His phone rang and Hayley appeared on the screen. He glanced at his bedside clock as he answered. ‘Hi, Hayley. It’s nearly time for you to have more pills, isn’t it? I’ll get something out of the freezer for dinner.’

Even to his ears that sounded like the old days.

Chapter Twenty-Two

We’ve still only got half a kitchen but the new cooker is in. Come for dinner at seven.

It was typical of Zinnia that an invitation was phrased as an instruction but Lily decided to accept the olive branch. Thank you. I’m dog-sitting for a couple of days though. OK to bring him? He’s at least as well behaved as me.

No prob, bring him, Zinnia replied.

A light-up reindeer pranced on the porch of the neat, ex-council semi-detached house Zinnia lived in with her boyfriend George. The narrow street was crowded with cars but Lily found a place to park. As it was still only five to seven she used the time to listen to a voicemail that had come in while she’d been driving from Middledip to Huntingdon. Her heart put in an extra beat when she heard Isaac’s voice. ‘Hi, it’s me. When you pick up this message, can you please get in contact? I’m back at the pub.’ Her heart skipped again. Had Hayley’s friends returned to look after her?

Isaac’s warm, even voice went on. ‘Tubb said I could bring Hayley back here so she’s got someone nearby to help when she needs it.’ Oh.

A hesitation, then he said, ‘She’s in the other guest accommodation.’ The last few words were rushed, uncertain.

He’d installed Hayley at The Three Fishes and he sounded weird about it. Defensive. Lily’s heart slowed to a dragging, sinking rhythm, a heart she’d apparently opened up to him in one night of sex, fast and hard or slow and languorous, waking each other for more. Pathways of kisses, stroking fingers, hard flesh in soft.

There would be no more now. It would feel as if she was doing something wrong because he was, on some basis, involved with Hayley again. She sighed.

They had to make contact because of Doggo and the stuff he’d left behind in Switzerland but it was a relief when he didn’t answer his phone. She left a message, carefully pragmatic and bland.

From the back seat, Doggo whined as if to say that the car had stopped and so it was now Lily’s duty to take him somewhere fun. Smiling at his quivering tail and flattened ears Lily got him out, waited while he cocked his leg on Zinnia’s gate post then said, ‘C’mon then. Let’s see what kind of mood she’s in. I hope it’s not a difficult one because I could actually do with a hug.’