and Ben had discussed it. Maybe it was that that had spooked her enough to leave. It seemed so huge. And although she knew that she wanted kids one day, she still felt too young.
‘I don’t think they planned it.’ Emma shook her head vehemently. ‘Definitely not. They would only have been together for a week or so when she conceived – if that! – and although it’s true that Ben has always wanted children, he’s not the reckless type. He would have wanted to make sure they were ready before taking such a big step.’
Charlotte nodded. Emma was right. Ben wasn’t the reckless type. But he did seem to have fallen madly in love very quickly. Maybe it had clouded his judgement. ‘What’s she like?’
‘Bella?’ Emma raised her large blue eyes as she considered. ‘She’s sort of perfect.’
Charlotte felt a little spike of jealousy shoot through her.
‘She’s so good-looking, it makes me sick,’ Emma continued, seemingly unaware of the turmoil she was creating in Charlotte’s head. ‘And she’s certainly lifted him out of himself. He seems genuinely happy again. I was a bit worried about him for a while there …’
Charlotte shifted uncomfortably in her chair. ‘Well, that’s good. He deserves to be happy.’
Emma nodded fondly. ‘He does. He’s a good boy.’ Even though Ben was 30, she still referred to her younger brother as a boy. She fixed her wide blue eyes on Charlotte. ‘And how about you, Charlotte? How are you getting on?’
Charlotte smiled. ‘I’m OK. I’m starting to get myself together again – at last!’
‘Still living with Lucy?’
Charlotte nodded. ‘But I think I might have outstayed my welcome. Need to think about finding somewhere of my own.’
There was a pause, before Emma gave her a sly look. ‘And what about your love life?’
Charlotte felt her cheeks flush. ‘What love life?’ She tried to make the remark light-hearted but her voice cracked slightly as she spoke.
‘Oh.’ Emma looked down. ‘I thought you had met someone else. Ben certainly seemed to think so …’
‘He was wrong about that,’ Charlotte interrupted her. She paused, unsure how to articulate what she wanted to say. ‘I know he thought that maybe I had something with a guy from work but we’re just friends. I think it made it easier for him to think that … rather than that I just wanted some time on my own to work things out.’
Emma nodded. ‘Do you think …’ She hesitated, as if she sensed that she might be stepping over a line. ‘Do you think you would have gone back to Ben, once you’d had some time to yourself?’
Charlotte swallowed hard. It was the question she had been asking herself every day since she left Ben. ‘It’s irrelevant, isn’t it? By the time I had worked things out in my head, he was all loved up with Bella. It wouldn’t have been fair to get back in touch.’
Emma frowned. ‘Wouldn’t that have been for him to decide? He was so heartbroken when you left, Charlie. It might at least have helped restore his confidence.’
Charlotte shrugged again, trying to feign a nonchalance she didn’t feel. ‘Well, I didn’t, so like I say, it’s irrelevant now.’ She didn’t want to say that she felt huge regret that she hadn’t gone back to Ben sooner. Being without him had shown her that he really was the only one for her.
She had been with him for twelve years, ever since they met at university and it was once they started talking seriously about marriage and children that, for some reason, she got cold feet. She still didn’t understand why. But a short time apart was all it took to make her realize how much she loved and needed him.
‘It’s never too late you know …’ Emma said, almost to herself, as she drained her coffee.
Charlotte gave a wry laugh. ‘I think you’ll find that in this case, it is very definitely too late.’
Matt glanced out of the window of their ground-floor Victorian conversion flat. ‘They’re here!’ he called out, as he headed towards the door.
His wife, Freya, emerged from the kitchen, smoothing down her navy bodycon dress, which showed off her slim figure and surprisingly ample bust. ‘I’m a bit nervous!’
Matt smiled at her appreciatively, thinking how effortlessly lovely she looked. ‘Don’t be. Ben wouldn’t be with her if she was horrible.’
‘I know. It’s just … well, it was so easy with Charlie, wasn’t it? I can’t imagine how he’ll be with someone new.’
‘Well, we’re about to find out.’ The buzzer rang and Matt picked up the intercom to let them in through the main front door, before opening the door to their flat. ‘Hello! Come on in!’ he called, poking his head out into the scruffy, brightly lit hallway, keen to get them into the considerably more glamorous surroundings of the flat.
Bella and Ben stepped inside, armed with flowers and wine. Matt gave Ben his customary bear-hug and stepped back, unsure how to greet Bella. A kiss felt too forward for their first meeting. A handshake too formal. In the end Bella gave a small but friendly wave and a nervous giggle. ‘Hi, Matt, lovely to meet you. I’ve heard so much about you.’
‘Ha! All good I hope …?’ Matt tried to pull his eyes away from her but found that he couldn’t. She was definitely the most strikingly attractive girl he had ever set eyes on. No wonder Ben had fallen for her so quickly and so deeply. Behind him, Freya cleared her throat pointedly. ‘Oh! Bella, this is my wife, Freya.’
‘Hi, Freya,’ Bella said, giving Freya a warm smile. ‘These are for you.’ She handed her the flowers.
‘Thank you.’ Freya’s cheeks had flushed slightly red and she looked uncharacteristically shy as she took the expensive-looking bouquet of lilies.
‘You have a lovely home,’ Bella added, gesturing around the open-plan living/dining space that Freya had lovingly decorated with chalky, muted colours on the walls, offset by splashes of bold colour in her choice of cushions and rugs. She had a talent and a passion for interior design and Matt knew that Bella would have scored an immediate bulls-eye with her appreciation of it. He wondered if Ben had armed her with the information in advance or if she genuinely loved it.
There was an awkward pause as they all stood around, shuffling from foot to foot. Finally, Ben broke the silence. ‘Well, I’m starving! I hope you’ve made my favourite, Matt.’
Matt grinned back at him, pleased to see how happy and well he looked. ‘’Course I have, mate. Make yourselves at home and I’ll just go and put the finishing touches to it.’
‘I’ll get the drinks,’ Freya chipped in, already turning towards the kitchen. ‘Red or white?’ she threw back over her shoulder.
Bella and Ben exchanged glances. ‘Red for me, just water for Bella. She doesn’t drink.’ Ben nodded encouragingly at Matt as he spoke.
‘Result!’ Matt replied, thinking how fabulous it must be to have a designated driver all the time. He motioned to them to take a seat on the sofa, before following Freya into the kitchen. ‘What do you think?’ he hissed, as he stirred the huge pan of paella he was preparing.
Freya’s head was bowed, as she concentrated on pouring three glasses of wine and a glass of water, so he couldn’t read her expression. ‘She’s stunning-looking.’
‘I hadn’t noticed,’ Matt lied. ‘But she seems very nice, too, doesn’t she?’
‘Hmmm.’ Freya looked up, her large grey-blue eyes clouding slightly. ‘I wish she wasn’t tee-total.’
‘Why?’
Freya