I huffed. ‘This isn’t going to work, Luke.’
‘Of course it is. All you have to do is try a bit harder.’
‘You sound like my husband.’
‘Exactly, you see?’
‘No, I mean, this male point of view. I know I agreed to it, but it’s just not going to work. Hollywood will hate it.’
‘Bull. Hollywood loves stories about break-ups. Think Kramer vs. Kramer, and The War of the Roses.’
He didn’t mean the one between the Lancasters and the Yorks, but a much bloodier one, that is, the movie where Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner meet, fall in love and, many tears later, end up dead. Sad, but a great movie.
‘Don’t you see?’ he persisted. ‘This is a good thing. Male versus female. Husband versus wife. In most divorces, is there anyone who is actually always right about everything?’
‘I’m not even going to answer that,’ I muttered. ‘It just doesn’t feel right, in this case.’
‘But you’re missing the point. It will be good to hear his side of the story.’
‘How is that a good thing?’ I asked. Phil had been the source of our problems, not me. I hadn’t been the one to make this big mess that was our lives now. If anything, I was still mopping up after him after him. And thanks to this once-in-a-lifetime chance I finally could hope in succeeding. ‘Luke, Bill is the villain in this story, and justifying his actions will only make him more human and… no. I can’t.’
I was seriously doubting the outcome of this project, but I had to tread carefully, because if we reached a stalemate, we were in big trouble. And so were my finances and the very fate of my family. How to explain it to him that there was no room for a stinking mess of a man’s point of view in my story, without losing this contract, our meal ticket, for the rest of our lives? All I had was reasoning. If only I could make him understand how strongly I felt.
‘We are on polar opposite sides, Luke,’ I said in all honesty. ‘It’s not your fault, but maybe I didn’t make myself clear. It’s my fault…’
He looked up at me, beaming. ‘There’s my girl. That’s the attitude Stella should have.’
I swear I almost fainted. ‘What?’
‘Admitting she isn’t always right is the first step towards a sort of understanding. Only then will they be able to communicate.’
No, no, no! This was all wrong. He’d misunderstood. Completely. How to get out of this?
Luckily, there was a knock at the front door, which opened a crack. ‘Nina? You guys in?’
Luke turned to look at me as the door widened. It was Jack. Jack, I suddenly remembered, come to take us to Predannack Wollas for a picnic, scheduled weeks ago. How many things had changed in such a short time!
‘Shit!’ I swore as I jumped up from the table.
He stepped into the room and made a weird face. ‘Well, nice to see you too.’
‘I’m so sorry, Jack, I completely forgot to tell them, what with Luke arriving and all.’
Silence. Dead silence for a minute. Then Jack spoke.
‘Jack Marrak. I’ve seen all of your movies.’
After a moment, Luke rose to his feet and shook his hand. ‘Gee, thanks, man.’
Why did I expect Jack to reply with something like: I didn’t say I liked them? Because the air was definitely strange.
I cleared my throat. ‘The kids are upstairs. I’ll go get them. Jack, pour yourself some coffee, and there’s croissants. Chloe!’ I called as I raced up the stairs. ‘Ben!’
Shit. How could I have forgotten something so important? And what about Jessica? Surely Luke wouldn’t let a complete stranger take his one and only daughter onto the edge of a cliff?
I found the three of them listening to music in Chloe’s room, Ben happily swiping away at titles on Spotify.
‘Guys, so sorry, I forgot to mention Jack was coming by to go on a picnic at Predannack Wollas.’
‘Cool!’ Ben and Chloe chimed. Now, while Ben loved the outdoors, give Chloe her mobile and that was all she needed. While she’d usually much rather stay home and chat with her friends all day, when Jack was involved, she always agreed readily.
‘Who’s Jack?’ Jessica asked.
‘Only the coolest bloke you’ll ever meet!’ Ben said, scrambling to his feet.
‘Mum, can Jess come?’ Chloe asked.
‘We’ll have to ask her father, but—’
‘You guys coming down or what?’ Jack called from the bottom of the stairs.
‘Grab your rucksacks,’ I said and turned back downstairs to find Jack and Luke in complete silence. You could hear a pin drop. It wasn’t going very well, and yet, they had a lot in common. Both successful in their own way, both young and handsome. They should get along like a house on fire, right?
Luke was packing up his laptop. ‘Where are you going?’ I asked, although it was obvious. These two did not like each other.
‘You go, Nina. The kids have been looking forward to this all week,’ Luke said.
‘Indeed they have,’ came Jack’s voice. What had I missed, exactly?
‘We’re going back to the inn for today,’ Luke informed me. ‘But we’ll see you tomorrow.’
‘But Mum, Jess wants to come,’ Chloe reminded me.
Luke turned to his daughter, caressing her cheek. ‘Another time, sweetheart.’
My eyes pleadingly swung to Jack’s.
He cleared his throat. ‘You should all come,’ he said. ‘Really, Luke, I’ve got food for an army, and an eight-seater. Some fresh air would do us all some good.’
Bless his soul.
‘Oh, Dad, can we, please?’ Jess said.
Luke’s face softened, but not completely. ‘Thanks, Jack. We accept. But I’ll follow you in my rental.’
What was it with male pride and all?
Jack shrugged his shoulders and as the kids cheered, I went to get some extra drinks and snacks for all. Or maybe I should have got some tranquilising darts?
*
There was a definite sense of… differences between Jack and Luke. Luke, dressed in linen Bermuda
