The Single Wife : 'Liane Moriarty meets Elin Hilderbrand in an addictive summer read'

by Ella Grey

  “Why?” Leah asked now. “Was it really just because our sex life had dwindled? Or was it something more?” She couldn’t quite believe that he would be so shallow as to throw away everything they had over sex.

  Yes, things had gone downhill, but lately, she thought cringing, that had really begun to improve. Had he learnt a few new tricks from Sharon, she wondered, trying to banish unbidden thoughts of them together, what they might have been doing to one another, if Josh nibbled Sharon’s ear in the same way that he nibbled hers, if his hands ran across … Stop it, she warned herself. She would drive herself mad if she thought about it.

  “It was a stupid, stupid mistake,” Josh said, and Leah could see the beginnings of tears behind those dark eyes. “I know it sounds like a cliché, everything I say now is going to sound like a cliché, but, Leah, it’s true. At the time, it had nothing to do with us – it was just sex, drunken pathetic sex, nothing more.” He winced and ran a hand through his hair. “I knew I’d been an idiot and, believe me, I agonised about telling you for days – weeks – afterwards but things were finally coming together with the shop, and you were so happy. I knew it would ruin everything.”

  “What did I do to deserve such a thoughtful boyfriend?” Leah said coldly. “So, first of all, you went off with her because I wasn’t paying you enough attention, and then you decided not tell me, because you were worried about my feelings?”

  “Please believe me, I am so, so, sorry. The last thing I ever wanted to do was hurt you, Leah. I love you so much you wouldn’t believe it.”

  He reached for her hand, and it took every ounce of strength she had to move away. She had never seen Josh cry, had never seen him so emotional. But as much as the sight moved her, she couldn’t let such a tactic sway her.

  “I know you probably won’t believe me, but,” he sat back on the couch, drained, “but I was going to propose to you on the night of the launch party. I had it all planned …”

  Stop it. Leah raged inwardly. Don’t do this – don’t you dare do this to me. Josh was as unconventional as they came, and as much as she loved him, Leah knew she could take nothing for granted. Now, hearing those words, her heart ached to the core.

  “But when I went outside and met … met her, well then, I just … couldn’t,” Josh went on. “I couldn’t in good conscience go in there and ask you to be my wife, ask you to spend the rest of your life with me. Because I knew then that I didn’t deserve you, that I was a spineless, pathetic idiot who didn’t know how lucky he was.”

  Leah finally sat down. She didn’t know what to think or what to feel.

  “I’ve blown it, Leah, I know that. I could sit here all night and try and think of a million different excuses, different reasons for why I did it. But there are none. I was an idiot and there’s no getting away from it. I let you down, I let us down.”

  “Yes, you did,” she whispered, and by then she was crying too.

  “Look,” He turned to her, his eyes sorrowful, “I won’t insult you by trying to explain my way out of it. I made a mess of things, I know that. But you have to believe me when I say that I do love you. Yes, I know you’re thinking I have a funny way of showing it, but I know in my heart that it’s true. I don’t think I can ever make you understand why I did it – I don’t know if I understand it myself. But you mean the world to me, Leah, you always will. Our time together has been nothing short of amazing. You’re my best friend.”

  “Josh, please …” She couldn’t listen to it any more. It was all so final. There was no going back from this. He had betrayed her in the worst way. She didn’t know what she had expected. She supposed she thought he would beg for her forgiveness, ask to her to try and understand, maybe even blame her.

  In a strange way, she respected him for his honesty, his blatant regret for what had happened because it left her with her dignity intact. But she had lost her best friend, the love of her life, the person with whom she was so sure she would spend the rest of her life.

  “I’m sorry,” he said again, and before Leah could stop him, he reached across and placed a soft, salty kiss on her lips. “I love you, and you don’t deserve this – I’m so sorry.” With that, he stood up, and walked to the doorway. “I’ll stay with Paddy tonight,” he said with a haunted look in his eyes.

  “Oh. Does he know about …?”

