‘He’ll probably have already done it himself,’ Lorcan said. ‘The man doesn’t know when to slow down. You’re right though, I’d best get back. But I’ll see you for dinner tonight?’

‘You will. Or Clara will have my guts for garters. I’ve heard rumours she is making jelly for dessert. You’re getting the full red-carpet treatment.’

‘I’m honoured,’ he said with a grin.

36

Tangled

Jo decided that, more than anything, there was one thing that she needed to do to allow her to be able to let go of what Ewan McLachlan had done. It wasn’t something she relished, and she was scared that she might let her emotions get the better of her, but she knew that she would ultimately feel better for doing it. She would feel empowered for doing it.

First, though, she made a mug of tea and stress-ate four chocolate digestive biscuits without even tasting them.

Then she went to her room, closed and locked the door and lit a scented candle. Sitting on the floor in Lotus Pose (one of the very few yoga poses she could do without swearing), she did her best to calm her breathing and focus on positive thoughts.

She didn’t need to go into this all guns blazing and screaming at Ewan at the top of her lungs. In fact, that was the last thing she wanted to do. She wanted to keep absolutely calm.

When she felt sufficiently zen, she took her phone and scrolled until she saw his phone number and hit the call button.

It all seemed so simple in her head, but she hadn’t prepared for the flood of emotions that would hit her as soon as she heard him say hello. At the sound of his Scottish lilt, the slightly wary way he answered, she felt a rush of adrenaline flood her veins. This was the man who had, in the space of a few days, made her believe in her ability as a writer and then strip her of the belief that she was able to judge people accurately. This was the man who would have sacrificed her big break to suit his own needs.

The anger she felt towards him momentarily floored her, so she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. At least he had answered, she told herself. She would be able to say what she wanted to.

‘Ewan, it’s Jo.’

‘I know,’ he said, his voice quiet.

‘I just need to know why,’ she said. ‘I don’t want spin or lies. I just want to know why you would do that to me? And why you would do it to others?’

She was able to disguise the shake in her voice, which she was grateful for.