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Back The Other Husband Save as PDF
Chapters (67)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. PROLOGUE
  4. PART ONE
  5. ONE
  6. TWO
  7. THREE
  8. FOUR
  9. FIVE
  10. SIX
  11. SEVEN
  12. EIGHT
  13. NINE
  14. TEN
  15. ELEVEN
  16. TWELVE
  17. THIRTEEN
  18. FOURTEEN
  19. FIFTEEN
  20. SIXTEEN
  21. SEVENTEEN
  22. PART TWO
  23. EIGHTEEN
  24. NINETEEN
  25. TWENTY
  26. TWENTY-ONE
  27. TWENTY-TWO
  28. TWENTY-THREE
  29. TWENTY-FOUR
  30. TWENTY-FIVE
  31. TWENTY-SIX
  32. TWENTY-SEVEN
  33. TWENTY-EIGHT
  34. TWENTY-NINE
  35. PART THREE
  36. THIRTY
  37. THIRTY-ONE
  38. THIRTY-TWO
  39. THIRTY-THREE
  40. THIRTY-FOUR
  41. THIRTY-FIVE
  42. THIRTY-SIX
  43. THIRTY-SEVEN
  44. THIRTY-EIGHT
  45. THIRTY-NINE
  46. PART FOUR
  47. FORTY
  48. FORTY-ONE
  49. FORTY-TWO
  50. FORTY-THREE
  51. FORTY-FOUR
  52. FORTY-FIVE
  53. FORTY-SIX
  54. FORTY-SEVEN
  55. FORTY-EIGHT
  56. FORTY-NINE
  57. FIFTY
  58. FIFTY-ONE
  59. FIFTY-TWO
  60. FIFTY-THREE
  61. FIFTY-FOUR
  62. EPILOGUE
  63. Mailing list
  64. A Letter from Kathryn
  65. Acknowledgements
  66. About the Author
  67. Also by Kathryn Croft

His smile demonstrates that he really believes this, and she wants to have his faith, but every day she checks online, her positivity evaporates when she finds no vacancies within commuting distance for a primary school deputy head. The summer term is nearly over, most of the positions for September having already been filled, and long, empty weeks loom before her. Abby doesn’t point out to Rob that it might be a whole year before a suitable position comes up. The truth is, her only option might be to take a step down and apply for a class teacher role instead, meaning all the work she’s put into her role at Box Hill School will be wasted.

Abby will never express her fears aloud to Rob. He is living his dream, and she will just have to put her own on hold for a while. Isn’t that what marriage is about? Sacrifices. Give and take. And all the other things people don’t talk about.

‘You’re right,’ she says to Rob. ‘I’ll find something soon. I’ll just have to make the most of this free time and get this house sorted.’ The thought fills her with anxiety. This is not what she wants to be doing: she should be planning for the autumn term.

They are eating Thai food – the usual Friday takeaway that has become a routine since moving house – and Rob offers her the last spring roll. ‘You’ve done loads here already,’ he says. And it’s true: Abby has painted every room and scrubbed every surface, eradicating all visible traces of the previous owners, but there is still plenty more to do. ‘You can’t do everything, Abby. I’ll get some free time soon so I can get stuck in too. It’s just a bit crazy at the moment while I’m finding my feet at the office. I’ll get used to this city life eventually, though.’

She has no doubt that he will; Rob seems able to adapt to pretty much anything, and his living in London as a student means this isn’t completely unfamiliar territory. Still, the late nights are taking their toll. On both of them.

‘Don’t worry about the house. I’ll get it sorted,’ Abby says. ‘You do whatever you have to do.’ She smiles. ‘Remember?’

Rob chuckles. Five years ago, at the beginning of their relationship, the two of them made a pact that neither would hold the other back from achieving their career goals. They would support and understand each other’s drive and determination, even though they are in different professions. Abby had only just turned thirty then and Rob had been a year older, so it was easy to focus on just their work and each other. It never crossed her mind to wonder whether this would ever change.