Page 160 of The Honeymoon Affair

‘We both did,’ I murmur.

‘Yes, but she wasn’t engaged to you! I shouldn’t stand around here talking. I should be out looking for her.’

‘If you think that’s a good idea. But Charles, I got the impression talking to her . . . I don’t know if there’s a way back for you.’

‘Maybe not. But I want to hear it from her.’

He turns away from me and clatters down the stairs.

I stay where I am and add the appointment with Francesca to my calendar. Then I say goodnight to Tristan, who’s been schmoozing with the bookseller and is now heading off to another event.

After that, I text Josh to say that if he wants that drink he asked me about earlier, I’m free.

Iseult

The ice has melted in my gin and tonic when I get back to the Bailey. Darragh offers to get me another.

‘Did you see Charles?’ asks Celeste while he’s at the bar.

‘I saw him do the reading and sign books. And I met Ariel.’

‘The agent-slash-nearly-ex.’

‘The actual ex now,’ I say, and tell her that the divorce has come through.

‘Does that make any difference?’ Celeste has been my absolute rock ever since I broke up with Charles. She hasn’t tried to make me think one thing or the other, to believe that I made the right choice, or to persuade me to give Charles another chance. She’s backed me up every moment of every day just as she did when Steve and I split up. She also helped to sell my wedding dress online. I actually got quite a good price for it. One day I’ll find someone and get married and she can stop looking out for me and simply be my bridesmaid instead of breakup support. However, the way things are going, I’ll be her bridesmaid first.

I tell her that Charles and Ariel’s divorce means nothing to me, that she means nothing to me and that he means nothing to me. That the entire episode means nothing to me. It’s not entirely true, of course. We’re all affected in some way by the things that happen to us. But I don’t feel the same visceral pain now as I did the evening I arrived at Charles’s house and saw her there with him again. It seems I’m actually quite good at getting over broken engagements.

Then Charles walks into the bar.

He looks around and sees me. Celeste spots him at the exact same moment and clutches my arm just as Darragh returns with my gin and tonic. Charles looks at him, clearly wondering how he knows him. It’s Darragh who speaks first.

‘Charles Miller. Good to see you. I hear your reading was a tremendous success.’

‘I . . . It was good, thanks.’

‘Can I help you at all?’ asks Darragh. ‘I’m from Delaney’s Bookshop.’

‘Oh, yes, Delaney’s.’ Charles nods. ‘Um . . . I wanted to talk to Izzy, if she doesn’t mind.’

‘We’re a little busy here,’ says Celeste. ‘I’m not sure she has the time.’

‘Do you?’ His blue eyes look straight into mine. ‘Do you have five minutes?’

‘There’s not a lot we can discuss in five minutes,’ I say.

‘Please,’ says Charles.

Celeste asks if I’m sure as I stand up, and I tell her I am. Because I am sure. I can’t avoid Charles any more. It’s worked for a long time, but sooner or later I have to face him. And myself.

‘Do you want to stay in here or go outside?’ he asks.

‘Outside.’

We step out into the fresh air. The street is thronged with tourists, many of whom are wearing brightly coloured caps against the possibility of more rain. I forgot to bring my umbrella. It’s still in the pub.

‘Thank you for coming to my reading,’ says Charles.