Page 65 of Private Lives

Suzanne ignored her. ‘It’ll be hard, but sometimes you’ve just got to run at it and hope you make it through to the other side. ’Cos it’s a better place over there, you know. Through it. Over it.’

Anna look a long swig of wine, focusing on the taste of cherries and gooseberries as it slid down her throat.

‘I don’t want to talk about it,’ she said finally. Part of her was desperate to discuss Sophie’s wedding with someone – deep down she knew that one of the reasons for inviting her friends around was to offload this tangled mess of feelings, to sort them out, work out how she really felt. But now she had voiced it, she knew she was in danger of getting teary, and had no intention of letting her old friends see that.

‘Oh, did you hear that Maggie McFarlane has got some hot new banker boyfriend?’ she said, moving the conversation to safer ground.

‘Maggie? Yes, she met him on Match.com.’

‘I thought she said she’d never do Internet dating.’

‘Never say never.’ Cath smiled. ‘Not when there are hot bankers out there.’

Suzanne looked at Anna over the top of her glass. ‘I think you need to get back out there. Dating, that is.’

Anna snorted, trying to ignore the remark. ‘Knowing Anna, she’s dating George Clooney in the secret life she’s not telling us about,’ said Cath.

‘I’m too busy for a man.’

‘I thought you said work had dried up after the Sam Charles injunction.’

‘Stop hassling me or I’m going to have to injunct you.’

Suzanne sat forward and squeezed Anna’s hand.

‘Honey, it’s been two years. How much sex have you had in that time?’

Anna felt her stomach clench. That was the sort of question she really didn’t want to answer.

‘What is this?’ she said, trying to deflect their concern. ‘Some sort of NHS survey?’

‘I knew it. None,’ said Cath with disapproval.

‘I thought you were over him,’ said Suzanne finally.

Anna knew immediately what she meant.

‘I am,’ she sighed. ‘The fact that he’s getting married to my sister in four week

s doesn’t make me want to do cartwheels, but he’s not the reason I’m single.’

‘So you’ve got a month to find someone,’ said Cath.

‘I’m not going to the wedding.’

‘But if you really are over him, then what better way to tell the world than by turning up in Tuscany with some sexy young hunk on your arm. Stop being the victim. Get off your bum and make things happen.’

‘What about Sam Charles?’ said Suzanne.

Anna threw a felt cushion at her.

‘What?’ said Suzanne, protecting herself. ‘You’ve hung out in Italy with him once. Ask him for a rematch.’

‘First, he’s my client. Secondly, he hates me. Thirdly, he’s a movie star. Oh, and a cheat.’

‘You’re prettier than that escort girl,’ said Cath.

‘Oh, thanks. Is that supposed to be your idea of a motivational speech?’