Highland Fling (23 page)

Jack handed Phil the glasses and poured the champagne. Phil gave a glass to each of them and they all raised them in the air.

‘To better times and new beginnings,’ Phil said.

‘Oh and Congratulations, I guess Ross,’ Jack added, ‘you’re going to be a father.’ They clinked glasses then gulped down the champagne as if they were dying from thirst.

Chapter Fourteen

Lizzie glanced at the clock and saw it was four-thirty. The solicitor would be there soon – Max had called her to confirm that five was fine – and she began to feel odd, like she was losing something and she’d never get it back. She felt the same way when she bought Laurellei Farm, not moving to Scotland, but leaving London. She felt as if it was the end of an era and this felt the same.

It was, of course. It was the end of her marriage to Max. It wouldn’t be finally over until the Decree Absolute came through, she knew that, but here, today, was the death knell. Once this ball started rolling, she knew she wouldn’t stop it and she asked herself, one final time, if she was really sure.

Max had been so good to her. After lunch, yesterday, they’d read the newspapers then watched movies on Max’s enormous 3D television, then played scrabble and it had felt as though they’d turned back time. Only when Max carried her upstairs, deposited her in the spare room, kissed her lightly on the forehead and said goodnight, did reality kick back in.

This morning, he’d brought her breakfast in bed, then carried her downstairs before he left for work and this afternoon, on his way to a meeting, he’d dashed in, given her a huge box of chocolates and dashed out.

He was perfect in so many ways, so many, except one. He’d cheated and no matter how many times he apologised or how many wonderful gestures he made, nothing could ever counteract that in her mind.

Max was feeling stressed. Monday was a busy day for him. He had back to back meetings and had to get his secretary to rearrange the last two so he could get home in time for the solicitor at five. He didn’t want to leave Lizzie on her own all day either, so he arranged for his daily help Susan to spend a few extra hours at his place for the duration of Lizzie’s stay and, on his way from one meeting to another, he’d dashed in to tell Lizzie and to give her a box of chocolates he’d got his secretary to pick up. He thought it might cheer her up.

Lizzie had been dosing in an armchair when he’d rushed in and she’d looked so gorgeous, so vulnerable, and so sexy that he’d had to fight back an urge to sweep her into his arms and make love to her.

Those days were gone though, he had to accept that but he was amazed at how much the thought tore him apart. Then he remembered what she’d said about sleeping with someone else and jealousy shot through him like blood poisoning. He kept wondering who it was and what exactly had happened. She’d said it was a mistake so it sounded as if she wouldn’t be seeing the guy again but still ...

Just after four, Phil knocked on Max’s open glass door. Max was on the phone to Lizzie but he gestured to Phil to come in.

‘I’ll be home by four forty five at the latest Lizzie,’ Max said. ‘There’s champagne in the fridge and we’ll order in something really special, okay? After all, it’s not as if something like this happens every day is it?’

Phil heard the name and his head shot up. He couldn’t hear what Lizzie said but Max laughed in response.

‘Well, it’s an important day and I think we should treat it accordingly.’

Again Lizzie said something Phil couldn’t hear.

‘Okay. See you later sweetheart.’ Max hung up and glanced at Phil.

Phil was staring at him curiously. ‘Um...I...was that Lizzie?’ he asked, ‘sorry, couldn’t help but overhear.’

Max smiled and leant back in his chair. He put his feet up on the desk and linked his fingers putting his arms up and his hands behind his head. ‘That’s okay Phil. Not a problem. She’s staying with me. Came down Saturday night.’

‘Saturday!  S...she’s here?’ Phil couldn’t hide his surprise.

Max picked up on it. ‘Yeah. She told me about the weekend. What a disaster?’

Phil’s eyes met his. ‘Yeah. One of those things I guess.’ He scratched his chin. ‘Look I ... I just wanted to say thanks for arranging it anyway and ... um ... well, I didn’t know she was your wife. You didn’t say.’

Max studied Phil’s face. He seemed anxious. ‘Didn’t I? Well, I guess I just assumed you knew. Lizzie uses her maiden name for the business. Was that a problem? Lizzie being my wife I mean?’

‘No! No, of course not. Just ... just a surprise that’s all. Um ... we had a great time. She’s a really lovely lady.’

‘Yes,’ Max said, his voice cool, his eyes penetrating. ‘She is. Did she tell you we were separated?’

