to run off like that.”
“Typical of you to think it’s trivial.”
“I don’t, not exactly. But it’s hardly the end of the world. You might not believe me but I want to make things right. That’s why I’m driving down there after her.”
“Yet here you are drinking tea instead of blasting down the motorway?”
“I’m giving somebody a lift. Just waiting for a call and then I’ll be out of your hair.”
He didn’t want to explain about Lisa. Heather already looked sceptical and she’d always had the knack of putting him in the wrong.
He got up and stalked across the open plan room to the balcony doors. Hands stuffed in his pockets, he stared out at the river. It was deserted, the tourists driven inside by the rain which pitted the surface of the murky water. Where the fuck was Lisa? He wanted to be on his way.
He checked the phone in his pocket. No calls yet. Was that a good sign, he wondered? Maybe he should go back out to look for her?
“Oh, come and sit down. You’re making me nervous. And there’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you.”
Heather refilled his mug and handed it to him as he sat down beside her, only half listening to what she was saying. He’d have this tea and go, he decided. He really shouldn’t have left Lisa to face that guy on her own.
“I’m sorry if I was ratty with you. I’m a bit hormonal. Can you believe I’m actually pregnant? Fourteen weeks this time and over the dodgy stage at last.”
She rubbed the front of her striped jersey top, revealing the smallest bump. Joe didn’t know what to say. Or how he felt. Why, all of a sudden, did the whole world seem to be pregnant? He pulled himself together and kissed her.
“That’s great news. I’m over the moon for you. You’ve been waiting a long time.”
“After three miscarriages you start to think it’s never going to happen. I’ve been dying to tell Evie but I’ve been waiting for the right moment. It didn’t seem very tactful.”
“She’ll be happy for you.”
He realised he had no idea how Evie would feel. They’d never talked about what had happened.
“Steve’s thrilled, as you can imagine.”
“Yes, I guess he would be. Where is he anyway?”
“Amsterdam for a stag weekend. Due back on the afternoon flight, if they weren’t too hammered to catch their plane.”
“And you don’t mind?”
“Why should I mind? He isn’t you. He’d never do anything to jeapardise our future.”
“Lay it on thick, why don’t you. I know I haven’t been the perfect husband. Unlike yours, obviously.”
At one time Joe would have been first on the invite list for any stag do involving Steve. They’d been best mates. Except Joe had always resented Steve’s money. They weren’t in touch much now, other than through their wives. Maybe another set of fences for Joe to mend?
“He’s always been perfect for me,” Heather said, not biting. “Now that you’re here, you should stay, catch up?”
“Maybe.”
He wondered if he should take the chance to dip his toe in the icy water. There wasn’t much left of the afternoon anyway. If Lisa didn’t ring him soon, he’d already be pushing it to make it to Cornwall before dark.
“I had a text from Claire,” Heather was saying. “Italy with Granny for a birthday treat? She’s a lucky girl.”
Joe didn’t know they had the text thing going on. Had he been living in a parallel universe?
“I don’t want Claire upset by any of this. It’s been a difficult year for all of us but she’s young to have to cope with all that trauma. She deserves her treat and it needs to be sorted before she gets back.”
“I have to say this for you, after the balls-up you made at the beginning, you haven’t done too bad at being a father.”
“Careful. That’s almost a compliment.”
“Let’s not get carried away. She’s only thirteen. There’s more
“Typical of you to think it’s trivial.”
“I don’t, not exactly. But it’s hardly the end of the world. You might not believe me but I want to make things right. That’s why I’m driving down there after her.”
“Yet here you are drinking tea instead of blasting down the motorway?”
“I’m giving somebody a lift. Just waiting for a call and then I’ll be out of your hair.”
He didn’t want to explain about Lisa. Heather already looked sceptical and she’d always had the knack of putting him in the wrong.
He got up and stalked across the open plan room to the balcony doors. Hands stuffed in his pockets, he stared out at the river. It was deserted, the tourists driven inside by the rain which pitted the surface of the murky water. Where the fuck was Lisa? He wanted to be on his way.
He checked the phone in his pocket. No calls yet. Was that a good sign, he wondered? Maybe he should go back out to look for her?
“Oh, come and sit down. You’re making me nervous. And there’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you.”
Heather refilled his mug and handed it to him as he sat down beside her, only half listening to what she was saying. He’d have this tea and go, he decided. He really shouldn’t have left Lisa to face that guy on her own.
“I’m sorry if I was ratty with you. I’m a bit hormonal. Can you believe I’m actually pregnant? Fourteen weeks this time and over the dodgy stage at last.”
She rubbed the front of her striped jersey top, revealing the smallest bump. Joe didn’t know what to say. Or how he felt. Why, all of a sudden, did the whole world seem to be pregnant? He pulled himself together and kissed her.
“That’s great news. I’m over the moon for you. You’ve been waiting a long time.”
“After three miscarriages you start to think it’s never going to happen. I’ve been dying to tell Evie but I’ve been waiting for the right moment. It didn’t seem very tactful.”
“She’ll be happy for you.”
He realised he had no idea how Evie would feel. They’d never talked about what had happened.
“Steve’s thrilled, as you can imagine.”
“Yes, I guess he would be. Where is he anyway?”
“Amsterdam for a stag weekend. Due back on the afternoon flight, if they weren’t too hammered to catch their plane.”
“And you don’t mind?”
“Why should I mind? He isn’t you. He’d never do anything to jeapardise our future.”
“Lay it on thick, why don’t you. I know I haven’t been the perfect husband. Unlike yours, obviously.”
At one time Joe would have been first on the invite list for any stag do involving Steve. They’d been best mates. Except Joe had always resented Steve’s money. They weren’t in touch much now, other than through their wives. Maybe another set of fences for Joe to mend?
“He’s always been perfect for me,” Heather said, not biting. “Now that you’re here, you should stay, catch up?”
“Maybe.”
He wondered if he should take the chance to dip his toe in the icy water. There wasn’t much left of the afternoon anyway. If Lisa didn’t ring him soon, he’d already be pushing it to make it to Cornwall before dark.
“I had a text from Claire,” Heather was saying. “Italy with Granny for a birthday treat? She’s a lucky girl.”
Joe didn’t know they had the text thing going on. Had he been living in a parallel universe?
“I don’t want Claire upset by any of this. It’s been a difficult year for all of us but she’s young to have to cope with all that trauma. She deserves her treat and it needs to be sorted before she gets back.”
“I have to say this for you, after the balls-up you made at the beginning, you haven’t done too bad at being a father.”
“Careful. That’s almost a compliment.”
“Let’s not get carried away. She’s only thirteen. There’s more
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