The barista handed her a teapot and cup, promising that she would be along with their breakfast orders soon. There was nothing left but to join Ella and try to sort through all of her feelings about spending time alone with her husband tomorrow evening. After all the years they’d been apart, he shouldn’t still leave her weak at the knees, but he did. And there was no denying it.
The second she sank into her chair, the midwife wrapped her hands around her chunky white mug and leaned forward. ‘So tell me what’s going on.’
‘I’m not sure.’
Ella didn’t respond, just sat there with brows raised.
Okay, so this was worse than just spilling her guts. ‘Like I said, it’s Max.’
This time her friend laughed. ‘I thought we’d already established that. If the rumours about the newest—and sublimely hot—member of Teddy’s tight-knit family are true, then he was spotted with his lips puckered, ready to swoop in on the always untouchable Annabelle. Some accounts of that story included a ringing slap to the face.’
Annabelle’s eyes widened, shock moving through her system. ‘People think I slapped him?’
‘Not everyone. Some think you disappeared into the nearest supply cupboard with him.’
‘Oh, heavens!’ She poured tea into her cup and took a quick sip, letting the hot liquid splash into her empty stomach, hoping it would give her some kind of strength. ‘Do they know who he is?’
She hoped Ella would understand the question. Did everyone at the hospital know that Max was her husband? Not that he actually was, except for on a piece of paper. The second she’d told him to get out, the marriage had been over.
‘If they don’t yet, they’re going to work it out soon enough.’ A waitress stopped by and dropped off their plates of food. ‘The only thing stopping them is that you’re using your maiden name. But of course, that makes it even more delicious as it heads down the gossip chain. Who wants to hear about an old married couple doing naughty things?’
‘Great. So what do I do about it?’
‘You might want to think about putting your own version of events out there so that you—and Max, for that matter—don’t wind up with a real mess on your hands.’
‘And what version of events is that? That I’m married to Max, but that we’re on our way to dissolving the marriage? Talk about winding up with a mess on my hands.’
She already had. And she wasn’t exactly sure what she could do to fix it. Especially since some people had evidently seen their display after the transplant surgery, when she was as sure as the next person that Max had been about to kiss her. If not for the nurse...
She presumed that he had been one of the ones to start the rumour. Then there was the situation of the actual kiss that had passed between them. But that had been outside the pub, and she was pretty sure no one from the hospital had been there. It was why she’d chosen the place.
Quickly telling Ella about that incident as well as all of the confusing feelings and emotions she’d been dealing with up to this point, she shrugged. ‘Maybe I should have told him I wouldn’t go to London with him.’
‘Are you kissing...I mean kidding?’ Ella grinned to show that the slip had been anything but an accident. ‘You two have got to figure this thing out. There’s obviously something there. That’s what people are picking up on. Tell me you’re not still in love with him.’
Annabelle didn’t miss a beat, although her fingers tightened on the handle of her teacup. ‘Of course not. But that doesn’t mean I don’t care what happens to him. I want him to be happy.’
‘And you don’t think he will be with you?’ Ella took a deep breath. ‘You’ve been locked in the past, Anna, whether you realise it or not. I think you have a decision to make. If you really believe you shouldn’t be together, and you want him to be happy, then maybe it’s time to do something about it. Remove yourself as an obstacle, as hard as that might be.’
When she’d asked Max to leave, she’d made no effort to go after him. And he’d made no effort to come back and work things out. Besides, she’d been so devastated by the fact that he wasn’t willing to sit and wallow in misery with her that she hadn’t been thinking straight.
But he evidently hadn’t needed to wallow. He could have fought for their marriage—offered to go with her to counselling. But he hadn’t. He’d simply seemed relieved it was all over with.
Her heart clutched in her chest. She’d been relieved too. And now?
Now she didn’t know how she felt.
Their food was long since gone, although Annabelle couldn’t remember actually eating her crumpets. But she must have since the spoon from the little pot of marmalade was sitting on her bread plate, remnants of orange rind still clinging to its silver bowl.
‘Maybe you’re right. Maybe it is time to do something.’ She could contact her solicitor and ask him to prod Max to sign, since she couldn’t seem to get the nerve up to ask him herself.
‘Unless you decide you still love him. Then I say you fight.’ Ella reached across and squeezed her hand. ‘I know that doesn’t help, but maybe you need to take a closer look at your heart. See what it’s telling you to do.’
‘I don’t think I can.’ That kiss went through her mind. He was certainly still attracted to her, he’d said as much, but Annabelle had always assumed that he’d stopped loving her when he’d left their home. So even if she cared about him, would it matter?
‘Maybe that gala will give you the strength to do just that. If it does, then you have a decision to make. And this time you’d better act on it, one way or the other. Unless you’re content to remain in stasis for the rest of your life.’
No. Of that Annabelle was sure. She had been locked in a kind of suspended animation for three years now. It was time to move forward.
Even if that meant leaving Max behind. For ever.
MAX SAT ON the stairs, listening to his parents argue.
Again.
For the first time in his fifteen years he was scared about what might happen to him. Would they leave him here by himself?
‘I am going on that cruise, whether you come with me or not.’
His dad’s angry voice carried easily, just as it always did. Even if Max had been upstairs in his room, he would have heard those words.
‘And what about Maxwell?’
‘What about him? If you’re worried, ask your aunt Vanessa to come and stay with him. I’m sure she’ll be happy to lounge around the pool and do nothing.’
‘Doug, that’s not fair.’
‘What’s not fair about it? I consider it an equitable trade. I worked hard for this bonus, and I’m not going to give it up.’
There was a pause, and he held his breath as he waited for his mother’s answer. ‘Okay, I’ll ask her. But we can’t keep doing this. Vanessa has accused me more than once of not wanting him.’
‘Just ask her.’
No reassurance that his parents actually did want him. They never took him on any of their so-called trips.
His hands tightened into fists as they rested on his knees. Then he slowly got up from his spot and crept back up the stairs. To pretend he didn’t care.
Except when he got to his room and opened the door there was someone already in there. A woman...crouched on the floor beside his bed, crying. She looked up. Blue eyes met his.
Annabelle!