rapidly. Instead, she chanced quick glances at him but he was looking at the floor.
‘I can’t do this,’ he said, eventually looking up. ‘I can’t switch my feelings on and off when it suits.’
‘But –’
‘You don’t understand, do you?’ Nick’s voice rose slightly.
‘No, I don’t. Why don’t you explain?’
‘‘When I’m not with you, I can be brave about things. Our marriage wasn’t working, we both knew that, and I’m not sure we can make it better again. I don’t want to hurt you anymore. Like I said, I just came here to talk things over. I didn’t mean to take advantage of the situation. It’s just that…’ Nick paused. ‘You looked so fricking sexy in that outfit. When I saw you tonight, all the feelings I had for you came rushing back. I feel such a bastard.’
Some of her plan had worked, Kate congratulated herself inwardly. At last he was beginning to come around.
But, wait a minute. All the feelings he had ?
‘So what do we do now?’ she asked.
Nick shrugged his shoulders and sat down on the settee. Rosie moved closer and he absent-mindedly stroked her chest. Concentrating intently on Sky News , they sat in silence.
‘I’ve got lots of questions,’ Kate said when the break came on.
‘I haven’t got any answers,’ said Nick. ‘I’m not going to sit here and list all your faults. Some of it was down to me. I think we took each other for granted. Sometimes it happens. We –’
‘You could always come back,’ Kate interrupted, trying hard to keep things on track although she knew she was heading up a one way street.
Nick shook his head. ‘I can’t.’
‘But it’s not too late.’ Kate switched off the TV, hoping to get his undivided attention. ‘I’m willing to try again. I know a lot of it was my fault but I can change. I want to –’
‘It’s not that simple.’ Nick stood up and she quickly followed suit.
‘Please give me another chance. I promise this time I won’t be –’
‘Such a nag?’
‘What?’ A look of bewilderment crossed Kate’s face.
‘You used to be so much fun when I first met you. I always enjoyed your sense of humour, your wit. But just lately, you started to direct it at me in a cruel way. Everything I did was wrong, so I bit back.’
‘But –’
‘I was sick of all the arguing too. In fact, in some bitter and twisted way, I’m sure you were trying to turn me against you. You’ve wanted me to leave for a long time now, but without it having anything to do with your behaviour. So you can’t be to blame.’
‘You’re saying it’s my fault?’ Kate’s voice was barely audible. She knew she’d been off with him lately, but it took two to argue with such conviction week after week.
‘Yes…No...Maybe it’s me who’s changed. I don’t know, but I can’t make it right now.’
‘But…’
‘For fuck’s sake, Kate. It won’t work again. Can’t you see that?’
Kate sat down with a bump. Tears came fast and freely then.
Nick sat down beside her. ‘I didn’t mean to be so harsh,’ he spoke quietly, ‘but I need you to understand that I’m not coming back. I didn’t set out to…well, you know, what we did tonight, but you reminded me of the old Kate who used to make me happy. It was wrong of me and I’m sorry.’
Kate said nothing. She didn’t trust herself not to lash out at him with her tongue. And even if she shouted and screamed and threw things and smashed things, she knew none of that would make any difference.
‘It’s over, Kate,’ said Nick, ‘and I’m sorry for any hurt that you’re feeling. But you have to get on with your life now, without me.’
Through her tears, Kate gazed into his eyes. Those eyes that she’d often got lost in. All the years she’d seen them shine and now they’d lost their sparkle.
He stopped at the door and turned back for a moment. ‘Bye, Kate.’
Only when she heard the front door close behind him did she really start to cry.
CHAPTER
Elaine Viets
James Lear
Lauren Crossley
Natalie Hancock
Tessa Cárdenas
Jill McGown
Steve Berry
Brynn Paulin
Di Toft
Brian Hodge