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Back The Lie Save as PDF
Chapters (69)
  1. Cover
  2. About the Author
  3. Dedication
  4. Epigraph
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. 59
  64. 60
  65. Acknowledgements
  66. Reading Group Questions
  67. Read More
  68. I
  69. THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING

When she turned, her face was resigned. ‘You just have to do what you have to do, Finch.’

She got up, but he grabbed her hand, wouldn’t let go as he also rose from the cushions and took her other hand, forcing her to meet his eye.

‘I won’t lose you again, Romy. I couldn’t bear to. But Grace is in such a fragile state at the moment. I can’t let her down.’

Romy eyed him. Then her face broke into a grin. ‘This is exactly like listening to myself, persuading you how much Michael needed me.’

Finch laughed. ‘And, like you, I don’t feel I have a choice.’

‘Will you tell Grace about us? If we keep in touch?’

He shrugged. ‘Probably not right now.’

They regarded each other in silence.

‘Well, we both have stuff to do,’ Romy said, her voice firm. ‘I need to sort my life out – Michael nearly finished me. You need to sort out Grace.’

They gazed at each other in silence, Finch feeling his heart contract at the thought of leaving her. ‘I know we have to do this,’ he said, ‘but it feels really hard.’ He stepped closer, his arms going round her and drawing her to him. ‘I’m going to miss you so much.’

She reached up and kissed him, her mouth warm on his, and so familiar – like a beautiful memory. ‘À bientôt,’ she whispered.

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57

Michael watched his son carefully unpack the two chocolate eclairs from the white cardboard box and set them on a plate. The kettle was nearly boiled, the loose-leaf Earl Grey already spooned into the warmed pot: Leo took his tea seriously.

‘No Lucy today?’

Leo shook his head. ‘She’s with her mum and sister. They’re shopping for a sixtieth birthday present for her dad.’ He poured the boiling water onto the tea leaves and knocked the metal lid of the pot back into place. ‘She sent her love.’

Michael appreciated his son’s Saturday visits, in fact looked forward to them so much he would become fidgety – like the silly old man he’d become – as the time got closer, in case Leo cancelled. Then the hour would go way too fast and the boy would be gone again, leaving him in such despair, drowning in such unbearable loneliness, he felt his heart might actually stop beating – although he would never dream of letting on to Leo how he felt.

There were people around during the week, of course – paid people – but Leo was different: Leo was family. ‘Give her mine when you see her,’ he said.

Michael watched Leo take a large bite of his pastry, the cream squidging out of the side in a fluted ribbon, which his son deftly caught and licked off his finger. He, himself, had no appetite, but knew he should make an effort – Leo bought them knowing they were his favourite.

‘Any word from Mum?’ Leo asked.