‘Not as much as I expected to, although in some ways you might think I’d never given it up, because I keep getting involved in cases, locally, that the police don’t have the resources for.’ She smiled and grimaced. ‘My children think I should set up as a private investigator, but I don’t see myself doing that. I’m quite happy working as an interior designer, which is mostly what I do now, and using my contacts to help those who can’t help themselves when they need it.’
Joely smiled. ‘You always were a thoroughly good person,’ she told her.
Andee laughed. ‘Glad to know the illusion is working. Now tell me about you and—’
‘Hang on, I haven’t finished. I want to know what happened when Martin got over himself and came back. You told me in an email a while ago that you’d married him, but you’re not with him now so I guess he flunked his second chance?’
Andee’s smile was wry. ‘I’m not sure I’d put it like that. He really wanted to make it work, and I guess I did too, but I’m afraid marrying him turned out to be a mistake. I’d already met Graeme by then and although I ended it between us when Martin asked me to give things another go for the children’s sake, the feelings for Graeme didn’t go away. So we came to a point when I had to tell Martin I was sorry, that I’d always love him just not in the way he wanted me to.’
Flinching, Joely imagined Callum saying the same to her. He hadn’t in so many words, but from the way he was behaving he might as well have. ‘So how did he take it?’ she asked. ‘I can’t help remembering how gorgeous he was … A shit, obviously, for doing what he did, but I’m guessing he wasn’t used to being dumped. I bet it hit him hard.’
Andee didn’t deny it.
Unable to resist feeling sorry for him, Joely said, ‘It sounds like you’re still in touch.’
‘We are. In fact, we’re quite good friends, and he and Graeme often work together. You know Graeme’s into property development, and Martin’s taken over his father’s construction business. Actually,’ she said brightening as they finally cleared the lights to head out onto the Promenade, ‘he met someone lovely about six months ago and I think it could be serious.’
Joely gave a groan. ‘Why doesn’t that cheer me up?’ she grumbled. ‘I should be happy for him, for everyone who’s happy, but I find it only gets on my nerves.’
Andee cast her a glance and they both laughed.
Sighing, Joely gazed out at the bare trees lining the boulevard and the dismal spread of the sea beyond. ‘God it’s horrible, isn’t it?’ she murmured, quickly adding, ‘I mean being dumped, not this lovely seaside town that clearly has so much going for it.’
Andee’s eyes shone with humour. ‘You’re not seeing it at its best,’ she responded, ‘but I doubt it would ever be top of anyone’s list for a romantic getaway or dream vacation.’
‘But you like it here?’
Andee nodded. ‘I’m used to it; Graeme’s here, so’s my mother – my father died, did I tell you that?’
‘You did and I sent a card, but I don’t expect you to remember. It was a difficult time for you all.’
‘Actually, I do remember, and you’re right about how hard it was. And now you’re going through it. How are you coping?’
Joely swallowed. ‘I could lie and say fine, but I still miss him all the time. It’s hard to believe more than a year has gone by since Dad went; sometimes it only feels like days. I kind of lost the plot for a while, I got angry and confused and frightened … I did things …’ She stopped, took a breath and pressed on. ‘It was like I was back to being a child. I even seemed to forget how hard it was for Mum and Jamie.’
‘I think we all become a bit insular when we lose someone we love. How are your mum and Jamie now?’
‘They don’t seem too bad, considering how devastated they were at the time. I know Mum hides it a lot, but it hasn’t stopped her from getting back out there. She plays tennis three times a week, runs most mornings, regularly comes to the gym and yoga with me. She also has a job selling houses and a social life that puts mine to shame. No men. She says she’s not interested in meeting anyone else, but I guess we’ll see.’
‘If she’s still as gorgeous as I remember, I can’t imagine she’ll be on her own for long.’
Joely smiled. ‘She takes good care of herself, it’s true, and she still looks at least fifteen years younger than she is. How about your mum? How’s she these days?’
Andee sighed. ‘Not too bad. She’s had a few health issues lately, but she’s in Majorca with Martin’s mother at the moment, otherwise I know she’d love to see you.’
Joely looked around at the wider and clearly wealthier streets they were passing through. ‘I’m guessing this is Kesterly’s answer to Holland Park or Knightsbridge,’ she commented drily.
Andee laughed. ‘It has a long way to go before it can boast that sort of status,’ she replied. ‘It’s called the Garden District, and along here,’ she added taking another left turn, ‘is where you’re going to be staying.’
Joely gazed admiringly – and sadly – at the elegant Regency houses they were passing, tall and white with smartly painted front doors and grandiose eaves. They weren’t so dissimilar to her own house, the one she and Callum had bought and renovated during the years before Holly was born – and ever since. They were always doing something to it. She wondered about the people living here, behind those benign and beautiful facades, and hoped that none of them was feeling as wretched at the core as she was.
‘Here we are,’ Andee declared, pulling into a resident’s bay outside the final house. It was double-fronted, with a black front door between tall sash windows and a private garage to the left that separated it from the elaborate entrance to the Botanical Gardens.
Inside, the house turned out to be every bit as welcoming and tastefully decorated as Joely had expected, given Andee’s new career, and she couldn’t help but feel a little prideful when she discovered that she’d chosen the same wallpaper for her kitchen in Notting Hill as Andee had for hers here in Kesterly. The only difference was the colour – hers being teal green, Andee’s a silvery blue.
‘This is a beautiful room,’ she declared, looking across the large centre island to three sets of double doors in the back wall that opened out to a small courtyard garden. ‘Did you knock it through like this to include a sitting room, or was it already done when you moved in?’
‘We did it last year,’ Andee replied, signalling for Joely to take off her coat. ‘We spend so much time in the kitchen that we decided to make it more comfortable. Now, if you go and sit by the fire – it looks like it’s still going – I’ll make some tea, or would you rather see your room first and freshen up a bit?’
‘What I’d really love,’ Joely confessed, sinking into a sumptuous raw silk sofa beside the hearth, ‘is a great big glass of wine.’ She pulled a face. ‘Is it too early?’
Andee’s eyes sparkled. ‘Red or white?’