Nell and Bea were now sitting on the bench on the deck of the ‘Nollie’, with a blanket wrapped around their shoulders. Nell brushed away the tears with the back of her hand before glancing up at her friend.
‘Oh Bea, I’ve been so stupid’ she snuffled, looking at the brown substance in the glass.
‘What’s in this, by the way?’
‘Nathan’s whisky, drink it,’ Bea insisted, squeezing her friend’s hand, ‘It will help with the shock.’
‘I’m not sure anything will help with the shock.’
Nell took a swig and felt the burn in the back of her throat, ‘I thought my life was about to change. I thought Guy was different …’ she sobbed into her tissue.
‘I’m still trying to take it all in. Why would he not mention he’d got a wife?’
Nell shrugged, ‘I even asked him outright and he said he was single.’
‘Why in God’s name did he feel the need to lie? It’s not as though at some point you wouldn’t find out.’
Nell’s shoulders drooped, ‘Maybe I wouldn’t have. Maybe I was just a so-called holiday fling, something to keep him occupied while he was here. He could have disappeared back at any time and I would have been none the wiser where or who he’d gone back to.’
‘I’ve no words, Nell, I really haven’t.’
Nell turned towards Bea, ‘Wait until you find out who she is.’
Bea sat upright and locked eyes with Nell, ‘You mean I know her?’
Nell took a deep breath before speaking, ‘In a kind of roundabout way … you know the snooty woman, the judge, the mystery shopper for the deli competition – well she’s not the judge.’
Bea looked confused, wondering where Nell was going with this, ‘The power-suit woman wearing the Jimmy Choos? How do you know she wasn’t the judge?’
‘Because that woman is Kate Cornish, Guy’s wife.’
‘Whoa! Really? I wasn’t expecting that,’ Bea exclaimed taken by surprise. ‘I wouldn’t have put them together in a million years, he’s so …’
‘Nice,’ Nell said, finishing off Bea’s sentence. ‘Or so we thought up until this moment.’
‘And she’s so …’
‘Up her own arse,’ Nell finished off,
Bea could see the sadness in Nell’s eyes.
‘Maybe they’re separated.’
‘Separated enough to get her pregnant?’
‘Fair point.’
‘But that’s not all,’
Bea’s eyes widened, ‘Go on.’
Nell took a deep breath, ‘We’ve been sleeping together.’
Bea locked eyes with her friend, then tipped the glass towards her mouth, ‘Drink some more.’
Nell didn’t hesitate and did as she was told.
‘Why Bea? He was so lovely to me, genuine, I trusted him; the first man I’d let get close to me since Ollie. He made me feel loved again, special.’ Her whole body drooped, ‘And now he’ll be going back to Ireland to play happy families.’
The tone of her voice broke Bea’s heart, ‘Oh Nell.’
She held out her arms and Nell fell into them.
‘What am I going to do, Bea?’ Nell asked, hoping her best friend had the answer.
‘There isn’t anything you can do, except hold that head up high and get on with it like a trooper. Concentrate on this week. You are still going to the auction aren’t you?’
‘Yes, of course, that’s not changed. I’m doing this for me and Ollie, the man who never let me down.’
‘Good girl, let’s just focus on the positives and soon Guy Cornish will become a distant memory.’
‘Why does it hurt so much in here?’ asked Nell, clutching at her chest.
‘Even at our age, a broken heart doesn’t get any easier.’
Bea glanced at her watch, ‘It’s getting late now, try and get some sleep,’ Bea stood up and Nell followed her inside the Nollie. ‘Tomorrow is a new day and a big day for you and when you are the proud owner of The Old Picture House then we will celebrate in style … maybe with a take-away.’
‘We know how to enjoy ourselves,’ Nell said, attempting a weak smile.
Bea noticed a shadow cast over the porthole, then there was a gentle rap on the door. They both looked up, startled to see Guy standing on the other side.
He sheepishly pushed the door open, ‘Can I come in?’
Nell’s heart was pounding and immediately tears sprung to her eyes, ‘It’s okay, come aboard.’
