Chapter 28

28

Megan balanced the pizza box in one hand and closed the front door of the cottage with her foot. Flora was out at the cinema with Percy and Poppy had gone to dinner with Mack and some friends, so Jay had insisted on treating them both to a takeaway.

She paused just outside the living room door and took a deep breath, filling her lungs with the cheesy, tomatoey aroma of freshly cooked pizza. She could hear Jay switch the TV on, looking for something for them to watch. She pushed the living room door open and he immediately stood up to help her.

‘If it tastes as good as it smells,' Megan said, ‘then this might just be the best pizza I've ever had.'

‘Yum, it does smell good.' Jay took the pizza box from her and laid it on Flora's coffee table, then wrapped his arms around her, drawing her closer.

She could feel his breath as he kissed the top of her head. ‘Who'd have thought both us two and Flora and Percy would have got together?'

‘I would. I knew from the moment I saw you at the induction day that we had a connection.'

‘Really?'

Could she tell too? She'd been too nervous to even notice anyone other than Flora and the others in the Wagging Tails team, let alone anything else.

‘Yes, really.' He hooked his forefinger beneath her chin and leaned down, their lips touching briefly.

‘Aw, that's sweet.' She could feel a blush spreading towards her cheeks. ‘I'll go and grab us both a drink.'

‘Okay, thanks. I'll get the film on.'

In the kitchen, she took two glasses from the cupboard and poured them both a drink before taking her mobile from her back pocket. Her shoulders slumped as she saw Lyle had messaged again. Shaking her head, she navigated to it. She might as well see what he had to say. She wouldn't reply though. She wasn't going to let whatever he said ruin her and Jay's evening together.

The message opened as Cindy jumped up, resting her paws on the work surface.

‘Get down, Cindy.'

When she looked back at her phone, she frowned. Huh. A photo of Lyle with one of their so-called friends, Hayley. His arm was wrapped around her shoulders, and it looked as though she was in the process of pecking him on the cheek. The words ‘You're not the only one to have moved on' flashed beneath the photo.

Why had he sent her this? To make her feel jealous? Well, it hadn't worked. If anything, she just felt relieved – hopefully now he'd leave her be. Although she wouldn't hold her breath; knowing him, he wasn't going to let things lie.

He was with Hayley? That was the part that had her feeling strange. A tang of sadness crept over her. Out of everyone in their social circle, she'd felt the closest to Hayley. Or so she'd thought. Obviously it wasn't just her and Lyle's marriage which had fallen apart, Hayley's must have too. She took another look at the photo. It had been taken in their house, her old home. Holding the screen closer, she squinted at something in the back of the photo behind them.

Was that what she thought it was? No, it couldn't be.

She gripped the edge of the work surface with her free hand. There was a photo frame on the mantelpiece, the same photo frame that had been there for years. The same photo frame that had housed her and Lyle's wedding picture. The only difference was now it wasn't the familiar image of her and Lyle staring back at her, her in her ivory wedding gown, him wearing a wedding suit. No, it was a photo of Lyle and Hayley.

She blinked and looked again. Not only that, but the photo had been taken in New York. At Christmas time. The Times Square Christmas tree towered above them. But that didn't add up… Lyle hadn't been in New York last Christmas. He'd been with her, Megan. It had been the Christmas before they'd visited New York. They'd visited with a group of friends. Including Hayley and her husband, Neil.

Lyle had been having an affair. Even back then. He'd been seeing Hayley behind her back, behind Neil's back.

Megan laid her phone on the work surface and closed her eyes. He'd been having an affair and yet he had the audacity to accuse her of doing the same thing with Jay, who she hadn't even known when she'd been with Lyle!

Opening her eyes, she reached out and turned her phone off, the screen fading to black as the power was halted. She shouldn't be surprised. She really shouldn't. Her and Lyle's relationship hadn't been right for years. This just offered an explanation. She should have seen it coming. She should have noticed. It was just one more example of Lyle being Lyle. Nothing should surprise her about that.

She placed her fingers against her temples and rubbed them. She could feel a headache coming on, but Jay was here, and she was determined to enjoy the evening, to celebrate her new-found job and his upcoming interview too. She could try to wrap her head around Lyle and Hayley later, but now she wanted to enjoy her evening.

After picking up the two glasses, she turned her back on the phone and headed towards the living room, stopping short outside the door. She could hear Jay's voice. He must be speaking on the phone.

‘I know, I know… Yes, I understand… I'll come right away.' Jay spoke quietly, his voice edged with concern.

Megan stood, waiting for a few moments longer until she was sure the conversation was over before pushing the door open and carrying the glasses to the coffee table.

‘I'm so sorry, Megan, but I'm going to have to run.' Jay stood up and ran his palm across his face.

‘Is everything okay?' It hadn't sounded okay, not from what she'd heard.

‘I'm not sure, to be honest. Leanne has broken up with Patrick.'

‘Oh.' Megan frowned.

How did that affect him?

