Page 107 of The Girlfriend

Cherry smiled at his lame joke.

“Can’t we try and work something out? And you know, we still haven’t told her about the engagement.”

“Of course! Nothing would make me happier.”

“Really?”

“Yes.” She kissed him. “It makes me sad when we don’t get on and you’re caught in the middle.” She turned to open the oven and check thetagine,well aware she’d left Daniel taken aback at how easy it had been to persuade her. Men liked a nonconfrontational life, but she knew what she’d said was too easy, and nothing had actually been resolved. Neither would it be, but by the time he realized that, and brought it up again, Laura would have disappeared—hopefully.

“That smells delicious,” he said, looking at thetagine.He put his arms around her and kissed her on the back of the neck. “Thankyou, Cherry. You’re amazing. I know she hasn’t made things easy for you and I appreciate your not holding it against her.”

“Careful, hot!”

“I feel I should go and see her.”

Cherry turned. “What? Tonight?”

“Only for half an hour or so. After dinner. Is that a problem? She’s been having a rough time. You know, with the divorce and everything.”

A wave of panic crashed over her. The last thing she wanted was Daniel getting the full story of how Laura had been to see Wendy. “I’m . . . just not feeling that good, that’s all.”

“What’s up?”

“It’s not much, just that headache. From last night.” She rubbed her forehead, trying to think quickly. “Can’t seem to get rid of it.”

He waited a moment and then said: “You need to sit down. Go on, I’ll just take a shower, then finish the couscous.’ ” She allowed herself to be led into the living room and onto the lemon sofa. As soon as he left the room and she heard the shower run, she sat up. The tense, nervy feeling escalated. It was like the devil on her back and no matter how she sat, she was restless, wanted to escape from it. She put some music on to try and blast it away. Then she lay back down on the sofa and closed her eyes, trying not to think about the fly buzzing around her head.

“I thought you had a headache?” Daniel had walked in, wearing a clean T-shirt and jeans, hair tousled and wet from the shower. Rufus had followed him and was jumping around, trying to lick his ankles.

She started. “I do. I mean, I took a tablet.”

“They don’t work that fast,” he said, turning down the volume.

Damn him for being a doctor,she thought, knowing he was right and she couldn’t argue. Instead she threw the full radiance of her smile at him. “You’ve cheered me up. I think the stress of the move has been getting to me.”

“You’re not happy to be here?”

She looked at him in surprise. “I’m extremely happy.” Shewanted to ask,“Aren’t you?”but something stopped her. “Are you hungry?”

“Starving.”

“Shall we eat?”

He followed her into the kitchen. “Glass of wine?”

Her face fell. “Oh no!”

“What?”

“I forgot the wine!”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“No, I mean I wanted everything to be perfect.” She grabbed her purse. “I’ll just go downstairs to Henry’s, get a bottle of Shiraz or something. It’s time for Rufus’s walk anyway,” she said, holding his exuberant body still as she clipped on his leash.

“You don’t have to.”

She was already out the door. “Why don’t you hold off on the couscous till I get back. You know what he’s like, doesn’t always perform when you want him to.”