Page 40 of Tempting the Player
“Kate! We've missed you, glad to have you back.” Rosie says, putting her arm around me.
“Yeah, Kate. Where have you been?” Charlotte says
I’m unsure what to say, “I... I've not been great. Patrick’s been doing the school run.”
“We can guess why you've not been yourself. And I'm thrilled that you're here today. We can't believe what's happened.” Charlotte Says
“Yeah, we've got your back, hun,” Rosie says. “We need to go out for drinks, that's what we need to do. Cheer you up.”
I smile at them. Thankful that they're being upfront and kind. I didn't realise how much I needed their support in this playground until right now. I'm grateful to them for showing their solidarity. I loved them in that moment, giving me the strength I needed at that time.
The school doors open, and Lucia and Jess come running out together. Lucia is running towards her mum when she glances over in my direction and spots me. She bounds over, pleased to see me - it breaks my heart more.
She throws her arms around my hips in a hug “Kate, Kate, come and say hello to my mummy!” She grabs my hand and tries to drag me over to her. Jess arrives at my side, and I bend to say hello and hug her as I take her bag. I can feel Nicki’s eyes on me, appraising me, exactly like I had done with her, but without her realising.
She walks over to me. “So... you’re the famous Kate that I've been hearing so much about, are you?” She gives me a pinched smile that nowhere near makes it to her eyes, in fact, it makes her look like a cold bitch.
I smile, the biggest smile I can find in me. “You must be Nicki.”
I don’t say nice to meet you because that would be a lie. The other mums are glancing our way, but trying not to make it obvious... and failing. They know I was with Nate. I feel such afool right now. I hate him for humiliating me in this way. Rosie is at my side with her son.Thank you,Rosie.
“Lucia never shuts up about you, and from what I understand, you and Nathan were an item while I was gone.”
“Yeah, we were... but not anymore,” I state matter-of-factly.
She snorts. “Well, of course not - I'm back - everything always changes when I'm back - but I guess you've found that out - and this time I'm back for good.”
“Ok, well, I'm sure I’ll be seeing more of you, bye.”
Rosie walks away with me, “What a fucking bitch.” She says under her breath to me so that the kids don't hear.
Too right she is. I want to punch her in the face. Maybe that would release this pent-up anger I've got bubbling inside - might get me in trouble with the headmistress, though.
I get to the school gates and my heart stops when I see him standing there, waiting for them, in his work gear - just like a family, like he did with me sometimes. When his eyes meet mine, they look unhappy...heseems unhappy. He looks like he hasn’t slept - his face is drawn. He looks terrible. Good. If this is what being with Lucia’s mum does to him, is it worth it? Maybe it’s because he’s awake all night having sex with her? Why in the hell did I let my brain go there? Nausea waves over me, and I immediately try to think about something else.
I take a deep breath and move forward, getting ready to walk past him - Nicki isn't far behind, and I don’t want a scene. I stare at the floor as I walk past him.
“Kate.” He prompts, I don’t look up. He grabs my arm; I try to pull it away, and reluctantly, my eyes go to his. “You haven’t texted me back, Kate . . . I . . . shit . . . I want to know how you are.”
I don’t get a chance to open my mouth to give him any response before I hear a voice from behind me.
Hers.
“Darling, I didn’t think you were picking her up today. I've got a special evening planned for us when we get home.” She’s talking loudly for my benefit. I wince at hearing her call it home, and he sees it, looking like he’s taken a punch. He doesn’t seem happy about her being there… maybe that’s wishful thinking, or perhaps he’s doing that for my benefit, whatever, he’s none of my business anymore anyway.
I make conversation with Jess, asking about her day, but I can feel his eyes burning into the back of me as I go.
Chapter 17
“Why are you making me go to this thing? Ireallydon’t want to go,” I whine as Karen, Amanda, Greg, and Maria are round at my house staging some sort of intervention, trying to make me go out.
“Come on, it’ll be fun. It’s the nineties reunion - everyone has been talking about it for weeks - we got tickets bloody months ago, it’s been a sell-out for ages.” Amanda says, dragging me off the couch.
My shoulders sag. It’s been four very long weeks since Nathan broke up with me. I've seen both of them a few times, thankfully, never together, though, since that first time. I get daggers from her and avoid her like the plague whenever I see her. I avoid him like I used to - he doesn’t push it, and he doesn’t try to talk to me like he used to. It hurts my insides to see him, because he looks anything but happy. I should think it serves him right, but I don’t, it hurts me to think of him unhappy, because that will mean Lucia isn’t happy either, and I love that girl as much as I love him.
I miss her.
I miss him.
