“I’ve only been here six months and I didn’t get out much to begin with. I was feeling too sorry for myself. You know what village life is like. I didn’t want people asking questions.”
“How did Poppy take it?”
“She was mortified that her father was having an affair—no teenager wants to be forced to think about a parent having sex, particularly with someone closer to her age than mine. She didn’t speak to him for months. And that was hard because I was trying to do the good mother thing and not say anything bad about him. I clenched my teeth so hard I almost needed dental work.” Angie pulled sun cream out of her bag and rubbed more onto her skin. “We muddled through. Poppy already had a college place on the East Coast, but she came home for Christmas. Then in February John broke the news about the baby.”
“Oh Angie—” Liza reached across and hugged her.
“It hurt, which made no sense because I wouldn’t have taken him back if he’d begged. Anyway, bring me up-to-date with your news. Sean is a big shot architect now? You live in an amazing mansion in London with glass everywhere?”
Liza curled her toes into the sand. “Not a mansion, but it’s true that Sean has made the most of the space. He extended our kitchen a few years ago and yes, a great deal of glass was involved. It’s a lovely big family room that opens onto the garden.”
“And you two are still married and happy. You see? I knew it.”
Eight signs that your marriage might be in trouble.
How could she talk about it with Angie, when she hadn’t even raised it with Sean?
He should be the one she was talking to. And she would. She would.
“Liza?” Angie’s voice brought her back to earth.
“Sorry. I was miles away.”
“Dreaming about Sean.” Angie nudged her. “It’s good to know that absence makes the heart grow fonder even after two decades together. When is he joining you? I’d love to see him again.”
“We haven’t made firm plans. He’s in the middle of a big project and it’s hard for him to get away. And the girls have summer activities—” It was a part truth, and she didn’t want to say more.
“You two are an inspiration. Do you know the crazy thing? Despite everything, I still dream of one day meeting someone special again.”
“That’s good.” Although she wasn’t sure she should be anyone’s inspiration. She felt uncomfortable for letting Angie believe she had a perfect marriage.
Angie slipped her feet back into her sandals. “After everything that has happened, I should be bitter and twisted and hate all men, but honestly I don’t feel that way. Life is too short and precious to waste a moment of it being bitter, isn’t it? And it’s not that I need to be with someone—I’m financially independent, I have a house—small, but it’s mine. I have friends, a job and hobbies. I can be single. But I’d rather share my life with someone who cares about me, and who I care about. I want someone who is going to be interested in me, and care about what happened in my day.”
Liza swallowed. She wanted that too.
She thought about Finn, and how it had felt to be listened to. Connecting was so important for intimacy and somewhere along the way she and Sean had ceased to connect on all but the most superficial level.
“I’m sure you’ll find that.”
“Maybe.” Angie glanced at Liza. “Don’t look so worried. My disastrous romantic life isn’t catching. You and Sean are a forever couple if ever I saw one.”
Liza stood up quickly. “It’s hot and we’re both burning. Let’s go back to the house.”
Angie stood up too. “Why don’t I cook us both dinner on Friday?”
On Friday she was cooking dinner for Finn. Something else she didn’t plan to share with Angie, and not only because it would be an invasion of Finn’s privacy.
“I can’t do Friday. How about tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow works.” Angie slung her bag over her shoulder and they walked across the sand and back to the path that led across the fields to Oakwood Cottage. “Did you know that Finn Cool lives around here?”
“Mmm?” She wasn’t used to being evasive. How did her mother do it?
“Poppy almost went wild when she found out. I keep hoping I’ll bump into him in the supermarket, although I expect he has staff and doesn’t relate to normal humans.”
Liza thought about how friendly he’d been. And how he’d helped her mother. “It must be difficult trying to lead a normal life when you are high profile.”
They arrived back at the house and Angie dug in her bag for her car keys.
“You’re probably right. But if you happen to see him make sure you tell him I’m available.” Laughing, she unlocked her car and threw her bag on the passenger seat. “Thanks for the picnic. This was fun.”
Liza waved her off and then headed straight to the summerhouse, desperate to get back to her painting.
The afternoon passed without her noticing and it was hunger that eventually drove her back to the house.
Her hair was stiff from her swim in the sea earlier and she intended to take a shower, but first she wanted to watch some episodes of The Summer Seekers.
She made a quick snack, found the key in her mother’s bedroom and unlocked the study.
Every available space in the room was taken. Bookshelves rose from floor to ceiling against two of the walls. The other walls were covered with maps. Two large windows let in the light and showed every speck of dust. And there was plenty of it. The desk in the corner was piled high with more maps, guidebooks and stacks of papers.
And there, in prime position, was her art award.
Her mother had moved it from Liza’s old bedroom into the study where she could see it.
Liza felt a pressure in her chest. She’d had no idea. She never came into this room.
She touched the award, remembering that day she’d seen her mother clapping loudly in the audience.
She’d wanted so badly for her mother to be more demonstrative, but sometimes it wasn’t about what you said, it was about what you did. She wouldn’t have kept the award if she wasn’t proud, would she?
Liza forced herself to focus on the shelves. She found the guidebooks, but there was no sign of the DVDs.
Searching randomly, she pulled open the large drawer in the desk and there were the DVDs.
“Aha!” She pulled them out and was about to close the drawer when something glinted. She reached into the drawer to investigate and found a ring. The stone was huge. It couldn’t be a real diamond. Could it?