Page 80 of The Allotment on Willow Tree Lane

Damon’s voice was grim. ‘Let me see.’

When she passed her mobile to him, what he saw made his blood run cold and his heart turn to ice.

There wasn’t just one photo, there were several, and although the one where he was kissing Ceri had been taken from some distance away and wasn’t as sharp as it could be, in the others his face was clearly visible. So was hers.

He clicked on one of them, dread making him clumsy, and he almost dropped the phone when he read that the whole world now knew he lived in Foxmore and that he was dating a local teacher.

That was bad enough, but there was worse to come. According to the article, Ceri herself had apparently admitted to her students that she was dating him. Two girls were quoted as having asked their teacher outright, because they had spotted him in Foxmore, where he had been ‘hiding out after the death of band member Aiden Thomas’. And speculation was rife that Black Hyacinth had found someone to replace Aiden on vocals and guitar, in the form of Aiden’s sister, Sadie. The band had yet to comment.

He’d give them a comment, all right! One that wasn’t fit to be printed.

‘When did all this kick off?’ he demanded.

‘Um, this morning, I think. I only noticed it when I woke up. I’m pretty sure there was nothing about it last night.’

Suddenly Damon had to get out of there. He had to leave. Going to the studio now, after Ceri’s gross betrayal of his privacy, was unthinkable. With no idea where he was headed or what he would do when he got there, he grabbed his keys and darted into the hall. He just needed to get out of there. Now!

‘What are you doing?’ Sadie demanded. ‘I thought we were going to grab a taxi to the studio?’

‘I’m not going to the studio,’ he growled.

‘What?You’ve got to!’

‘No, I haven’t.’

‘But what about the album?’

‘Stuff the album.’ Damon softened when he saw her face. ‘It will get done,’ he promised her. ‘Just not today…’ He shouldn’t take it out on her; this awful situation wasn’t Sadie’s fault. He was guilty of shooting the messenger when the only person he should be furious with was Ceri.

He’d thought she loved him. He had bared his soul to her, had let her into his heart, his home and his life, andthisis how she repaid him.

Did she honestly think he would forgive her? She knew how he felt, and the reason he was keeping a low profile, yet she had discussed him with her bloodystudents. It might have been done inadvertently, but how could he trust her again? Perhaps she’d thought nothing would come of it, but for God’s sake, she knew the score with Aiden. She should have guessed what this would do to him.

How could their relationship ever recover from this? She was responsible for details of his private life now being splashed all over social media.

Distraught, Damon stormed out of the flat and headed to the basement and his car.

As he slid into the driver’s seat, his phone began to vibrate and he switched it off before starting the engine and roaring up the ramp and onto the street, not caring which direction he went.

It was only when he saw he was on the M40, did he realise that he was heading back to Foxmore.

Chapter 21

Ceri stared at her phone’s screen, willing a message from Damon to appear. She’d only sent it an hour ago, and she assumed he must be busy. He might be in the middle of recording, or whatever it was they did in the studio.

She was about to take a sip of the tea she’d just made, when there was a knock on the door. Guessing it was probably Rowena returning the shed key, she hesitated about answering it. She had embarrassed herself in front of her sister-in-law once today, and although she wasn’t feeling quite as despondent, she didn’t want to risk a repeat performance. What must poor little Nia think of her Aunty Ceri!

But then she felt guilty as the knock came again, so she put her mug down and went to the door.

A man and a woman were standing in her step. ‘Ceri Morgan?’ the man asked.

‘Er… yes. Can I help—?’

Before Ceri had a chance to finish the sentence, the woman lifted a camera to her face and began snapping away.

It took Ceri a moment to understand that it was she who was being photographed, and as soon as she did, she put out her hand to block the lens. ‘What’s going on?’ she demanded. ‘Who are you, and why are you taking my photo?’

‘Can you tell me about your relationship with Damon Rogers? Is he your boyfriend? How long have the two of you been dating?’ The man rattled off a flurry of questions, one after the other without waiting for a reply.

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