Chapters (60)
- Cover
- Books by Sheryl Browne
- Dedication
- KARLA
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- Forty-Seven
- Forty-Eight
- Epilogue
- The Affair
- Hear more from Sheryl
- Books by Sheryl Browne
- A Letter from Sheryl
- The Babysitter
- The Second Wife
- Acknowledgements
Swiping a hand over his face, Jason blinked hard. Don’t go there, he warned himself, and then started afresh, this time making sure his ‘preferences’ were as unlike Karla as he could get. Hair, eye colour – all different. Once he was finished, he took another fortifying drink and hit search. He skimmed through them, skipping most, but clicking on two he liked. And then he buried his head in his hands. What the hell was he doing?
His heart like a lead weight in his chest, his head swimming, he massaged his temples with his thumbs and stayed where he was. The keyboard was out of focus, and the room began to spin as he closed his eyes. He needed to lie down, but he doubted the nausea now churning his gut would allow him to sleep. Folding his arms on the desk, he was about to rest his head when he heard a distinctive ping, followed by another.
Closing one eye, Jason glanced blearily up. Jackpot, he thought, congratulating himself on the fact that somebody out there liked him.
One of the women he’d clicked on had messaged him. Hi. Are you feeling lonely?
Bloody lonely, Jason replied.
Twenty-One
KARLA
Jason still hasn’t come home and with each call I make I grow more desperate. I’ve tried his mobile a thousand times. I’ve sent him texts, left umpteen messages. I’ve texted Mark, who has no idea where he is. I’ve even rung his sister, Hannah, who hasn’t seen Jason for two weeks, and who confided in me that she’s been concerned about him seeming so exhausted and worried lately. Aware of what frame of mind he’s in, that hasn’t helped one little bit.
My mind now running through all sorts of scenarios – I can almost see him lying in some hospital bed somewhere, unconscious – I try his office number again. Again, it rings out. I can’t imagine he’s there, deliberately not picking up. Unless, of course, he simply doesn’t want to speak to me. He was so furious at finding me there, that it was so blindingly obvious I didn’t trust him, that I would believe my father’s word over his. It scared me. He’s scaring me now. My heart drums erratically and then leaps in my chest as I hear the alert of an incoming text. Hastily, I check it.
On my way, Mum has sent. Five minutes.