he best left behind, too? Clare sighed as she realised the answer was probably yes. The issue of children was insurmountable, and opening that door again would only lead to more hurt and pain. They’d done the hard bit and broken up once. Clare wasn’t keen to prolong the torture.
Anyway, she wasn’t looking for a serious, committed relationship now. Nicholas, with his easy humour and hard-to-tie-down lifestyle, was the ideal fit for her. In fact, when she got home, she’d ring him up and ask him out to dinner. There was no reason she had to wait around for him to get in touch.
‘Have a think about it.’ Tam stood, fluffing up the pillow she’d been sitting on. ‘I’ll forward her number to you in case you change your mind.’
Clare nodded and smiled, although she knew the chances of her reaching out to Mum were about as likely as the Queen sporting a mullet.
‘Hey, any chance of some cake?’ Clare’s dad stuck his head around the kitchen door, eyebrows raised hopefully.
‘Sure.’ Tam bustled over to the counter where the chocolate cake was standing in all its glory, and Clare breathed a sigh of relief the subject of her mother was closed.
Clare watched her father smile over at Tam as she placed a piece of cake before him. She’d never have thought it at the time, but Mum leaving was a good thing in the long run. She’d got her freedom , and Clare and Dad had got a woman for whom being a mum was a ready-made role.
Everything had turned out for the best.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
A nna hurried home from Books on the Hill, hoping Michael wasn’t back from work already. It was almost five on Friday, and she wanted to pack his case in readiness for the surprise getaway. As soon as he came in the door—and before he’d even a chance to think about booting up games—she’d hand him his bag, bundle him into the car to Heathrow, and they’d be in Venice by midnight.
Excitement coursed through her as she pictured the swank hotel she’d got a great deal on. It was minutes from Piazza San Marco, and the description had said when you opened your window, you could hear canal water lapping the building’s facade. The hefty deposit was non-refundable, and with the cost of the flights the trip had pretty much wiped out the small savings she’d set aside from her job. But it was more than worth it. She couldn’t believe after all this time she was finally going to her dream location.
Anna smiled at the clichéd vision that drifted into her head: the two of them, locked in a passionate embrace while floating down the canal in a gondola as accordion music echoed off buildings around them. She’d even bought some new lingerie, in racy red lace that Michael loved. If ever there was a weekend to christen it, this was it. In such a romantic venue and away from the usual daily grind, her husband was certain to regain his missing libido.
She unlocked the front door and scurried inside, heart dropping when she heard the telltale sound of explosions and gunshots. Oh, bollocks, Michael had made it home before her for once. But tha t was all right, she told herself. They wouldn’t have to rush as much and he could pack whatever he liked.
Her heart thumped and her grin grew bigger. She couldn’t wait to tell him they were off and see his reaction! She stuck her head around the corner of the lounge.
‘Guess what? We’re . . . ’ Her voice trailed away as she spotted not just Michael but two other men all crowded around the television, each holding a console in one hand and a beer in the other.
‘Oh, hi, honey.’ Michael glanced over and smiled before turning his attention back to the game. ‘You know Grant and Mo, right?’ The men threw her a quick hello.
Anna nodded. ‘Yes, I think we’ve met.’ Shit, she thought, her mind frantically turning over. What was she going to do now? If she and Michael didn’t leave by seven, they’d miss their flight. His friends couldn’t be staying too long, could they? They
Anyway, she wasn’t looking for a serious, committed relationship now. Nicholas, with his easy humour and hard-to-tie-down lifestyle, was the ideal fit for her. In fact, when she got home, she’d ring him up and ask him out to dinner. There was no reason she had to wait around for him to get in touch.
‘Have a think about it.’ Tam stood, fluffing up the pillow she’d been sitting on. ‘I’ll forward her number to you in case you change your mind.’
Clare nodded and smiled, although she knew the chances of her reaching out to Mum were about as likely as the Queen sporting a mullet.
‘Hey, any chance of some cake?’ Clare’s dad stuck his head around the kitchen door, eyebrows raised hopefully.
‘Sure.’ Tam bustled over to the counter where the chocolate cake was standing in all its glory, and Clare breathed a sigh of relief the subject of her mother was closed.
Clare watched her father smile over at Tam as she placed a piece of cake before him. She’d never have thought it at the time, but Mum leaving was a good thing in the long run. She’d got her freedom , and Clare and Dad had got a woman for whom being a mum was a ready-made role.
Everything had turned out for the best.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
A nna hurried home from Books on the Hill, hoping Michael wasn’t back from work already. It was almost five on Friday, and she wanted to pack his case in readiness for the surprise getaway. As soon as he came in the door—and before he’d even a chance to think about booting up games—she’d hand him his bag, bundle him into the car to Heathrow, and they’d be in Venice by midnight.
Excitement coursed through her as she pictured the swank hotel she’d got a great deal on. It was minutes from Piazza San Marco, and the description had said when you opened your window, you could hear canal water lapping the building’s facade. The hefty deposit was non-refundable, and with the cost of the flights the trip had pretty much wiped out the small savings she’d set aside from her job. But it was more than worth it. She couldn’t believe after all this time she was finally going to her dream location.
Anna smiled at the clichéd vision that drifted into her head: the two of them, locked in a passionate embrace while floating down the canal in a gondola as accordion music echoed off buildings around them. She’d even bought some new lingerie, in racy red lace that Michael loved. If ever there was a weekend to christen it, this was it. In such a romantic venue and away from the usual daily grind, her husband was certain to regain his missing libido.
She unlocked the front door and scurried inside, heart dropping when she heard the telltale sound of explosions and gunshots. Oh, bollocks, Michael had made it home before her for once. But tha t was all right, she told herself. They wouldn’t have to rush as much and he could pack whatever he liked.
Her heart thumped and her grin grew bigger. She couldn’t wait to tell him they were off and see his reaction! She stuck her head around the corner of the lounge.
‘Guess what? We’re . . . ’ Her voice trailed away as she spotted not just Michael but two other men all crowded around the television, each holding a console in one hand and a beer in the other.
‘Oh, hi, honey.’ Michael glanced over and smiled before turning his attention back to the game. ‘You know Grant and Mo, right?’ The men threw her a quick hello.
Anna nodded. ‘Yes, I think we’ve met.’ Shit, she thought, her mind frantically turning over. What was she going to do now? If she and Michael didn’t leave by seven, they’d miss their flight. His friends couldn’t be staying too long, could they? They
Similar Books
