Page 69 of The Honeymoon Affair

She’s gorgeous.

Dammit.

She puts her hand on his back as she ushers him down the stairs, and I stare at the ring she’s wearing on the third finger of her left hand. The multicoloured stones gleam richly beneath the lights. I wonder if she’s engaged, and if so, to whom. Charles never mentioned it. Though in fairness, he does his best never to mention her. It’s usually me bringing up the agent-slash-ex issue.

The partygoers follow them down the stairs. I do too.

It’s freezing outside, and I wish that I’d been smart enough to find my jacket, because my green dress is backless and I’ve a large amount of skin exposed to the elements. I tell myself that the cold is invigorating, and besides, I’m surrounded by people so I’ll warm up quickly enough.

Charles jumps onto a box and shouts at us all to be quiet for a moment. Then he begins a countdown to the new year. As he reaches zero, a huge rocket bursts overhead in a shower of golden stars. He leads the applause, and Ariel kisses him. On the mouth. In a very non-agent-slash-ex way. I feel my stomach tighten and look around for Celeste. She’s being kissed by the guy with red hair. Charles’s editor is also being kissed, although somewhat more platonically, by a man who I think is an author.

I’m not being kissed by anyone. Platonically or otherwise.

The woman beside me turns and wishes me Happy New Year, and I say the same to her, then I push my way towards Celeste and tap her on the shoulder. She throws her arm around me before introducing me to the redhead. His name is Darragh Mackey and he’s a bookseller. He gives me a peck on the cheek and asks me if I’m cold. I’m guessing that beneath my red lipstick, my lips are actually blue, but I say, ‘Not at all’ and Celeste tells me I look amazing in my dress and I say that she looks amazing in hers and Darragh says that we both look amazing and it’s great to meet new people at Charles’s party. I’m trying to think of something other than ‘amazing’ to say in return when I feel a hand on my own shoulder. It’s Charles. He does the Happy New Year thing with Celeste and Darragh and then manoeuvres me away from them and from the mass of people who are now making their way back into the house.

We’re standing beneath a tree that’s covered in fairy lights.

‘Here.’ He slips his jacket around my freezing shoulders and I breathe a sigh of relief even as the breath turns into mist in front of me. ‘That’s the problem with women coming to parties in gorgeous dresses,’ he says. ‘We guys are OK. Shirts and jackets.’

‘You’re being very gallant in giving me yours. We should go inside.’ My teeth are chattering.

‘Wait a moment,’ he says.

I stand beside him in silence, watching the rest of the party disappear indoors.

‘I’ve been thinking,’ Charles says. ‘A lot.’

About Ariel, I suspect. Because that was hardly a platonic kiss they shared. He’s been lying to me about how ex she really is.

‘What have you been thinking about?’

‘Me. And you.’

‘Oh. Not you and Ariel.’ I can’t help myself. ‘She’s beautiful, by the way.’

He looks startled. ‘Were you introduced?’

‘No, but I recognised her from the online photos,’ I reply. ‘And she clearly means a lot to you still, despite everything. That was a very intimate kiss you shared.’

‘Hardly intimate given that it was in front of a crowd of people.’ He shrugs. ‘Besides, she kissed me, I didn’t kiss her.’

‘It didn’t seem that way.’

‘Are you jealous?’

‘No.’

But I am. Of course I am.

‘Look, Iseult—’

‘I know that’s my name, but I told you before, everyone calls me Izzy.’

‘I like your proper name,’ he says. ‘Though if you prefer Izzy, that’s what I’ll call you from now on.’ He gives me an impatient look. ‘I didn’t bring you here to talk about names.’

‘What then?’

‘I suppose I should start by saying that I’m older than you and have lived longer and have more experience and wisdom.’