  “Of course not – no-one else knows. I wouldn’t do that to you. I’ll tell him I lost my keys or something …” He knew she wouldn’t want his friend knowing what had happened.

  “OK.” All of a sudden, she felt empty, bereft of all feeling for the situation, for Josh, everything.

  “I’m so sorry,” he whispered, before opening the door. “For everything.”

  Leah heard the apartment door close softly behind him.

  “So am I,” she whispered, warm tears coursing down her cheeks. “So am I.”

  39

  Robin slowly opened her eyes, and groggily lifted her head off the pillow. The incessant shrill of the telephone had woken her out of her deep sleep, and was now piercing her throbbing brain. Which, she supposed, served her right for drinking so much last night. Who the hell could be ringing at this hour, she wondered, her eyes barely focusing on the digits on the alarm-clock. Ben’s side of the bed was empty, so Robin deduced he must have already gone out for his morning jog. Catching sight of the time, she groaned. It was eight fifteen, and she was barely in the door after hitting the town in a major way last night with Anna and her other workmates.

  “Robin, hey! Good morning!” She sat up as Marla’s chirpy tones floated down the line, instantly waking her up. What on earth was her publisher doing ringing her at this hour? “Marla – hi. Is everything OK?”

  “Everything’s fine, just fine! Listen, can you come down for a meeting this morning? I couldn’t get your agent on the line, so I haven’t had the chance to tell her yet, but – this is such great news!”

  “She’s away,” Robin said. “And what’s great news?”

  Still feeling very bleary, she could barely concentrate on the conversation.

  “I really don’t want to say too much on the phone,” Marla said. “Just try and get your ass up here as soon as you can!”

  With that Marla hung up and Robin was left staring at the phone in bewilderment as Ben came into the room.

  “Good morning,” he said mischievously. “Someone had a good night out last night.” Then he noticed her bemused expression. “What’s up?” he asked.

  Robin rubbed her eyes. “It was the publishers – and to be honest, I’m not too sure what’s up,” she replied, dragging herself out of the bed, “but, knowing Marla, whatever it is, it’ll be worth hearing.”

  An hour or so later, Robin was wondering if she had actually woken up at all or whether lack of sleep had seriously affected her hearing. “Are you serious?”

  “It’s true,” Marla said, her blue eyes shining. “We didn’t want to tell you until we had the details worked out, but Atchoo will soon be appearing in French, Italian, Russian, German –”

  “But it hasn’t even gone on sale yet…” Robin blustered.

  “Yes, but there’s already a huge buzz and then now,” she paused dramatically, and Robin knew instantly that there was more, “well, we didn’t want to say anything until we knew for sure but,” Marla took a deep breath, “Nickelodeon have come on board for TV!”

  “What? The children’s channel?”

  “Yes, they want to do Atchoo.” Marla beamed. “Yes! And we’re going to make them pay a fortune for it. Gawd, this couldn’t have happened at a better time. The book will be in the shops later this year and once news of this deal gets out, the trade will be hammering on our door!” She paced excitedly up and down the room. “Lucy’s working on the publicity tour as we speak.”

  Just then, the aforementioned Lucy, Bubblegum’s publicist, entered the room.

  “Hi, Robin, great news,” she said, hugging her enthusiastically.

  Marla checked her watch imp
atiently. “I’ve got a ten thirty, so try and make it quick.”

  Lucy took a seat alongside Robin, and flicked through some papers.

  “So, Robin, I think you’d better have a chat with your boss and see if he’ll give you some more time off – ”

  “Ha!” Marla interjected. “If I get the big money I want from Nickelodeon, Robin, you might have more time off than you’ll ever need.”

  “More time off? For what?”

  “So at the moment, we’re in the process of arranging some promotional appearances in Europe – they’re going wild about your story, especially because of your own background with the allergy thing. Honestly we seem to have really tapped into a trend – everyone – American, French or German – knows, or has a child who suffers from some kind of allergy. The media are going crazy for it.” She looked at her notes. “And they’re going crazy for you in the UK because of the rights hype, and also probably because of the connection – you are Irish, aren’t you?” she asked, when Robin’s face dropped.

