AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Alyssa didn’t want to play games. There were enough of those going on with Miri and Jack. It was better to find out the truth.She stopped walking and said quietly, ‘Before you go home… can we have a quick word? There’s something I need to ask you.’
He stopped and turned to her. ‘Of course.’
What about Magda and Stan? The thought popped into her head. Magda told Stan how she felt and look how that turned out.
But when Jack smiled at her, crinkles appearing around his eyes, Alyssa’s heart flipped and she knew that she had to speak up. However this turned out, she couldn’t stay silent.
THIRTY-FIVE
JACK
Jack waited for Alyssa to speak. A line had appeared between her eyebrows and there was a smudge of dirt on her nose.
He had an urge to brush the dirt away but that seemed too intimate, here in the middle of Heaven’s Cove. That’s why they were no longer holding hands. He wasn’t sure why he’d taken Alyssa’s hand as they’d walked past the beach, but it had felt natural and nice, and she hadn’t seemed to mind.
The two of them walking along, side by side, had reminded him of Charity and Josiah and the way their bones were intermingled and entwined. They must have held hands almost three centuries ago, just as he and Alyssa were doing – until the shops of Heaven’s Cove had come into view, and he’d suddenly felt awkward and let go.
In spite of Alyssa opening her heart to him in the tunnel, and telling him her secret, he was still finding her hard to read. He was attracted to her, that was indisputable. But he couldn’t work out what she felt about him. The kiss in the marquee had been mind-blowing but it had all been for show. Then, when he’d almost kissed her while they were trapped in the dark with Charity and Josiah, she’d moved away and started talking about how much he loved Miri.
Alyssa took a deep breath. ‘The thing is, there’s something I’d like to say. Well, I say “like” but it’s more that I need to say it. Though it’s probably not a good idea.’
Jack gave in and brushed the dirt smudge from her nose. ‘Just say it, Alyssa. Whatever it is.’
‘OK.’ She swallowed and opened her mouth to speak.
‘Hey, there you are!’
Jack jumped when Miri’s shout rang out across the street. ‘I was on my way to your dad’s shop to find you.’
‘Miri,’ said Jack, his stomach doing a flip as he took a step back from Alyssa and shoved his hands into his pockets. ‘I didn’t expect to see you. I thought you and Damian would have left by now.’
‘Damian’s gone on ahead. I had something to do first.’ She looked him and Alyssa up and down, and her eyes narrowed. ‘What on earth have you two been up to? You’re both filthy.’
‘It’s a long story. What do you want, Miri?’
He sounded off-hand. He knew he did. But after being trapped in a tunnel, discovering Alyssa’s darkest secret, and scrambling his way to safety, the last thing he needed was to be blindsided by the sudden appearance of the woman who wanted to divorce him.
Though Alyssa reckoned Miri was actually still in love with him. Was she?Jack should be able to tell, surely. He knew her so well. They’d shared bringing up Archie, for goodness’ sake, and yet these days she seemed like a stranger.
‘Can we talk?’ she asked, flicking her fair hair over her shoulder. She was wearing it long, which suited her. She glanced at Alyssa, who was standing next to him. ‘Can we talk alone, I mean? Without Alice.’
Was she using the wrong name deliberately? Jack wondered. Deliberate or not, it got under his skin. ‘You can say whatever you want to say here,’ he told her, squaring his shoulders.
Alyssa shifted beside him. ‘Don’t worry. I’ll go.’
‘No.’ Jack’s voice was louder than he’d meant, and a group of tourists on the other side of the street glanced over. He lowered his voice and spoke to Alyssa directly. ‘No, please stay. This won’t take long.’
Miri frowned, her mouth pulled into a pout. ‘OK. If that’s what you want.’ Taking hold of Jack’s arm, she pulled him to one side.
Jack was now standing so close to Miri he could smell her perfume. She was wearing the scent he remembered – a heady mix of exotic flowers, which brought back memories: the first time they’d kissed, her delight at his proposal, their honeymoon in France, sitting next to her proudly at Archie’s nativity play.
‘What was it you wanted to say?’ he asked, steeling himself for another blow.
Perhaps she wanted to limit his time with Archie even further, or announce that Damian was moving in. It was only a matter of time, he supposed.
‘I need to tell you how I feel,’ she said quietly, but not so quietly that Alyssa couldn’t overhear. ‘Being here with you this weekend, at Rosie’s wedding, has made me realise that I gave up on our marriage too early.’
Jack opened his mouth and closed it again.
