Page 109 of Wife After Wife

Harry

December 1998

It was that time again—the Rose Christmas party. Fatboy Slim was rocking the dance floor, and Rose employees were, as always, embracing the Christmas spirit. Harry smiled indulgently as he watched them.

His mind went back to five years ago, to his first night with Ana. And what a night it had been. There would never be another like it.

Why did he want Ana most when he couldn’t have her? Now that she was colder than a morning shower at Eton, all he could think about was making up with her. It would happen, and it would be epic.

What kind of dysfunctional relationship was that?

In the meantime, they’d reached some sort of uneasy truce. Ana hadn’t mentioned divorce again, and Harry had made an effort to help with plans for her design consultancy, recognizing that this, at least, was a sensible way forward.

At home they were polite, and he was doing more than his fair share of caring for Eliza when the nanny wasn’t on hand. He loved cozying up with his daughter, singing her songs, tickling her, playing with her toes. Her gurgling giggle was the sweetest sound in the universe. Eliza was of a far sunnier disposition than Maria. While his first daughter had beena watchful child, Eliza was all smiles, and learned things at a rate that convinced Harry she was a genius.

“This girl’s going to grow up to be some kind of superwoman,” he’d said to Ana, during a slight thaw in relations. “Perhaps she’ll be the next Maggie Thatcher.” He was still a fan, even though the Iron Lady’s reputation had taken a battering since her heyday.

He noticed Janette, sitting with the other top-floor secretaries. She quickly looked away as their eyes met. He felt bad. They hadn’t talked properly since Ana had burst in on them. But he knew she’d understand.

Right now, he couldn’t think beyond winning Ana back.

He spotted her, talking to Terri. She outshone every other woman in the room, dressed in a silvery sheath that did nothing to dispel her Ice Queen image.

He excused himself from the group he was talking to and went over.

“Hello, ladies. Looking glorious this evening.”

“Harry,” said Terri, dressed in her trademark black. “Not at all appropriate to talk business, but just letting you know we’ll be contracting out some of theRack’s production work to Ana. So hurry the fuck up and get her started.”

“I second that motion,” said Ana. She smiled at him, and his heart lifted.

“Come and dance,” he said as the music slowed.

She hesitated, and Terri said, “Don’t mind me.”

Harry held out his hand, and Ana took it. The crowd parted as the Rose king and queen headed to the dance floor.

“How is it I’ve never fired Terri for insubordination and potty-mouthed language?” Harry said.

“Terri’s brilliant. I couldn’t have survived without her.”

“Ana...” Harry gently took her in his arms. “I can’t survive without you. Please, please forgive me.”

She looked at him levelly, her hands on his shoulders, resisting him. “I can’t forgive you, no. And I’ll never trust you again. But for Eliza’s sake, and if you support me in my new venture, I’ll stay with you.”

Ana

The final year of the millennium began, and so did Megan’s battle with cancer. The prognosis was encouraging, and Megan was coming to terms with what lay ahead. Charles was being a rock.

Harry hadn’t handled the news at all well; he couldn’t face the thought of losing his beloved little sister.

Megan’s diagnosis had made Ana think about what was important in life. She’d decided to give Harry a second chance. He’d been trying hard, and things between them were probably as good as they would get from now on. Fueled by champagne and the Christmas spirit, Ana had thawed at the Christmas party. It had been worth it just to see Janette’s face when she kissed him on the dance floor. The secretary had been crushed like a bug under Ana’s Jimmy Choo.

Ana had let Harry back into her bed that night, and it was an enormously erotic reunion as she took charge, punishing him for his misdemeanor. By the time they’d finally fallen asleep, some kind of armistice had been achieved.

Harry had made Janette office manager and moved her to the opposite end of the floor.

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