  “Yes.” Her heart thudded as she suspected what was coming. Oh, no, she couldn’t do this. No way.

  “We issued the press release earlier – and the media are going crazy over it, especially over the Nickelodeon interest. The phones have been ringing all day since. They really want a piece of you, Robin – school appearances, radio, TV, you name it. So we have to get you back home – and soon!”

  Robin’s stomach dropped. They couldn’t – they didn’t expect her to go to Ireland, did they?

  “I’m telling you, from what I’ve been hearing, you’ll be a bit of a national hero over there. I can already see the headlines: Our very own JK !”

  Marla laughed when Robin eyes widened. “Hey, it’s not quite Harry Potter, but by the time we’re done here, who knows?”

  Robin forced a smile.

  “So, if you could have a chat with your boss, and let us know when you’re available,” Lucy said. “To begin with, we’ll be concentrating mostly on the UK and there’ll obviously be a major campaign in Ireland. Don’t worry, we’ll make sure you’re reimbursed for your time,” she added, when Robin looked sick to the stomach at the thought of it all, although not for the reasons her publisher suspected.

  “We’re really on a roll here, Robin,” Marla enthused. “And with the way things are going, who knows where it will all end?”

  40

  Olivia couldn’t quite overcome a sense of nagging unease. There she was, forty thousand feet in the air, sitting alongside the man she was almost certainly falling in love with, heading for a romantic weekend away, and still she couldn’t relax.

  She couldn’t relax because it was the first time in four years she had left Ellie. Her daughter had gone to stay with Peter’s family many times over the years without her, but this was the first time Olivia had actually left her behind.

  And the worst part was with whom.

  Her own parents were away this weekend, Peter’s mother wasn’t well, poor Leah had enough to contend with and she wouldn’t dream of landing Ellie in on top of a still-hassled Kate.

  Matt had suggested that she accompany him on a weekend work trip to the Black Sea Coast in the guise of romantic getaway.

  “There’ll be very little work involved, I promise,” he said, when Olivia raised an eyebrow. “I’ll just be going along for the ride. I might have to make one or two phone calls to the builder while I’m there, but other than that, I’m all yours.”

  He’d been so excited about it, so eager for them to spend some time alone together, that his enthusiasm was contagious. Olivia wanted to spend time with him too and – considering that she hadn’t had a weekend away, not to mention a foreign holiday since her honeymoon – she was chomping at the bit for some sunshine.

  Still, there was the small matter of a baby-sitter for Ellie.

  “Catherine could take her - no problem. You’d be doing her a favour actually, she’d be brilliant company for Adam.”

  That first night at Catherine’s still fresh in her mind, Olivia almost laughed out loud at the thought of it. Yes, Catherine had apologised and was being quite cordial lately, but still, she couldn’t bring herself to trust the woman.

  “Ellie doesn’t really know her though,” she said, trying not to betray her true feelings. Matt tended to be a bit touchy when it came to Catherine, still believing the sun shone out of her very pert backside.

  “But she’d be with Adam, they’d have a ball. Please, Olivia, it’s only for a couple of days.”

  “Couldn’t we leave it until another weekend, maybe? At least until my parents or Peter’s are available or – ”

  “But why – when Catherine’s already agreed? I think it’s very decent of her actually, and she’s obviously trying to make amends.”

  Olivia bit her tongue. So she should be.

  “Like I said before, I’ll be too busy to get away soon – not to mention that we won’t be able to get seats on the charter flights for love or money.”

  “Matt, I’d really feel better if I knew Ellie would be looked after by someone she – ”

  “Of course she’ll be looked after,” Matt insisted, pulling her close to him. “Catherine really wants to do us the favour, and you know how well Ellie and Adam get on.”

  “That’s true but – ”

  “It’s only a couple of days, seventy-two hours at the most,” he said, and Olivia noticed there was a touch of irritation in his tone. She sighed inwardly. To be fair, it was good of Catherine to offer, and by hesitating it looked as though she was being very ungrateful.

