Page 1 of The Interview

PROLOGUE

GEORGIA

Iknow what he’s going to say before I hear him say it. I’m just not sure what my response is going to be.

“You sure this is a good idea?”

My eyes remain closed, but I can smell him, feel his breath against my skin when he whispers against my ear.

“As sure as I can be,” I reply.

“G—”

“I’m okay with it,” I interrupt. “I’ll be fine. Besides, think of the cause.”

“The cause is great; I love the cause and everything you’ve done and are doing with it. I’m proud of you—so fucking proud—butyou’remore important. Your mental health and your well-being are more important to me than any cause.”

“I’ll be okay.”

“Will you? You know all of this will drag up the past...”

“I’m aware. I’m ready for that.”

“Are you? What if it’s things you don’t know?”

I draw in a long breath and release it through my nose. “Is that likely to happen? Are there things you need to tell me now?”

“You know I love you. Isn’t that enough?”

“That’s a non-answer if ever I heard one. Should I be worried?”

“No, I just don’t want them springing some bullshit on you.”

“They won’t. Len has handpicked the team. We’ve gone over the questions, but I’ve told them we’ll play it by ear. I want people to seeme—the realme. I don’t want this to come across as fake or staged...” I trail off when my nose tingles and fight the tears threatening to fall because I don’t want him to worry even more.

“I just want them to like me, Sean. They never liked me for you—not back then—but I want them to like me now, so they’ll go and watch the film, and we’ll raise lots of money for the foundation.”

I feel his fingertips brush across my cheeks.

A riot of emotions erupts inside me: guilt, longing, so much fucking sadness.

“Fucking hell, I miss you,” he says as his lips brush mine, and guilt wins over everything else I’m feeling.

“I miss you, too.”

“Do you? I want to believe that, but I also don’t want it to be true. I want you to be happy.”

“I am happy. My life is full, but I still miss you. I’ve learned to compartmentalise. I love the life I had with you. I also love the life I have now with Cam and the kids.”

“Do you still love me?”

“Of course, I still love you. I’ll nevernotlove you; my heart doesn’t know how.”

“But you also love him.” It’s a statement, not a question.

“I do. He’s my rock. He and the kids are my world. Without them, I’d probably be with you right now.”

“Is it wrong that I both love and hate him for that?”