Page 26 of Twin Flames

Seville, that afternoon

George drove Cara to the airport.

‘I’m going to tell Daniel I’m calling off the engagement. It’s only right,’ she said.

George glanced at her and touched her hand. His other hand rested casually on the steering wheel as the powerful vehicle effortlessly hoovered up the miles to the airport. There was a heavy silence as her words hung in the air between them.

‘Are you certain you want to do that?’ he said, after a while.

His question knocked her off balance. She was suddenly reeling.

Did he not want her to do it? Had she misunderstood his feelings? Ouch.

‘Don’t worry. I don’t expect anything from you. But I can’t continue with him after this. It’s not fair. You stay as you are if that’s what you want.’

‘I didn’t say that.’

Cara could tell she’d upset him. Would this be their first proper disagreement?

‘No, you didn’t. You didn’t have to.’

‘I only asked if you’re sure that’s what you want. I was thinking about you, not myself.’

‘That makes it worse,’ she said. ‘It sounds as though you don’t care, as though it doesn’t affect you, at all.’

‘Cara, that’s not fair. You’re jumping to conclusions. Of course, I care.’

Tears welled in her eyes, and she looked away from George, out of the window. She didn’t want him to see her cry.

He sighed. ‘It’s complicated. I can’t tell Joanna just like that. I will need to take it slower.’

His words sliced into her heart like sharp blades. Did he really intend to continue on with business as usual, as if Seville hadn’t happened? She must have misread him completely. What an idiot. Just because she was in love with him, didn’t mean he felt the same.

‘Cara look at me.’

‘No,’ she said. ‘I can’t. If that’s how you feel, then it’s all been a huge mistake. I won’t get in the way of your perfect marriage. Forgive me for misunderstanding your feelings.’

‘You haven’t misunderstood my feelings,’ he said.

She turned to him, tears spilling from her eyes even as she willed herself to keep it together.

‘What’s unfair is you acting as though nothing has happened.’

‘I’m not. I’m sorry if that’s how it sounded.’

Cara turned away once again. The humiliation was too much to bear. She wondered whether him telling his wife would be as big a shock as he thought. She nibbled her bottom lip.

‘Don’t worry. I won’t mention anything about you to Daniel. It would only complicate matters. Anyway, it’s not really the point. Us getting together is a wakeup call. It’s not the reason we’re not fulfilled with our partners. If we were, we wouldn’t keep seeking each other out like this.’

‘Yes, but I doubt Daniel would see it that way,’ he said.

‘Does Joanna have any reason to doubt you?’

‘I suppose she does, but not because I’ve been unfaithful. I haven’t. . .until now. But our marriage was never really more than a friendship. Of course, I didn’t realise it at first. I thought we were compatible on every level, but as we matured, it became evident we were more suited as friends than lovers. I suppose I believed it was true love because I wanted to.’

‘And would she agree with you?’

‘Probably not. She’s in love with the idea of being in love. She’s a romantic like most women. Our friends think we’re the perfect couple and that’s important to her.’