‘I’ll leave you to it. Ring me if you need me,’ said Bea, standing up and glaring at Guy.
Bea left and Guy hovered nervously in the kitchen.
‘Why are you here? Shouldn’t you be looking after your pregnant wife?’ Nell knew she sounded bitter and childish, but she couldn’t help herself.
‘Can I sit?’
‘If you must.’
He slid in the seat next to Nell and leant on the table, clasping his hands together.
‘How are you?’
She closed her eyes and forced back the tears. Nell was afraid if she opened her mouth she’d throw up. She felt that sick about Guy’s lies.
‘Silly question, I know,’ he said softly.
‘How the hell do you think I’m doing?’
‘It’s not what it seems,’ he said, raking a hand through his hair.
‘So, she’s not your wife and she’s not pregnant?’ She was praying it was all some terrible nightmare and that she’d wake up any minute.
She stole a furtive glance at Guy while she waited for the answer.
‘No, she is definitely my wife and, according to her, she is pregnant.’
Nell’s voice cracked, ‘Why did you lie to me, Guy? How did I get this so wrong?’
Silence.
‘You can’t even explain yourself,’ Nell shook her head in disbelief. ‘Do you know how much this hurts, after everything? I feel such a fool.’
A tear ran down Guy’s cheek and he brushed it away with the cuff of his jumper, ‘It really isn’t what it seems, Nell.’
‘Is this the ‘my wife doesn’t understand me’ speech? Because if it is, please don’t bother. I don’t want to hear it.’
‘I promise you it’s not,’ his hand crept towards Nell’s, but immediately she moved hers away.
He paused for a moment and cleared his throat and took in a deep breath, filling his lungs with air before he began talking. ‘I met Kate on a job. She’s a property developer and her father’s company employed my granddad’s business to construct a handful of new-builds on the edge of town. It was a huge contract and provided work for nearly twelve months. Once we started work on the site, she seemed to find more and more excuses to visit. Granddad put me in charge of the project so I was always her first point of contact. She was vibrant and full of fun and began to text or ring me most days. The lads told me to stay clear, she already had a reputation.’
‘A reputation for what?’ Nell chipped in.
‘For being a bit of a player, putting it about a bit. It didn’t bother me. I was young and wasn’t looking for anything serious. I was one of the lads, enjoying my Friday nights playing pool, drinking beer and ending up in the curry house. Life was simple. Then she started turning up wherever I was. The lads used to joke she’d had me tracked. But I liked it. She wasn’t like anyone I’d ever been out with before, she dressed in the latest designer gear, drove a BMW convertible. She reeled me in hook, line and sinker. We married after six months, a whirlwind romance. Everyone said it was too soon. My granddad warned me against it …’
‘But you think you know best at that age.’
He nodded. ‘As soon as we were married, she seemed to change overnight.’
‘In what way?’ asked Nell.
‘She was pushing, all the time, for me to ask my grandfather for the business, but I wasn’t going to do that. I was happy with the job I was doing. Like I said, I was young, one of the lads, I didn’t want to become their boss. My mates down the pub were down to earth, but hers were different to mine. I never felt comfortable around them. And she couldn’t ever bring herself to say I was a builder’s labourer. I was proud of my granddad and what he’d achieved but she did nothing except ridicule him. Then, one day, she came home holding up a designer suit. She’d set up an interview for me to go and work in her dad’s office. We argued about it, but she convinced me it was the right thing to do if we wanted to start a family, and the extra money would come in handy. It makes me sound weak, I know, but at the time I’d fallen in love with her and would have done anything for her. I went for the job, got it and hated every minute of it. I missed working with Granddad, missed working with the lads. Then around six months after that it all came to a head.’
‘What happened?’
‘My gut feeling was telling me she was having an affair. She of course denied it, but the tell-tale signs were there. And every time she convinced me it was all in my head. I was mentally exhausted with it but however hard I tried … it just didn’t work out.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘I just couldn’t stand it anymore. I gave it, gave her, my best shot, but when I discovered she was having an affair with my boss that was the final nail in the coffin. I’d put up with her antics for years and years, enough was enough. I moved out three months ago and told her it was over. It was Mum who suggested I take some time away and when Ed said he needed help while he was recovering from his operation, I jumped at the chance.’
