Page 47 of Heart of The Night

‘So…’ I began, unsure of how to broach the subject. I didn’t want to come across as neurotic, but my curiosity about the dress was niggling at me. Had he met her? Without telling me? Was that the reason behind his off-beat behaviour yesterday?

His attention remained on his omelette as he prompted, ‘What?’

‘When you were showering earlier, I happened to notice that Francesca’s dress is no longer in your wardrobe.’

He tensed momentarily, but maintained a neutral expression, not even sparing me a glance. ‘Right. Yeah, I gave it back to her.’

‘Oh?’ I aimed for a nonchalant tone, not wishing to stir any anxiety. I wanted to create an environment where he felt safe to share anything. If I reacted adversely to his withholding this information, it wouldn’t encourage such openness.

Swallowing a mouthful, he murmured, ‘Yeah.’

‘When?’ I asked, maintaining a casual tone.

‘Sunday.’

‘Ah.’ I scrutinised him, increasingly convinced that this was the missing puzzle piece explaining his unpredictable mood swings yesterday. He had been a pendulum of emotions, oscillating between clingy and detached.

I patiently waited, hoping he would share more details, but he remained silent.

‘How did it go?’ I gently asked.

He cleared his throat and stood up, circling the island to grab his glass from the worktop. ‘It went fine.’

My eyebrows furrowed. He was behaving oddly – intentionally avoiding my gaze, and his composure seemed forced.

‘Did she ask for another chance?’ I wondered, remembering her brazen appeals from before.

He gave a nod. ‘I was as gentle as I could be,’ he said, finally locking eyes with me. I detected a hint of apprehension in his gaze, as if he expected judgement. But I trusted he had been as gentle as his nature allowed. Though, that had probably made it all the more agonising for Francesca. She must have seen a trace of his tender side, of the potential it contained, which I was blessed enough to experience every single day.

‘Where did you do it?’ The curiosity gnawed at me. Had she stood here? Perhaps in the hall where William and I had made love several times?

‘At the hotel she was staying in.’ He shrugged. ‘Meeting there gave me the option to make a quick exit when I wanted to.’

His forethought didn’t surprise me.

‘You’re well-versed in break-ups, aren’t you?’ I quickly filled my mouth with the remainder of my omelette to stifle any further comment.

Leaning across the island, William held my gaze with an intense sincerity. ‘You’ll never have to find out.’

A thrill surged through me, leaving me momentarily stunned. He had this way of stirring the deepest emotions with the simplest words.

‘Smooth.’ Struggling to cool my heated cheeks, I tried to play it off nonchalantly, but his words had pierced right through my defences, straight into my heart.

He chuckled, drawing back with a satisfied smile.

‘She doesn’t live in London, then?’ I asked. ‘Seeing as she was staying at a hotel?’

He shook his head. ‘No, she’s based in Southampton. She does a lot of her work in London, though, so she’s been planning on moving here. In the meantime, she stays with friends or at hotels. But she’s often abroad, so she’s not rushing it.’

‘Did she ever stay with you?’

His brows knitted together. ‘No.’

‘Did you invite her to?’

His frown deepened. ‘Where is this leading? No.’

I laughed lightly. ‘Goodness. There’s no need to get defensive. I’m just curious.’

---