Page 78 of I Knew You Were Trouble

‘I don’t know about that.’ Paige grins with a playful roll of her eyes, and once more I find myself picking out the resemblances between them. ‘Come on, shall we go?’

I help Paige load the Peli cases into the car. It’s a short drive in a Range Rover down a hedge-lined country lane to get to Aidan’s parents’ pub. I squeeze my hands between my thighs to keep them warm.

Paige turns a corner and parks at a haphazard angle, yanking up the handbrake. I lean forward, taking in the view out of the windscreen. To my left is a substantial house, with ivy and clematis creeping up the façade. Attached to it and adjacent is what must be the pub, the brass lettering readingThe Fox Den.

‘The Fox Den and The Rabbit Warren,’ I say with a nod of understanding. ‘I hadn’t realised the connection.’

Paige rests one hand on top of the steering wheel. ‘My aunt runs the hotel side of the business. Dad and my brother Rohan run the pub. My dad is the landlord, works behind the bar mostly, as well as my sister-in-law, part-time.’

‘So that’s your brother’s wife, Jo-Jo, is that right?’

She grins. Her smile is infectious. She has none of her twin’s propensity to glower. ‘That’s right. Leave the cases in here for the time being and I’ll give you the grand tour.’

I follow her out of the car and across to the main house, through a cosy pub to a large pub garden at the back. In the distance, across the field, two men are arranging some black boxes.

‘That’s my dad and Rohan,’ Paige says, pointing. ‘They’re setting up for the fireworks tonight. Pub opens back up at four today so there’s no one else around. Aidan’s gone to some party somewhere, so you’ll miss him.’

I force a smile. I wonder how much Aidan has said to her about our relationship.

‘Probably for the best,’ I say, swallowing a lump in my throat.

‘Would you like a peek at his room?’ Paige asks, giving me a devilish look.

‘Do you think he’d mind?’

She tosses a handful of her long hair over her shoulder. ‘He never has to know.’

Minutes later, we’re at the far side of the house, walking through a red door at the back of a garage that leads directly to a staircase.

I follow Paige, climbing the stairs. At the top, my jaw drops at the sight. The walls are covered in memorabilia: photos, album covers, awards, posters. It is a Rebel Heart treasure trove. At one end of the room is a door to an en-suite bathroom, a long desk, and in the middle of the room a super king-sized bed. The ceiling rises to a high vault. I feel heat rising from the base of my neck at having just walked into Aidan McArthur’s bedroom.

‘We call this the annex,’ Paige explains. ‘We moved Aidey out here when he outgrew his room soon after Rebel Heart formed. We keep telling him he needs to buy his own house.’

I take a long, shaky breath.

‘Well,’ Paige grins, following my gaze, ‘what d’you think?’

I give a nod, not knowing quite how to respond. Moving to the nearest wall, I stare at a photograph of Aidan as a young boy in white tights and a leotard, holding up a medal.

‘Of everything in here, you had to look atthat,’ Paige laughs and shakes her head.

‘Is that you next to him?’ I ask, pointing to the photo. ‘How old are you both here?’

‘About seven. Maybe six. We were in ballet class from the age of three or four. My mother was a ballerina. Then later she realised that neither of us was actually very interested in ballet, so she moved us to modern dance. This one is us, about aged nine. We both won the county finals.’

‘Wow,’ I breathe.

I move along the row, taking in the different pictures and photographs. Framed on the wall is an advert for a designer brand of men’s cologne, Aidan standing in water up to his waistline, shirtless, mouth open, hair falling into his eyes and staring at the camera. I recognise the image from several duty-free shops at airports I’ve passed through, yet I’ve never quite grasped how overtly sexual it is. I feel a tingling sensation wash over me.

‘Mum’s got cupboards of the stuff if you want any,’ Paige comments. ‘She gives it out as Christmas gifts every year. It’s embarrassing.’

I realise I am ogling his naked chest and I turn away. Outside the window, I can hear car tyres on the gravel and the sound of voices. I’m drawn to looking at Paige, who has suddenly started to fidget.

Without warning, the door at the bottom of the staircase opens, and I hear footsteps on the stairs.

When Aidan reaches the top of the staircase, I freeze, not sure where to look.

Chapter Twenty-Two

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