Phil picked up the word “were”. ‘I ... I think it was mentioned, although at the time, we didn’t know it was from you.’ He could hear the rising panic in his voice and tried to stay calm. He knew something had happened between Jack and Lizzie, something serious. He just didn’t know what.

‘Oh well. Not an issue any more. At least you got two days there. Did your mates have a good time?’

Phil licked his lips. ‘Yeah. Yeah they did. Anyway, Max. Just wanted to say thanks and please tell Lizzie we ... we’re all really sorry about having to dash off like that.’

Max’s eyes narrowed. He wanted to ask Phil which one of them had screwed his wife but he wouldn’t. ‘No problem Phil. As it happens, it’s given us the push we needed to sort things out. I’ll give her your ... regards shall I?’

Phil met his eyes. ‘Yeah. Please do that.’

Max swung his feet down. ‘Talking of which, I’ve got to dash. Promised her I’d be home at four forty five and it’s almost four fifteen now.’ He grabbed his case and his newspaper and headed towards the door.

Phil stood aside for him.

‘See you later Phil,’ Max said tapping him on the arm with the newspaper and he dashed towards the lift.

  It definitely wasn’t Phil, Max thought, but Phil sure as hell knows who it was.

‘I didn’t know whether I should tell you or not,’ Phil said later that evening. He and Jack were in The Mucky Duck having a pint after work and Phil told Jack about the phone call he’d overheard and his conversation with Max.

 Jack’s hand tightened around his glass and his jaw clenched. ‘So it’s true then.’

His voice was calm but his face wore a dejected expression. ‘I saw her with him on Saturday night. Didn’t know it was him, of course. Assumed it might be. Couldn’t really believe it was her. Thought it was her doppelganger or something but I knew. Somehow I knew.’

‘Don’t know what to say mate,’

Jack shrugged. ‘Nothing to say. These things happen.’ He raised his glass to his lips and sneered. ‘It was a stag do after all.’ He gulped his Stella.

‘None of my business but ... ' Phil hung his head and twisted his glass in his hands, ‘did you –’

‘Yes mate,’ Jack interrupted. ‘Like the bloody mug I am, I did.’ Jack emptied his glass. ‘Another?’

Phil nodded and Jack went to the bar. He returned with two pints and four whiskies. Phil gave him a quizzical look.

‘Need them,’ Jack said, ‘You can either join me or watch me. Up to you.’

‘Jack, if there’s anything I can do I –’

‘Thanks! But there’s nothing. I’ll get over it.’ A twisted smile formed on his lips. ‘Won’t be calling me Lucky Jack anymore though.’ He knocked back one of the whiskies in one gulp.

Phil gave him a wry smile, ‘Don’t know about that mate, you’ve got out of marrying Kim. I’d say that was pretty lucky.’

Jack shot him a sideways look, then smirked. ‘You’re right Phil. That was pretty, damn lucky. You don’t really like her do you?’

Phil shook his head. ‘Nope. Just something about her. I don’t know what. Odd really as I normally go for the blonde bombshell type – and I will say that for her – she is definitely a blonde bombshell.’

‘Definitely a bombshell, anyway,’ Jack said, picking up one of the pints.

They grinned at one another.

‘I actually feel sorry for Ross now. Don’t think he has any idea what he’s getting himself into. Especially with a kid and everything. Somehow don’t see Kim as the stay at home mum type.’

Jack shook his head. ‘Me neither.’ His brows knit together. ‘D’you know, I have absolutely no idea why I ended up being engaged to her. Actually, I don’t even know why I started dating her. What the hell was I thinking?’

Phil sniggered. ‘I don’t think you were thinking, mate. That’s something else I’ll say for her. When Kim’s around men don’t think – well, not with their heads anyway.’

Jack’s brows shot up. ‘You seemed immune. Or did –’

'No mate!’ Phil shook his head. ‘Thought about it, just like every other male who got within fifty feet of her but I worked with her don’t forget, and I soon realised that was one web I didn’t want to get tangled in.’

‘That was it!’ Jack thumped his glass down. ‘That’s how I started dating her. You introduced us. You shit! Why didn’t you warn me off?’ Jack’s words belied the wry smile he wore.

Phil shook his head. ‘I did, actually. And I didn’t introduce you. She came over to us and introduced herself as my work colleague. When she asked you to see her home, I remember distinctly telling you to come back with me but you wouldn’t have it. Couldn’t let her go home on her own.’