‘Oh Guy, but why did you tell me you were single? You could have told me the truth, you know.’
‘I know, I’m sorry, Nell,’ His voice faltered and he took her hands in his. ‘I was so ashamed. I always thought I could make my marriage work, be as happy as my granddad and granny were for all those years but it just never happened. I felt such a failure.’
‘But what I don’t understand is if you’ve been separated for a few months how far pregnant is she?’
He sighed and took a deep breath, ‘I hadn’t slept with her for nearly seven months. Then just before I came to England we ended up at the same place one night and I was drunk. I’m not proud of it and the second I woke up the next morning I regretted every minute of it. This is the first time I’ve seen her since then. When she turned up on the doorstep I was shocked. It was the first I knew about her pregnancy. I’ve messed everything up haven’t I?’ He locked eyes with Nell.
Nell couldn’t find any more words.
What a mess.
‘I’m so sorry, Nell, I really am. I just wanted to move on, forget about my failed marriage and I thought that telling you I had a wife, with everything you’ve been through, would ruin things between us, but now I can see I was wrong to keep it from you. I’ve been an idiot. I should have been straight with you from the start.’
‘Yes, you should,’ said Nell.
‘I’m feeling pretty ashamed.’
Nell pulled him gently towards her and he didn’t object. She grasped at his jumper. ‘You know I never thought I would have feelings for anyone else again.’ She sobbed quietly. Guy kissed the top of her head and stroked her hair softly.
‘You know I feel the same, Nell …’
‘But …’ Nell pulled away, her blurry eyes locking with his. She was conscious her heart was pounding and a feeling of trepidation ran through her entire body.
‘But?’ he pressed.
‘This can’t happen; there’s a bigger picture now. Divorce I could deal with, but now you have a baby who needs a father.’ Her voice was shaky. ‘The baby has to come first.’
Nell stood up, the tears rolling down her cheeks. ‘This is too difficult, Guy. I think you just need to leave, my heart is breaking enough.’
Guy shook his head, ‘I don’t want to leave.’
‘You have to do the right thing,’ she said, looking up through her tears.
‘But I feel like we are only just beginning and it’s been snatched away from us. You are beautiful, warm and funny and I never dreamt you would look at someone like me.’ He brushed her hair out of her face.
‘Someone like you? Guy, I’ve fallen for you, more than you will ever know.’
‘I know,’ he said kissing her gently on the lips, ‘And I feel the same, believe me I do. We can make this work, Nell. I know we can.’
Nell shook her head, ‘Your main priority is your family. I can’t do it Guy. I can’t have you hopping between countries or staying here with me, knowing I’m keeping you away from your child. I’d feel too guilty. As long as I win that auction, I’ll be okay. I’ll throw myself wholeheartedly into the Old Picture House. I’ll get over you – I’ve done it before.’
The silence echoed all around.
There was nothing more to say. She could see it in his eyes he was hurting as much as her.
‘Another lifetime, hey?’
Another lifetime,’ he echoed.
‘Damn that timing,’ she whispered.
He wiped away his tears and kissed her tenderly, not wanting to pull away. He took her hands in his. ‘I’ve never felt so much alive and have loved every second I’ve spent with you.’
They both stood up and Nell walked him to the door. Guy held her hand and he pulled her in close and they wrapped their arms around each other one last time.
They both reluctantly let go.
‘Good luck with the auction.’
‘Thank you.’
‘And remember to stay calm and don’t get lost in the moment.’
‘The story of my life – joke, joke,’ she said, trying to lighten the mood a little.
He smiled at her, ‘Just stick to your budget. Don’t go over it.’
‘I won’t.’ she promised.
‘Night, Nell.’
‘Night.’
She took a shuddering breath as she watched Guy with his head bent low, turn and walk up the jetty, out of her life. She closed the door, lay down on her bed and wrapped the duvet around her body. The tears fell on to her pillow, her heart breaking once more.