Chapters (42)
But Devan was not to be brushed off so easily. He came over to her, carrying a handful of plates, which he placed on the side. ‘I get the feeling you really don’t like him.’
She didn’t know what to say, but he was staring at her and she had to stop what she was doing and meet his gaze. He must see it in my eyes, she thought, miserably. She said, ‘I don’t really know him.’
Devan was frowning. ‘It’s so not like you, being sulky with a guest.’ He was waiting for some sort of explanation, but she had none that was acceptable. ‘And he’s such a nice man. What have you got against him?’
She shrugged, throwing the cloth into the sink. All evening she’d held on, tried to contain her fury, the dread that Jared might be about to blow her life wide open – her anxiety overlaid by burning guilt. What am I doing to Devan? Sobs burst through her body and she began to shake. Devan’s arms were instantly around her.
‘Hey, hey, it’s OK …’
She leaned against him, feeling his warmth, his love, and the tears only flowed more strongly. He pulled away slightly and was looking down at her. ‘What on earth is it, Connie? What’s going on?’
She raised her face to his. Tell him, a voice in her head whispered. Tell him now. Get this over with. But she simply wasn’t brave enough.
‘Don’t know,’ she mumbled, dropping her head to his chest again. ‘I love you,’ she added, squeezing him harder.
‘I love you too,’ Devan replied, although his tone was puzzled.
‘Let’s leave all this till the morning,’ she said. ‘I’m so tired.’
Her husband obviously realized that that was all the clarification he was going to get tonight, and nodded his agreement, turning her gently around and heading her towards the stairs and their bed.
23
‘Hello, sweetheart.’ Connie was so pleased to hear her daughter’s voice. Caitlin and family had been away for three weeks in Los Angeles, where Ash was in negotiations for a miniseries with an LA-based streaming service. Connie had received lots of WhatsApp photos of Bash in the pool, on the beach with Mickey Mouse, eating ice cream in the sunshine, but she was glad they were back home now.