‘Umm, and she and Mia haven't got anywhere to go. She's over at my house now, waiting in the car, so I'd better run.' Jay looked down at the unopened pizza box. ‘I'm sorry, this was supposed to be your night, our celebration.'

Megan waved her hand dismissively. ‘Don't worry about that.'

‘Thank you for understanding.'

‘Do you think they'll be staying at yours, then?' she asked as he made his way to the front door to slip his shoes on.

Glancing at her, Jay nodded. ‘Yes, I've said they can move back in for the time being.' Trainer laces tied; he stood back up. ‘I really am sorry. I was looking forward to this.'

‘No, no, it's fine. You need to be there for Leanne and Mia.' She smiled and held the door open.

‘Thanks.'

Megan watched as Jay rushed out, not even pausing to kiss her goodbye, and closed the front door behind her.

Sinking onto the bottom step of the staircase, she tucked her hair behind her ears and stared at the wooden door in front of her, trying to make sense of the evening.

She understood why Jay had rushed off. He doted on Mia and wanted to be there for her, to welcome her back into his home, to welcome Leanne back into her old home too. Their family would be together again. Mum, dad, daughter.

She let her head drop to her knees and closed her eyes. Why was she thinking like this? Jay wouldn't get back with his ex, not after the way she'd hurt him. She was certain of it. He one hundred per cent wouldn't. Although, he'd told her how painful it was living in the house without Mia, with all the family memories lurking in every corner. What if he did take her back?

Megan felt a wet nose nudging against her arm and opened her eyes.

‘Hello, Cindy. Where's Dougal got to?'

Cindy walked into the living room wagging her tail, and paused to look back at Megan.

‘Come on then, shall we let you both out into the garden for a while?' Pushing herself to standing, she followed Cindy back through the living room into the kitchen and to the back door. Sure enough, little Dougal was sitting on the doormat by the back door. ‘You were right, Cindy. Do you need to go out, Dougal?'

After letting them out, Megan reached for her mobile again and turned it back on, waiting until the screen had flickered to life before checking to see if she'd missed any messages. No, nothing. Nothing more from Lyle thankfully, but nothing from Jay either. She lowered her mobile back onto the work surface. What had she been expecting? Him to apologise again for running out of their celebration? Or for him to reassure her that he wasn't running straight into Leanne's arms? She shook her head. She was being daft. She knew she was. She knew it was only because of the photo Lyle had sent that she was even thinking that Jay would do anything like that.

She picked up her mobile and scrolled back through to Lyle's message, to that photo. Jay was nothing like Lyle. Nothing. Tapping the screen against her forehead, she pursed her lips. She knew what to do. She knew what she needed to do to put Lyle in his place and to hopefully stop him from contacting her again.

Leaning back, the edge of the work surface behind her digging into her back, she began typing:

Thank you for the photo. I now have evidence that you and Hayley have been having an affair. Any future contact can now come through our solicitors. Megan

With her thumb hovering over the Send button, she reread the message. He wouldn't know what she meant by evidence, would he? Holding her finger against Delete, she watched the text disappear before trying again:

Thank you for the photo. I can clearly see from the picture in the background that you have been having an affair with Hayley behind my back (at least since our trip to New York). You'll be hearing from my solicitor. Do not contact me again. All future correspondence can be exchanged with our solicitors. Bye, Megan.

There. It was clear, to the point. Yes, she was doubtful this revelation would change anything, she'd still signed the prenup, but even if it didn't, hopefully he'd get the message and finally leave her alone. If she was lucky that would be the last she heard from him.

After letting Dougal and Cindy back in, she made her way to the living room and flopped onto the sofa. What did she do now? She had the whole evening. She glanced at her mobile again and shook her head. Jay wouldn't message her, not yet, not whilst he was settling his ex-wife and daughter into the home.

He would, though, eventually, wouldn't he? This wouldn't just be it for their fledging romance? She wouldn't blame him if he decided to try again with Leanne though. By his own admission, he'd been devastated when he'd discovered she'd been having an affair. His life had literally been pulled apart. But that didn't mean he'd forgive her and try again in their relationship.

No, it wouldn't.

Opening the pizza box, she picked up a slice. It was already cold.

How would she have felt if she'd found out Lyle was seeing Hayley before the whole drama with Wagging Tails? Before she'd seen his true character? Would she have been as devastated as Jay or would she have felt relief?

She took a bite and pulled the stringy cheese from the slice.

It wasn't the same, she decided. She knew that. It wouldn't have been even if she'd been with Lyle. By that point, she hadn't been in love with him any more, so finding out about his and Hayley's affair wouldn't have been as life changing as it had for Jay.

No, that wasn't true. It would have been life changing in the way that she'd have still ended up homeless and penniless, but it wouldn't have been as emotionally traumatising as it would have been if she'd still been in love. As it must have been for Jay.

She threw the cold half-eaten slice of pizza back in the box and pulled a cushion onto her lap, hugging it to her. She'd watch something on TV, forget about Lyle and Hayley, and distract herself from worrying about Jay.