Page 47 of The Path to the Last House Before the Sea

Miri made her ‘Aw, bless you’ face that she usually saved for her elderly grandmother. ‘If you say so, Jacky. I’m sorry for you. I really am. But I’m afraid you have to learn to live without me. I know it’s hard but there’s no other way.’

‘Cake, anyone?’ asked Alyssa, suddenly appearing at his shoulder. She leaned across him and placed two plates on the table. The rich fruit cake had made grease marks on the paper.

To Jack’s surprise, her hand slowly brushed his as she straightened up. Miri noticed it too. Her eyes opened wide when Alyssa leaned forward again, until her dark hair was against his cheek.

‘Jack, I know this isn’t the time or place, but can I have a quick word?’ Her voice was low and breathy.

‘Um…’ His eyes met hers. What the hell was she doing?

‘Please,’ she urged. ‘It’s important. Really important.’

Miri stared at the two of them as Jack muttered, ‘Yeah, sure.’ And he was aware of her watching him when he got to his feet and followed Alyssa, who made a beeline through a crowd of villagers who’d taken to the dance floor.

When they reached a shadowy corner of the marquee, she stopped and pulled him behind a table stacked high with bottles of wine and beer.

‘What is it?’ asked Jack, feeling punch-drunk from the whole afternoon. ‘I told them that we’d split up, so you don’t have to have anything to do with me.’

Alyssa grabbed hold of his hand and squeezed his fingers so hard it almost brought tears to his eyes. ‘Just stop talking,’ she hissed, staring up into his face. ‘I’m talking to you right now about how upset I am that we’re finished, OK?’ She ended with a loud sniff, her bottom lip wobbling. ‘I know, Jacky,’ she said, moving her mouth slowly so every word was crisp and clear. ‘I know what you said but I just can’t accept it.’

‘What the hell?’ muttered Jack.

‘She’s watching us, so shut up and kiss me,’ hissed Alyssa.

‘I don’t know what—’

Before he could say any more, Alyssa threw her arms around his neck and pressed her lips against his. He recoiled in shock but Alyssa held on tight. Her lips were soft and warm and, once he got over the surprise, he had to admit that the kiss was pleasant.

More than pleasant, in fact. As the kiss went on, Jack put his arms around Alyssa’s waist, closed his eyes and pulled her tightly against his body. He couldn’t remember the last time he and Miri had kissed like this.

Alyssa shuffled him to the side, still holding on for dear life, and when Jack opened one eye, he realised why. Alyssa had played a blinder and positioned them so they were in Miri’s direct line of sight.

Miri was watching them with a strange expression on her face. She looked annoyed, even jealous, maybe? Belinda, he noticed, was also watching, so there would be consequences later. But what the hell.

He closed his eye and went back to enjoying the kiss that was, metaphorically, two fingers up to his wife and her lover.

It was Alyssa who pulled away first, her face flushed and her ponytail falling down where he’d pushed his hands into her hair. He blinked, the spell broken and embarrassment rushing in.

Alyssa dabbed the back of her hand across her lips. ‘There you go. That should do the trick. You can tell them that I desperately still want to go out with you.’

‘Why did you do that?’ asked Jack, but Alyssa had already turned and walked away, adjusting the skirt of her dress as she went.

Jack made his way back to his seat, watched every step by Miri, whose mouth had drawn into a tight line. He held himself taller as he walked, buoyed up by his self-esteem that Alyssa had just helped to drag out of the gutter.

‘What was that all about?’ Miri asked when he sat down.

‘Alyssa’s upset about our break-up and wants me to give our relationship another chance,’ said Jack, struggling to keep his face impassive when he felt like punching the air.

Miri glanced at Alyssa, who was chatting to Rosie and Liam. ‘Do you think you will get back together with her?’

‘Possibly,’ said Jack airily. ‘Probably. We’ll see.’

Miri pulled a chunk of icing from her cake and shoved it into her mouth. The icing was sweet; however her expression was anything but.

Jack, catching Alyssa’s eye across the marquee, gave her a slight nod and the ghost of a smile.

TWENTY-FOUR

ALYSSA

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