Page 89 of The Honeymoon Affair

‘We’ll have it back at the house. You’ve a brilliant machine in the kitchen.’

‘All right.’ He’s still grumpy, but he pays the bill and leaves a generous cash tip on the table.

When we get back to Riverside Lodge, he makes us both coffee and we sit at the island in the kitchen. I move my hand so that the diamond in my ring splinters into a prism of colours. Charles laughs, and the dark mood between us lifts immediately.

‘You love doing that, don’t you?’

‘Yes.’ I’m a little embarrassed that he’s noticed.

‘It looks lovely on you,’ he says. ‘I’m very happy you like it.’

‘Like it? I love it.’ I slide from the bar stool and put my arms around him. ‘I love you too, Charles Miller.’

‘And I love you,’ he assures me. ‘I’m sorry if I’m a bit tetchy. I’m always like this when I’m editing. Ariel says it’s my worst writing phase.’

‘Does she help with it?’ I’m madly keen to talk about her and their relationship, but I haven’t known how to raise the subject. I don’t want to appear obsessed; I tell myself I’m not, but I can’t help remembering the look on her face when she met me. It’s unsettling that she’s still a part of his life, and will be even when they’re properly divorced. I’m hoping that once he’s finished the book, she won’t have any need to be in touch with him for ages.

He tells me that Ariel’s original notes on his manuscript, before he even gave it to the publisher, ran to twenty-two pages. And since then, his editor, Syd, has sent even more.

‘You need a break,’ I tell him.

‘We’ve just been out to lunch.’

‘A proper break,’ I say. ‘I’m going to bring you to the port.’

‘But I . . .’ He hesitates, then smiles. ‘I’d love to come to the port with you,’ he says.

The traffic at the port isn’t as heavy on a Sunday, and I drive him around the various warehouse and storage areas. It’s always impressive to see the huge stacks of freight containers, and I explain about the X-ray machine and the other things we do. I also tell him that I have the best view in the world from my desk, and he asks if he can see it.

I phone the officer in charge today to ask if I can come in with a visitor for a nanosecond. He agrees, and soon Charles and I are standing at the window, looking out at the bay.

‘You’re right,’ he says. ‘The view is amazing.’

Katelyn, who’s also working, walks in, and I introduce her to Charles.

‘I love your books,’ she tells him.

‘I’ll give Izzy some signed copies for you,’ he promises.

And then they’re chatting away, and I think how Charles has some great people skills, even if he doesn’t always use them.

‘Absolutely hunky,’ Katelyn whispers to me as we turn to leave, and I wink at her and link my arm through my fiancé’s.

#LuckyMe

We go back to Marino for a cup of tea after the port visit, but unsurprisingly end up in bed first. I’m impressed by his stamina and say so, which makes him look pleased until he asks if I mean for his age.

‘Are you mad?’ I sit up and push my hair out of my eyes. ‘You’re way better than . . . well . . .’ I don’t really want to mention my ex-fiancé. Or give him the chance to mention his nearly-ex-wife either. It’s time to put our past lives behind us.

‘I’d better call a cab and get home,’ he says when we’ve had the tea. ‘I want to do some more editing.’

‘On a Sunday?’

‘Need to keep going,’ he says.

‘I suppose you have to work hard to get those good Amazon reviews,’ I tease.

‘Bloody Amazon.’ He snorts. ‘One-star reviews because the book arrived a day late or the cover is torn.’