‘God, I remember. I was just going to see her home ‘cos we’d all been drinking quite a bit. Didn’t even fancy her, well, not as a girlfriend, if you see what I mean.’

Phil nodded. ‘I see exactly what you mean.’

‘It was a Friday, wasn’t it? Christ, next thing I know, I’ve spent the whole bloody weekend in her bed. I remember she got really upset ‘cos, I don’t know, I must’ve made it obvious I wasn’t that interested or something, not in a relationship anyway and I felt guilty and ... God, we just sort of went on from there.’

Phil nodded again. ‘That’s what I meant about the web. She sort of entangles you. Even the guys at work, they ... I don’t know, they sort of pander to her, you know? Mind you. I was still bloody astonished when she announced your engagement. Didn’t see that coming at all.’

Jack picked up his glass and stared into it. ‘Don’t think I did either.’ He cast his mind back to Christmas. ‘One minute we’re talking about Christmas presents and she says she wants a ring, so I say fine, pick one, next thing I know she’s got a bloody engagement ring and she puts it on, on Christmas day at my parent’s house! What could I say? Take that off, I never proposed! I’d been in Hong Kong the fortnight before, negotiating that deal I finalised a few weeks ago. Huh! Hong Kong’s got a lot to answer for. First time, I’m engaged, second time, she sleeps with Ross. Oh well. Anyway, when I get back the ring’s under the tree all wrapped up and the first time I see it is when she opens it Christmas morning and shoves it on her finger!’

‘Shit!’ Phil said. ‘You should’ve said it was a mistake.’

‘Yeah right! I think I tried to actually, you know, “I didn’t mean that sort of ring” but mum was jumping up and down and dad was congratulating me and ... well, I did love her – or thought I did – so, I didn’t see it as a major problem.’

‘But why set the date then? Surely you could have delayed it? Thought about it? Got out of it.’

‘Kim and her mum! Seems they have contacts. The date’s set and everything’s booked before I know what’s happened. And don’t forget. I thought I loved her so, what was the point in delaying? She seemed so happy.’

‘Your problem is you’re too bloody easy going.’

Jack’s eyes clouded over, ‘Really, I thought my problem was I talk too much.’

Phil shook his head. ‘I’d say you don’t talk enough. Why didn’t you say something?’

Jack shrugged. ‘Didn’t seem much point. I was engaged to someone I thought I loved. Didn’t really matter how.’

‘So ... when did you realise you didn’t? I mean, you didn’t seem at all bothered when you found out about her and Ross. Christ, I would have killed him if it had been me.’

Jack grinned. ‘No you wouldn’t.’ His face became serious and his eyes filled with sadness. ‘I ... was having doubts before we went to Scotland.’ He finished his Stella and put the empty glass on the table. ‘Scotland made me realise I couldn’t go through with it. Then I got the phone call and ... well anyway, as you said, a lucky escape.’

Jack picked up a whisky and gave one to Phil. ‘Let’s drink to lucky escapes.’

‘Lucky escapes,’ Phil seconded.

They both raised their glasses in the air and downed the contents in one swallow.

A week after Lizzie sprained her ankle, it was still no better and Max persuaded her she should stay with him for at least a few more days.

They had been getting on so well since they started the divorce proceedings that Max joked that, if he’d known this was how things would be, he’d have started them two years ago.

He left the office early every day and either he cooked or they ordered take out. He insisted Lizzie do nothing except rest. Every night, he carried her to the spare room and kissed her on the forehead. And every night, she tossed and turned and dreamt of Jack.

On the Thursday of the second week Max came home at six, a little later than he had been of late but still much earlier than the hours he would have kept had Lizzie not been staying with him. He seemed preoccupied.

‘Is something wrong Max?’ Lizzie asked whilst they were eating the Chinese meal he’d ordered.

Max scowled. ‘I heard something today and I’m not sure if I should tell you or not.’

Lizzie felt her insides churn. He’d heard about her and Jack. She held her breath. It had nothing to do with him anymore, she told herself. They were getting divorced but she still felt guilty somehow.

‘Tell me ... please,’ her voice sounded calmer than she felt. She took a swig of wine and waited.

‘It ... it’s about Kim – and I don’t want you to go mad.’

Lizzie took another gulp of wine. ‘Go on,’ she said.

He looked her straight in the eye. ‘Well, I don’t know the whole story and this is really only gossip amongst the secretaries, although Martin Henderson in legal, confirmed it’s true, well part of it at any rate.’