Page 40 of The Path to the Last House Before the Sea

‘Good. Well, I don’t mean good that she’s got another man. I mean…’ Alyssa stopped and took a breath before continuing. ‘So, let me guess. After a shock like that, you didn’t want Miri to think that you were still pining for her.’

Jack nodded, looking thoroughly miserable now. ‘I didn’t want her to think I’m a sad bloke with no life, even though I guess I am. So I told her I had a new partner, which, now I say it out loud, sounds completely ridiculous. Sorry.’

He seemed so vulnerable all of a sudden, Alyssa gestured to the seat below the window. ‘You can sit down if you want.’

He sat, without a word.

‘Look, I can understand you pretending that you had a girlfriend. It wasn’t a great idea, but I get it. But why did you use my name, for goodness’ sake?’

‘I don’t know. My mind went totally blank and I couldn’t think of any women’s names. Except for “Penny”.’

‘Wasn’t that your mum’s name?’

‘Yep.’

‘So you could hardly use that one.’

‘Nope.’

‘And then you spotted me talking to Claude.’

‘Exactly. I saw you and said your name without thinking it through.’

Alyssa nodded. ‘OK, I can see how that happened. But then, I came over.’ She shook her head. ‘Oh my God, you must have been dying inside.’

‘I thought I might self-combust on the spot.’

Alyssa began to giggle and dug her nails into the palm of her hand to stop herself. ‘I thought you went a funny colour as I got closer.’

‘I was quietly hyperventilating and then, when I grabbed your hand, I was worried you were going to hit me.’

‘I did consider it. I wonder what Miri would have thought if I’d slugged you with a left hook.’ She pictured Miri’s horrified expression and began to laugh. And try as she might, she couldn’t stop. She hadn’t laughed so inappropriately since she and a cousin had giggled during a great-uncle’s funeral twenty years ago.

Jack stared at her, with his mouth open, as she tried to compose herself. The thought of him having kittens when she’d approached him and Miri was funny. But even so, she was laughing after he’d just told her that the woman he loved was seeing someone else. He was going to storm out and she didn’t blame him.

But to her surprise, Jack’s mouth began to twitch and suddenly he joined in. ‘Of all the names I could have chosen!’ he spluttered between guffaws, which only made her worse.

They both laughed until tears ran down their faces and Alyssa had to hold on to the wall to steady herself.

Her stomach was hurting by the time she stopped and took a deep breath. Jack had stopped laughing too and was wiping his eyes. ‘I’m so sorry, Jack. I shouldn’t have started laughing. Miri’s news must have been hard for you to hear, especially as I know you worry about Archie?’

He sobered up immediately at the sound of his son’s name. ‘I worry about him all the time because I love him so much.’ Jack swallowed. ‘Do you know, I wanted Miri and me to have a child, a brother or sister for Archie? However, she told me she didn’t want any more kids, which I accepted although I found it upsetting. But hey, maybe she’ll want one with Omen-y Damian.’

He flinched, his face suddenly a mask of pain.

‘I’m so sorry,’ said Alyssa, kicking herself for being so ineffectual, though nothing she could say would make him feel any better.

When Jack shrugged and tried to smile, it broke her heart. She knew how it felt to battle on through regret and pain. To desperately want to turn back the clock and make things turn out differently.

‘Anyway.’ He stood up and stretched his legs. ‘Enough of my marital woes. I came round to apologise for dragging you into the whole mess and I’d be very grateful if you didn’t mention any of it to my dad. He’s got enough on his plate.’

‘Of course I won’t. Our make-believe relationship will remain our secret.’

Jack breathed out slowly. ‘Thanks. That’s very decent of you.’

‘At least Miri’s leaving Heaven’s Cove now.’

‘Yeah, about that.’ Jack rubbed his hand across his mouth. ‘It appears that she and Damian are going to Rosie’s wedding.’

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