Page 72 of The Knitting Club at Wagtail Ridge

‘Here, let me.’ Bree took the keys and opened the door.

Matt was unsteady on his feet as they walked into the lounge. Bree helped disentangle him from his jacket and he made a beeline for the sofa.

‘Oh, no.’ Bree took his arms and steered him gently away. ‘I think we need to get you straight into bed.’

‘Okay.’

Bree got Matt down the hall to his bedroom. She didn’t switch the light on as he staggered into the room; the light from the hallway was enough for her to guide him to the bed and push him gently down.

His eyes closed immediately and he rolled on his side. He reached out towards the empty side of the bed and Bree thought she heard him whisper Kim’s name. His breathing became slow and deep. She took his shoes off and placed them on the floor, aware of the photograph on his bedside table. She looked at the smiling woman in the silver frame.

‘You were very lucky to have love like his,’ she said. ‘Even for such a short time.’

A gentle snore from the bed followed her as she left the room.

CHAPTER

28

Matt felt dreadful. It was so long since he’d been drunk, he’d forgotten how truly awful a hangover was. Or maybe the way he felt was caused by more than alcohol.

He pushed himself into a sitting position and waited for the room to stop spinning around him. His eyes focused on his shoes, neatly placed together on the floor. He wouldn’t have done that in the state he was in last night. He hauled himself to his feet and shed his rumpled clothes before heading to the bathroom, where he stood under the shower, trying to clear his pounding head and remember the evening before. He’d sent his daughter to stay with Kelly, taking advantage of a friend to get Vicki out of the way so he could be alone with Bree. He’d hoped to … Well, whatever he’d hoped, it had all gone downhill after his second rum and Coke. There had been a third and probably a fourth. Things were a bit hazy after that. He remembered walking with Bree, holding her hand. And then he remembered breaking down, as two years of grief breached the defences he’d built so high around his heart. He was both embarrassed and deeply ashamed.

When he got out of the shower and started dressing, he didn’t even glance at the framed photo beside his bed.

Once he had some coffee brewing, he picked up his phone and rang Kelly.

‘I am so sorry,’ he said when she answered. ‘It was rude of me to expect you to take Vicki like that.’

‘Don’t be silly. I was happy to do it. Did you have a good evening with Bree?’

He avoided the question. ‘How’s Vicki? I hope she hasn’t been any trouble?’

‘She’s fine. She’s had breakfast and is watching TV with my two.’

‘I’ll be over to get her shortly.’

‘No rush.’

Matt took that as an opportunity to drink a much-needed cup of coffee—he couldn’t face the thought of breakfast—and set off to collect his daughter.

Vicki seemed happy enough to see him.

‘Where’s Bree?’ she asked innocently when he walked into the room. Matt could feel Kelly’s interest in his answer too.

‘Bree went home last night.’ Or he assumed she had.

Vicki’s face fell. ‘I wanted to talk to her about knitting club.’

‘Knitting club is this afternoon. I’m sure whatever it is can wait until then.’ He thanked Kelly again and took his daughter home.

For once, he didn’t argue with Vicki’s desire to watch TV. Saturday morning TV was usually off the agenda, but he welcomed her absence from his office as he sat staring at his phone and wondering if he should ring Bree. What would he say to her? Should he apologise? But how could he apologise if he didn’t remember what had happened? Well, he did remember some things, and he wasn’t very proud of them.

At last he reached for some actual work, cursing himself for being a coward. He wouldn’t be at knitting club this afternoon—he had a property viewing scheduled—but he would see Bree when he dropped Vicki off. Maybe by then he’d have thought of what to say. Maybe there’d be too many people and he’d get a reprieve, although at some point he had to say something about last night. At the very least, Bree deserved an apology.

When Matt and Vicki arrived at the hall, most of the knitters were already there. Some were already seated around the big table, while others were chatting as they poured tea and filled plates with cake.

‘Hi, Bree.’ Vicki bounded across the room. ‘I watchedFrozenagain last night. Did you and Daddy have fun too?’

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