Page 74 of The Good Neighbour
Then Josh’s blood ran cold as a figure appeared.
“Hello, Josh.”
“Winston.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Josh could only stand and stare. The wind had been knocked out of him. The face staring back, he knew so well yet he’d resigned himself to never seeing it again.
Weeks ago he would have prayed for this moment. Now all he could feel was a sense of violation.
Winston took a few tentative steps into the studio. That was too much for Josh.
“What are you doing here?”
“Don’t you have a hug for your husband?”
Josh moved away.
“Soon to be ex-husband, you mean.”
His words were returning to him. Anger flashed. How dare he even be here after the last few months?
The studio seemed to have shrunk. Josh took a slow breath. Desperately trying to control his emotions that were threatening to erupt.
“I’ve no idea what it is you want?—”
“I thought we should talk. Before the lawyers get stuck in and cost us both a fortune.”
Josh had no idea what the fuck Winston wanted to discuss.
He wanted him out of there. Immediately.
“Please go,” Josh said. “I don’t want to be near you.”
“Josh. What if…”
Here it came. The real reason for Winston’s unexpected appearance.
“What if we had another go at it?”
“Are you for fucking real?”
To Josh’s astonishment, Winston actually chuckled.
“I don’t think I made a joke,” Josh snarled.
“I’m sorry,” Winston said, holding his hands up. “I know I must look like a cheeky bastard.”
Talk about putting it mildly.
“It’s just that once I’d sent the list, I got to thinking about the life we’d built together. I found I missed it.”
Josh paced around the studio, running his hands over his face. “I honestly can’t believe I’m hearing this. You broke me, Winston. Into little pieces. Now you want to pick up where you left off? Get out. I won’t tell you again.”
Winston reached for him and Josh leapt back.
“My head was all over the place after the cancer thing,” Winston said. “I didn’t know what I was doing. Can’t you understand that?”