  “Why don’t we ask Ellie and see what she thinks?” she said, trying to sound brighter than she felt. Blast it, she should cop on and stop sounding like a fussy, overprotective mother. Ellie was four and well behaved. It was true that she adored Adam and would probably jump at the chance of going on her own ‘weekend away’ even if it was only across the green.

  “Yay! Wanna go on my holidays!” Ellie skipped around the kitchen when she put it to her, and Olivia’s heart sank.

  “You’ll have to stay in Catherine’s house and you’ll have to be very, very good,” she warned, realising that there was no going back now. “As Mummy will be gone away with the keys, you can’t come back here until I do – you know that, don’t you?”

  Ellie nodded, her eyes wide with excitement. “Can I play with Adam’s toys, Mummy?” she asked, the thought of making lots of noise with Adam’s Bob the Builder tools appealing to her enormously.

  “You’ll have to ask Adam first, hon,” she said, and groaned inwardly at the arguments that Catherine would no doubt have to diffuse. “And you’ll have to remember that Adam is being very good to let you stay with him, so you should let him play with your toys too.”

  “’K!” Ellie started to suck on her thumb, something Olivia noticed she did more often after her trips to Galway.

  “Ellie don’t do that, hon, it’s a yucky habit,” she scolded. Why her grandparents let her get away with it, Olivia didn’t know, but it might have something to do with the fact that Peter had also sucked his thumb when younger, and perhaps they found it endearing. And you certainly shouldn’t do that in front of Catherine, she mused suspecting that Catherine and her apparent obsession with discipline, would be scandalised.

  Hours earlier, when they’d dropped Ellie off at the house before leaving for the airport; Catherine had behaved as though she and Olivia were old friends.

  “Olivia, you look stunning in that outfit – it’s really slimming on you. Matt, make sure you do show her around and don’t be spending all your time in the hotel,” she’d said laughing gaily. “Ellie, come inside, I’ve got some lovely new games for you and Adam in the playroom, and I’ve got a very special place for you to sleep.” She ruffled Ellie’s flyaway hair. Again, Olivia noticed that she really should get it trimmed, but her curls were just so cute and once they were gone, they were gone forever.

  “I thought we might all go for a picnic by the lake tomorrow, wha
t do you think?” Catherine continued. At this, the kids’ eyes lit up and trance-like, they followed her down the hallway without a backward glance, almost like those children in the Pied Piper story, Olivia thought, feeling somewhat bereft.

  “Now, are you two sure you won’t have something to eat – or a cup of tea before you go?” Catherine went on, fussing over them all like a mother hen, her behaviour the complete opposite of before.

  Matt refused, citing Friday afternoon traffic as an excuse, but Olivia caught his surreptitious wink.

  “Olivia, try not to worry – Ellie will be fine.” Catherine smiled sweetly. “I’m sure she won’t even notice you’re gone.”

  Olivia smiled just as sweetly back, but she didn’t miss the barb. Oh why had she agreed to this?

  But as the captain made his airport landing announcement for Burgas airport, she knew that it was way too late to change her mind, and pointless even thinking about it.

  She was thousands of miles away, and although she certainly wouldn’t be able to forget, she would have to try to put her beloved little Ellie to the back of her mind.

  It was only a couple days. A couple of days with Catherine couldn’t do any harm, could it?

  41

  As soon as they began their taxi journey to the coast only fifteen minutes away from the airport, Olivia immediately understood why Matt was so in love with Bulgaria.

  Somehow, she’d expected austere, ex-communist tower blocks and bleak, barren landscapes, but instead they were surrounded by lush pine forests and acres and acres of fertile vineyards.

  The area reminded Olivia of a trip she and Peter had taken to Tuscany shortly after they were married, back when they had been able to get away at the drop of a hat. She shook her head. Lately she’d been thinking a lot about Peter. She supposed that since meeting someone new, it was inevitable that he should be in her thoughts, but she didn’t want this to intrude on what should be a special time. This was all about Matt, not about Peter, and there was no point in raking up the past.