s true. And Rory would give him a piece of your mind, via his fist, of course, if I ask.’
All very believable. As the saying goes, the Scots are temperamental; half temper, half mental.
‘There’s no need. I feel... like a veil has been lifted. True, the veil was blood red and dripping for a while, but I’m through. I suspect this wasn’t the first time, and there’s no turning a blind eye to any of that.’
‘Good. I’m glad.’ Her eyes glitter with sympathy tears, and she squeezes my hand. ‘On a scale from one totake-a-contract-out-on-him,how are you really feeling?’
‘This weekend was just what I needed. Quite honestly, I’m feeling so good.’
‘There’s a tale behind that smile, I can tell. Hold that thought for another time because I have to get back to work.’
‘There’s nothing to tell,’ I protest, laughing. ‘I just had a good weekend and came back totally recharged.’
‘Something or someone has put a bit of pep in your step. You’ve been playing hide the pickle with some dirty doctor, I’ll bet.’
‘Your imagination is a little too wild for my tastes.’
‘I want the promise of details—details of this dirty weekend—or I’m uninviting you Friday.’
My smile falls immediately. ‘I can’t intrude. Not if Kit’s bringing someone. It’ll be a family affair.’
‘If I have to, I’ll come and collect you from the hospital myself. And don’t pull that sad face, missy. You just said yourself you’re totally over Jon. Come, please!’ she begs suddenly. ‘Think of the man-on-Kit action you’ll be missing.’
For the first time since meeting Kit, the thought of him with another man does nothing for me.
