Page 7 of The Secret Life of Beatrice Alright

‘Long day?’ he asks.

I flop onto the bed beside him and rest my head on his shoulder. He feels tense and a little nervous.

‘The longest.’

‘Are you tired?’

‘Nope,’ I lie.

‘Good. Good.’ There’s a wobble in his voice, and I want to reach out and tell him not to be nervous, but I have a feeling he has this rehearsed, and I don’t want to mess it up, so I sit quietly and smile.

There is a long silence, and oddly it feels awkward as my stomach begins to somersault. I think I might be nervous too, despite knowing my answer will be a huge resoundingYES!

‘Bea.’

He’s so serious. I’m slightly dizzy with excitement and I wish I’d remembered to eat before I left work. I wonder if he has a meal prepared. Or a takeaway. There’s always food in the movies, and champagne. I just know Declan will outdo any movie I’ve ever seen.

There’s another awkward pause and I listen for Ellie in the sitting room. CBeebies is blaring and I know we have time. The bedtime story won’t come on for another fifteen minutes.In fifteen minutes, I will be an engaged woman.

‘Bea,’ he repeats, taking my hand. ‘We have to talk.’

My pulse is racing, and I swear my heart feels like a little bird with fluttering wings that might fly out of my chest with anticipation.

‘We do?’

His brows pinch. ‘Yes. We do.’

‘I’m ready when you are.’

‘Ooookay.’ Declan draws in a huge breath that seems to fill his chest until it seems as if it might burst. ‘Bea. I’m married.’

‘Yes!’ I throw my arms in the air and lean in to kiss him, but instantly pull back.

‘What?’ he says, pulling back too.

‘What?’ I echo, wondering what the hell I just heard him say.

‘Bea, I’m married.’

And there it is. Repeated, I hear it clearly. Declan didn’t say, ‘Bea, will you marry me?’ He said, ‘Bea, I already am.’

I’ve never fainted in my life, but for a brief moment I think I might.

‘WHAT?’ My arms are down and I’m on my feet. ‘Did you just sayyou’re married?’

Declan isn’t looking at me any more. His eyes are on my feet. Where my toe pokes out through my tights.

‘Did you?’ I snap. ‘Did you seriously just say you are already married?’

‘Bea, calm down. Please? Ellie will hear you.’

‘Did you?’ I stomp my toe-poking foot. ‘Did you say it, Declan?’

He gets to his feet and places his hands on my shoulders. I shrug him off as his touch burns me.

‘It’s complicated.’

My eyes sting and I bend in the middle as if I’ve been gut-punched. It hurts as if I have been.

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