‘True it is,’ I answered.
‘I don’t get these people bouncing back – even Phil. What makes him think he even stands a chance after all he did to you? And Clarissa, too. What was she thinking when she left Jack?’
‘I don’t know. But I do know that he’s being a bit cagey lately.’
‘Does he look like he’s in love to you?’ she asked.
‘Some friendship we have here,’ I said, ‘if we can’t even ask one another about our love lives.’
She shrugged, ‘Maybe some things are better left unsaid.’
I knew she was talking about herself again. ‘Em? What’s causing you so much stress? Do you think we wouldn’t approve of your new man? I’m here for you.’
She groaned. ‘I can only hope to be as discreet as you.’
‘Nonsense. But please don’t tell me it’s someone I already know, because I’ll kill you.’
‘Huh? What do you mean?’
‘I mean, that you’d had him under your nose all these years and it’s taken you all this time to realise he was The One?’
‘What about you? How are things with Luke? Are you two getting serious?’
Terrific question. ‘I have no idea, Em.’
‘Well, how do you feel about him?’
I thought about it. ‘The truth? Besides the fact that I’m grateful to him for singling my work out, and the opposite fact that it took quite a while to adjust to each other as writers, as a man, he is actually the breath of fresh air I needed.’
‘Really? That’s fantastic, Nina! But it’s true that you haven’t really dated much at all – what makes you think, besides being Luke O’Hara, that you and he will be happy together?’
‘Whoa, Em. I don’t know how long this is going to last. That’s why I’m not letting the kids in on it.’
‘You mean they don’t know?’
‘All they know is that we’re working together. Although I suspect Chloe is onto us.’
‘If things were to get serious, how do you think they’d react? Do they like him enough?’
I smiled although she couldn’t see me. ‘Oh, Em – they adore him. And Jess.’
‘And you, Nina? Do you adore him, too?’
I thought about it. His easy-going attitude, the way he waggled his eyebrows to get his way or when he said something flirty. The sheer love he harboured for his daughter. ‘Yes, Em – I adore him, too. Although I doubt it’s the same for him. Not completely, at least.’
She was quiet, thinking. ‘And what about his ex-wife? Is there any chance she’s come to rain on your parade?’
I hadn’t thought of that. How stupid of me. Of course she’d want him back.
‘You’d better stake your claim, Nina. You don’t want her stepping in and ruining everything.’
‘Em, let’s take it easy. I don’t even know where this is going, if it’s going anywhere at all. So I just want to sit back and enjoy it for once.’
‘I hope you’re right, Nina, and that this woman is no threat to you. Stars can be so fickle.’
When I was silent, she cleared her throat. ‘Forget what I said. We really should learn to enjoy and take like one day at a time without worrying ourselves sick about what may happen tomorrow. Carpe Diem and all that.’
Carpe Diem. ‘You’re absolutely right, Em.’
‘Good girl. You enjoy. How’s the sex by the way?’
I gushed. ‘Pretty amazing, actually.’
‘Yay!’ she cheered, and I could hear her clapping her hands.
‘And you, Em? Are you ready to tell me about you yet?’
‘Uhm, not quite yet. But I will. I promise. Even if you’ll think less of me.’
‘Oh, Em, you know I could never do that,’ I assured her. But if I was waiting for her to open up and tell me all as she used to in the old days, juicy details that made me blush included, I was going to have a long wait. And again that same sadness pervaded me. I was losing Emma as well. The three singles of Meadowbank Lane simply were no longer.
When I got home from grocery shopping later that day, I realised I’d forgotten the bread for my crostini.
‘Do you want me to go get it?’ Luke volunteered, but I could tell his heart wasn’t in it. He still hadn’t made a decision about Jess.
‘Better not. Alf would probably take a swing at you.’ At the look on his face, I burst out laughing. ‘I’m kidding. I’ll be right back.’
‘Okay, then, don’t be long. Take my keys.’
‘No, that’s okay, I’m going to take Lottie out. It’s been a while.’
‘Lottie?’
Jack knew Lottie very well. ‘My car. It’s just… an old joke. I’ll see you later.’
And with that, I swung out the door and straight to my car that started on the first try. Jack had taught her well, I thought with a tiny pang of longing and regret.
At the shop, I parked and went in.
‘All right, pet?’ Deirdre said as she was sorting some postcards on one of the racks by the till.
‘Just forgot something,’ I called as I headed for the bread shelves.
And, of course you can guess what happened next, but how was I supposed to know? I only went back to buy bread. There he was, undecided as usual between the whole wheat and the granary, Jack Marrak in the flesh. His hair was longer, and his handsome lean face was covered in dark stubble, but besides that, he looked pretty much the same in his The Smiths T-shirt.
I gasped, unable to help myself, and he turned around and did a double take.
‘Nina…’ he breathed, our eyes locking the same way they had in Marazion.
I gushed with happiness and it was all I could do to keep from throwing myself at him. ‘Jack…’ I whispered. ‘How’ve… you been?’
He studied me, and I hoped he didn’t find me too different from his old bosom buddy.
‘I’m all right,’ he whispered back, his eyes never leaving mine. He was so close I could smell his familiar
