Page 146 of The Honeymoon Affair

Like being footloose and fancy-free in London for the night.

Even as I’m thinking this, Josh walks into the bar.

‘I thought you were out for the evening,’ I say.

‘I was only meeting Greg for one pint,’ he says. ‘He had to get back to the family. They’ve a new baby, born last month.’

‘Oh.’

‘So here we are in London, with nothing to do.’

‘It’s London. There’s hardly nothing to do.’

‘Anything you fancy?’ he asks. ‘A cultural event, perhaps.’

‘Get a grip, Josh,’ I say. ‘I’m here to sell my business. I’ve already had a glass of Prosecco with you and another with Sydney Travers. Who sees me as a bit of a role model, by the way, which is very satisfying. I’m so not here for cultural pursuits.’

‘More bubbly?’ he suggests. ‘I certainly think London and bubbly go together.’

‘You couldn’t be more right.’

Josh orders a bottle of Bollinger, which, I tell him, is totally over the top. A couple of glasses would have been fine. But when the barman eases the cork from the bottle with a gentle pop, I sigh with satisfaction and take a photo for my own Instagram account. I won’t put it up until everything’s signed and sealed. Don’t want to tempt fate.

When the champagne is poured, we make a toast to brave decisions. I wish Josh the best of luck with his divorce, and he says that he had a call from Sheedy earlier and things are moving along far more quickly than he expected.

‘Which is good in lots of ways,’ he says. ‘It’s made me have to face up to the fact that it’s happening.’

‘Charles and I did it all wrong,’ I tell him. ‘We put it on hold because of being too busy. Now that I can think about it more clearly, there was nothing more important than getting ourselves into the right place personally.’

‘Can’t get everything right,’ says Josh.

‘I was too comfortable with being half in and half out of our marriage. Maybe I even grew to like it. I’m such an idiot.’

‘No you’re not,’ he says. ‘You’re a wonderful businesswoman who’s selling her company for a life-changing chunk of money. You’ve been totally validated, Ariel.’

‘I always think being validated makes it sound like you’re a parking ticket,’ I say.

He laughs and pours more champagne.

I’m light-headed before we finish the bottle and I say that I’m going to bed.

‘I think I will too,’ he says.

We get into the lift together.

He’s on the third floor. I’m on the fourth.

When the doors open on level three, he steps out, then turns to me.

‘Anything else you want to do while we’re here?’ he asks.

I follow him out of the lift and along the corridor to his room.

He opens the door and we fall onto the king-sized bed. We’re a tangle of clothes and limbs, laughing and giggling like a couple of teenagers, and then I’m lost in the sheer pleasure of him.

#LoveLondon #NoStrings #CelebrateSuccess

Chapter 41

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