Don’t worry about me, I replied. I’ll be fine. I’ll be in touch.

I hesitated, not knowing whether to put a kiss at the end. I don’t think I’d ever sent him a message without a kiss, whether I’d meant it or not. It wouldn’t have been worth my while. And then I thought no, of course I shouldn’t put a kiss on the message; I was leaving him.

I looked at my watch. It was time to go. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach as I thought of what lay ahead. I started the car and at the next turning headed south.

•   •   •

As I approached the hotel, I checked my rearview mirror. Nothing was behind me. I turned quickly and drove through to the car park at the back. I glanced round, just to make sure, but I didn’t recognize any cars. I parked in the corner, almost out of sight. The first spots of rain were beginning to fall as I took my overnight bag from the trunk of the car and I hurried through the car park to the front of the hotel. The receptionist looked up as I entered the lobby.

“Good evening,” she said.

“Hi. I’ve a room booked for a few nights.”

“What name is it?”

I hesitated. “Sheridan.”

She scrolled down her computer screen and at first I thought she couldn’t find it, but then she said, “Oh yes, here we are.” She took a plastic key card from a drawer and programmed it. “Room 201. We have room service until midnight and breakfast is between six and ten every morning.” She smiled brightly at me. “Would you like a hand with your bag?”

“No, no, thanks.” I took the card from her. “I can manage.”

I stood by the lift, shaking. This was the most daring thing I’d done in my entire life and now that the moment had come it was as though I was watching myself from outside my own body. The lift pinged and opened. I walked in, gripping my bag. My finger slid over the button for the second floor. The lift suddenly seemed claustrophobic and by the time its doors opened I felt light-headed. I dragged my bag down the corridor toward the room, my heart beating fast. Outside the door I stood for a second, hardly able to breathe. This was it. Once I went in, there was no going back.

CHAPTER 4

Ruby

It was only when I was safely in the hotel room that I could let myself relax. I kicked off my shoes and quickly unpacked my bag. I hung up my clothes and when I lined up my toiletries at the side of the bathroom sink, I caught sight of myself in the mirror. My makeup was a mess from crying and my face was flushed with relief and excitement. I started to smile and found I couldn’t stop.