Page 64 of Love Me Till Wednesday

What an odd thing for him to say. ‘What’s that meant to mean?’

Pete fidgeted in his chair. ‘Well, she’s always been a bit, you know.’

‘No, I don’t know. What do you mean?’

‘Manipulative?’

Twenty-four hours ago, Lisa would have argued with him about that, but after mulling things over last night, she was starting to realise there was another side to Mel.

‘Why did you spot that and not me?’

‘Because she didn’t want you to.’

Lisa looked around. Allegra was deep in conversation with Jed in the studio, and Ed was still in the toilet. She whispered to Pete. ‘But to lie to me and deprive Jim of his father. That’s plain evil.’

‘Yeah. Even worse than making a pass at your boyfriend.’

‘What boyfriend?’

‘Me, of course.’

‘When?’

‘About six months before we split up.’

‘Why didn’t you say?’

‘You two were as thick as thieves. We were going through a rough patch. I didn’t think you’d believe me. I thought it was a one-off. She came round to our flat when you’d gone home for your mum’s birthday.’

‘And?’

‘She bought a takeout with her. And some beers and a video. She said I didn’t deserve to be alone on a Saturday night.’

‘And you let her in.’

‘She’d brought my favourite curry. I didn’t want to let it go to waste.’

Lisa had no difficulty imagining that the promise of a free Chicken Bhoona would have easily turned Pete’s head. ‘You didn’t find it odd?’

‘Not initially. Not until she started snuggling up to me on the sofa.’

‘And then what happened?’

‘I told her she’d got the wrong impression, and I asked her to leave. She was seriously pissed off. So she tried to make out I was in the wrong, that I’d led her on, but I swear to god, I hadn’t. I’ve never fancied her. I was half expecting her to lie to you about it when you came back.’

‘I wonder why she didn’t.’

‘Our first single charted a couple of days later. She must’ve thought telling you could split the Stars up, and having a friend in a successful band was more useful to her than getting her own back on me.’

After a long, hot shower, Nick felt more human again. He was still knackered, but he was so on edge about meeting Jim there was no way he could have a nap now.

As he walked out of the bathroom, he caught sight of a red patch on his shoulder in the wardrobe mirror. A legacy from the journey in the hearse, no doubt. That would turn into a cracking bruise later.

It wasn’t the only part of him that was bruised. His ego had taken a pummelling from his discovery about Adrienne. But the more he thought about it, the more he realised theirrelationship had been doomed to failure. He wasn’t enough for her. Just like he used to think he hadn’t been enough for Lisa.

Oh Lisa. All those years apart and now this. Their enforced proximity in the hearse had been another reminder of just how much he missed her.

He checked his watch. She’d be doing her radio interview now. It might be on one of the channels on the hotel TV. He found the remote and scrolled through the guide on the screen to the radio options at the bottom.

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