I shuddered. How could I even think about getting naked in front of Dan (or anyone) with my podgy mummy-tummy and droopy, baby-feeding breasts? Maybe it was time I started actually remembering to do my pelvic floor exercises.

Or … maybe I should stop thinking about the possibility of ever sleeping with anyone else again and focus on more important things—like keeping my kids as happy as possible and working out how I was going to provide for us all going forward. I’d been a little all over the place (okay, I’d been losing the plot) ever since I’d made my decision to file for divorce. The shoe-buying frenzy had been the first in a long line of weird and wacky behaviours.

Now I could add pondering preparing myself for sex to the list.

‘Hey gorgeous.’

My heart jumped as Dan dropped to the sand and rubbed Charlie’s neck. Of course, he was talking about the dog. While he cooed over Charlie, I tried to collect myself, sucking a steadying breath in and out of my lungs.

Finally, Dan turned his attentions on me, or rather my bare feet. I dug my toes into the sand, wishing I’d bothered to give myself a pedicure, and squirmed a little as his gaze travelled up and landed on the thongs still in my hand.

‘I thought thongs were bad for your feet?’

I dropped my gaze to the sand, staring at our feet, which were less than a foot apart. I could simply say I’d changed my mind, but from the expression on his face and the tone of his question, I knew he recalled our first conversation about my husband being a podiatrist. I didn’t think the significance was lost on him.

‘That was my soon-to-be ex-husband’s opinion, however I’m becoming quite a fan.’ I sounded more flippant than I felt.

‘Soon to be ex-husband?’ Dan’s eyes widened as his eyes sought my ring finger. There was still a pale band across it where my wedding ring had been until only a few days ago. ‘I thought you said you were probably getting back together?’

‘Isn’t it a woman’s prerogative to change her mind?’ I said lightly, not wanting to get into the nitty-gritty details of my sudden volte-face.

‘So I’ve heard.’ Dan gestured to my thongs. ‘I didn’t know they made thongs as stunning as those.’

Even though the compliment was for my footwear, I blushed. ‘Me either, but I bought them as a reward for making the scary decision to leave my husband for good.’

‘Welcome to the club.’

‘What club?’

He quirked an eyebrow and pushed his hair up off his forehead. ‘The divorce club.’

Divorce. I flinched. I’d always feared that word more than any other. It sounded so final and, even though that’s exactly where Adrian and I were headed, I still struggled to say the word out loud.