Page 97 of A Night with Damien Spur

‘I’m worried about Damien,’ Sophie said.

‘Oh, so maybe there’s more to your friendship than meets the eye.’ Anna’s mouth twitched involuntarily.

‘I have to say I’m very drawn to him. He’s such a firebrand. But there’s also a vulnerability that brings out the mother in me. Maybe one day we’ll find each other when we both wake up.’

‘Good luck to you,’ Anna said, tight-lipped. ‘He’s a great guy. Tell you one thing, though, he’s a wonderful lover,’ she added smugly.

‘Good to know,’ Sophie replied. She looked away.

‘Anyway, at least he’s free,’ Anna said. ‘Better than havingyour heart twisted in knots obsessed with somebody else’s husband.’

You’re waiting for me to bite back, Anna, but I won’t, thought Sophie.I’m not going to give you the pleasure of hurting me.

They had walked out of the herb garden, past the climbers. Sophie focused on a butterfly that had attached itself to the ivy.

‘Look. How pretty, Anna.’

‘Seriously.’ Anna’s mouth twitched again. ‘Have things moved on with you and Damien?’

‘Why are you asking?’

‘Because I don’t want the pictures in my head.’

‘But you’re getting married. Aren’t you in love with Justin?’

Anna looked askance at her sister. ‘To be honest, I’m not sure I want to have this deep and meaningful chat just before I get hitched.’

But Sophie continued digging. ‘Just that when you talk about him, I don’t think you’ve ever used the word love.’

‘Look, I’m very fond of him. Justin’s a really good man and I respect him.’

‘But is that enough?’

‘Please, little sister, don’t give me your romantic nonsense. The important thing is he adores me. Propelled me into becoming a leading children’s writer, and what’s more, I know that he would never, ever look at another woman.’

‘I suppose we’re made of different stuff. The earth has to move for me,’ Sophie said. ‘And from the way you’re talking, he doesn’t seem to steam you up.’

‘What are you suggesting? That we don’t have a good sex life?’ Anna stuck out her chin and gave her sister a belligerent look. ‘Are you trying to throw me off course before my marriage just because you’ve had a rough ride? Justin loves me and I feel a great affection for him. Surely that’s better than being the sneaky bit on the side for a married man.’ She punctuated her words with a thin, sarcastic smile.

Sophie wanted to leave. But instead she took Anna’s arm and gently steered her towards the cafeteria.

‘Come on, let’s have a glass of wine. Just think – you’re marrying a guy who is besotted with you. Remember Mummy’s motto: “Always choose a man who loves you more than you love him and then you’ll be a happy wife”.’

Chapter 32

Maybe it would have been different if he hadn’t been alone the night before the wedding. Maybe if Sophie had been there. But she had gone to her sister’s hen party.

Damien was left with his thoughts for company. Bad thoughts. And in his misery, he had snorted six lines of cocaine and drunk a bottle of whisky.

Come the day, he was lying on the sofa with a nosebleed, dabbing his nostrils with a sheet of toilet paper, when Sophie rang.

‘I’m not going to make it to the church, Sophie. Go without me,’ he said.

‘Thanks, Damien. I’ve been waiting for you for forty minutes and you didn’t even have the good grace to tell me you weren’t coming.’

‘Sophie, just don’t hassle me. I’ll show up this evening. You know I’ve had a terrible week.’

He turned off his mobile and closed his eyes. He didn’twant to listen to the increasingly vitriolic phone messages that his agent had left him over the last couple of days.

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