“Hi, Mum.”
“Hello, sweetheart. How’s the retreat going?” Rita Walsh asked. Kyle could hear her smile through the phone and felt marginally better.
“I’m not even sure how to answer that,” Kyle replied, belatedly realizing he should have kept his mouth shut. He could practically hear Rita slipping into detective mode.
“Just give me the facts,” she said, sounding like she was about to jot them down in a little black book.
Kyle sighed. He could never resist running things past his mum. He had a great relationship with his father, but it revolved mostly around football, pints at the pub, and the occasional conversation about a book or a film. Rita was the one he came to when he needed to get something off his chest or ask for life advice. And she always helped put things in perspective, not by coddling him or taking his side, but by laying out the facts in a way that helped him see the situation for what it was.
“I met someone,” Kyle said, his voice catching unexpectedly.
Rita paused. “Surely that’s a positive thing?” She phrased it as a question.
“Yes.”
“You don’t sound certain. What’s wrong with her?” Rita asked. Kyle could almost see her narrowing her eyes in suspicion. She was probably envisioning a pole dancer with sparkly nipple tassels and a barely there G-string. The thought made him smile.
“There’s nothing wrong with her, Mum. She’s lovely. She’s beautiful, and smart, and also a writer. She’s a guest at the retreat.”
“So, what’s the problem?” Rita asked, sounding like someone who was waiting for the other shoe to drop.
“The problem is that I haven’t been completely honest with her, and now the truth might cost me this relationship.”
“Honest about what?”
“About my reason for coming to Lockwood Hall,” Kyle admitted.
“I thought you were there to work on your new book,” Rita said.
“I am,” Kyle replied evasively. He didn’t really want to get into it. Not now.
“Oh, Kyle. Is this about Amy?”
“No, but that also came up. Len and I had a massive row. Seems he and Amy were closer than I initially thought.”
“Was he shagging her?” Rita cried.
“Yes, he was, as it happens.”
“I always told you Len was no good,” Rita reminded him. “Right from the start, I said that boy is nothing but trouble. Seems I was being too kind. He’s an absolute wanker. Didn’t I tell you?”
“You did,” Kyle agreed, sighing with weariness. This conversation was going to take longer than he’d anticipated.
“Like a dog in a manger, that one. Will grab for something even if he doesn’t really want it just out of spite. And Sheila is so lovely. Any man would be happy to have her. I don’t know what she ever saw in him. I suppose he could be described as good-looking, but the minute he opens his mouth…” She took a deep breath and continued. “And those poor kids. That marriage will end in divorce, you mark my words, Kyle.” She paused for a second. “I was always afraid he’d try it on with Amy. Seems I had reason to be.”
“It wasn’t like that, Mum,” Kyle interrupted, wishing desperately that he’d kept his mouth shut. It wasn’t that he didn’t agree with his mother’s assessment of Len. He simply saw no point in rehashing it all now. He was finally ready to move on, and it would help if his mother would allow him to do that.
“No? Then how was it? You tell me.” She was really getting worked up now, still angry with herself for allowing Amy to take her in. Rita prided herself on being an excellent judge of character, and Amy had proven her wrong. At least she could still hold on to her opinion of Len.
“Look, I don’t really want to talk about Amy and Len.”
“Are they still seeing each other?” Rita demanded. “Is that why he felt the need to confess?”
“I don’t know. Mum, I’m over Amy. I have been for a long time.”
“Well, I’m not. You are my only son, and I will never forgive her for the way she treated you.”
“And I appreciate that, but I really must go. I’ll be late for dinner.”
“All right,” Rita relented. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I just can’t bear to see you hurt.”
“I know, Mum, and I love you for it,” Kyle said, about to end the call.
“Will you be seeing the new woman tonight?” Rita asked, not ready to let him go.
“Yes. She’ll be at dinner.”
“What’s her name?”
“Nicole. Nicole Rayburn,” Kyle said. Just saying Nicole’s name made him feel better somehow, and he suddenly couldn’t wait to see her. “I’ll ring you when I get home, Mum.”
“Your father sends his love,” Rita said.
“I love you both,” Kyle said, and ended the call.
Putting the phone in his pocket, he left the room and headed downstairs. It was time he came clean to Nicole.
Chapter 57
Kyle
Nicole was already in the sitting room by the time he came down, a glass of white wine in her hand. Anna, Paul, and Len were there as well, so any private conversation would have to wait until later. Kyle accepted a glass of red wine from Lisa and sat down next to Nicole, ignoring Len’s belligerent stare. It’d been only a couple of hours since he’d last seen her, but he’d genuinely missed her company and wished he’d asked her to go out to dinner instead.
“Did you have a productive afternoon?” Nicole asked, smiling at him.
“I got a couple of chapters down,” Kyle replied. “To be honest, I was distracted,” he admitted.
“Oh?”
“I was thinking about you.” Nicole blushed, and he wished they could skip dinner and go upstairs. “What about you? Were you able to get anything done?”
“Actually, yes.
