Chapter 8

Linda sprinkles mozzarella cheese on the herby mushrooms while I arrange the lemon drizzle cake on a glass stand, which she told me she bought from Ikea, especially for tonight. The dining table looks stunning, with glistening crystal glasses, gleaming cutlery and gold-coloured tableware adorning a crisp white tablecloth with matching napkins, and there's a huge vase of fresh purple tulips on the sideboard. She's certainly pulled out all the stops for this evening.

‘Help yourself to some wine,' Linda says as she prepares the starters at the worktop next to me.

Helping myself to a glass of Merlot, I glance out of the window. Theo is showing off his new summerhouse to Zelda and Keiko, and Tom is making his way along the path to join them, hands in pockets. I suddenly feel a bit jittery about meeting Keiko. I really want this relationship to work out for my sister. There are so many dodgy men out there. I shudder at the thought of Frank. You really never know what someone's like, or could be hiding. Zelda hasn't been lucky in love. Apart from Jake, all those years ago, her only other true love was Chris, her ex-married lover, and I think that's because he looked so much like Jake. The image of Jake sends a shockwave through me. So beautiful, so young.

‘These won't take long,' Linda says, wiping her hands on her white chef's apron, which she's wearing over black skinny jeans and a khaki blouse with a gold flower print, matching her blonde, cropped, afro hair. Linda is a natural beauty. Men, and some women, can't keep their eyes off her whenever we go out. ‘We'll call them in in ten. How're you anyway, and why are you dressed like Karren Brady?'

I glance down at my blue Hobbs suit and pale pink tie-neck blouse. ‘I've had a shit day. Didn't have time to change.'

‘You need another one of those.' Linda gestures at my almost empty glass and I nod, drain my glass, while Linda unscrews the cap off the wine bottle. ‘Come on, tell Auntie Linda all about it. You look amazing, by the way.' She fills my glass to the brim. ‘You need to give me your PT's number.'

‘I've quit the gym,' I blurt, shooting a look at Tom in the summerhouse, who has just thrown his head back and taken a gulp from a bottle of beer. I'm going to have to carry him home tonight. ‘Cancelled my membership online on Wednesday.'

‘What? I thought you loved it there,' Linda says, astonished, ‘said it was unpretentious.'

‘I did, but I had no choice.'

Linda goes to take a sip of wine but stops midway. ‘No choice?'

‘He. Frank. My personal trainer. Got a bit fresh with me.'

‘No Way!'

‘Yes way.'

‘What did he do, try to kiss you?'

I nod furiously, then take a large gulp of wine. ‘I lost my balance during a stretch after a Muay Thai lesson, he grabbed me to break the fall. When I looked up to thank him, he had that dreamy, lustful look in his eye, then he went for my lips. I was so shocked. I really didn't see it coming.'

‘Fucking hell. What did you do?'

‘Pulled away, of course,' I exclaim. ‘I almost got whiplash.'

Linda blows out air, cheeks puffed ‘Well, I hope he's been sacked.'

‘I didn't report it,' I reply briskly. I dart a glance at Tom again – he's safely engrossed in a conversation with my sister.

‘Why not? I'm sure there are rules about stuff like that.' Linda takes another mouthful of wine.

‘I couldn't report him,' I say irritably, suddenly feeling hot. ‘I didn't want any comebacks.' Shrugging out of my jacket, I drape it over a bar stool at the breakfast table. ‘We'd got quite friendly and I told him stuff that I probably shouldn't have,' I explain, not meeting her eye. ‘Anyway, he just tried his luck. Probably thought I fancied him. Most of the women do.'

Linda raises an eyebrow and offers me an olive from a small white bowl. I shake my head, my appetite gone, and she pops one into her mouth.

‘Don't you think quitting was a bit harsh, then? Why didn't you just fire him and hire someone else?'

‘And have all that awkwardness at the gym? No thanks.' I scoff, tapping my fingers against my chin.

‘I see.' Linda flops onto a seat at the kitchen table, nudging out a chair for me with the tip of her Vans-clad foot. ‘You said you told Frank stuff you shouldn't have.'

I nod furiously, take a sip. ‘Well, he knows I hired him behind Tom's back for a start off.'

‘Okay, but you didn't tell him about Liam, did you?'

‘That's the other thing,' I gulp, ‘and the reason I can't report him to Serval's manager.'

Closing my eyes, I'm catapulted to the day my life turned upside down. After seventeen years, I thought Liam was a distant memory. But then one day, two months ago, a DM popped up on Instagram, saying remember me? with Liam's face in the little circle next to it. I was gobsmacked. I didn't think I'd ever hear from him again after the way things ended. I was going to ignore his message but curiosity got the better of me and I started typing.

We messaged on and off for a few weeks. There was no flirting between us. Liam's married with three kids. We agreed to not tell our partners we were back in touch in case they got jealous. In hindsight, I think I only went along with it to please him. Liam's wife had a bit of a reputation. I knew her from back in the day – Ona Cummings. She was nice enough but a bit hot-headed and possessive. She once threw a drink over Lisa Marsh, one of the girls from our crowd, because her mechanic husband was chatting to poor Lisa at a party about replacing her brake pads.

Reminiscing about the past and the old gang with Liam was fun, it felt nostalgic, as if I'd gone through a time warp. When Liam asked to move our messaging onto WhatsApp, I agreed. Then one night, while Tom and I were snuggled on the sofa enjoying one of our TV dramas, my phone flashed up with a message from Liam. Unfortunately, I'd just dashed to the loo during a commercial break and left my phone on the coffee table. When I returned, Tom was holding my phone in his hand, face like thunder.

Our row was explosive and I got the silent treatment for days. He only calmed down after I let him read all our messages and agreed to stop all contact with Liam. I knew Liam would be cool with it, after all, he knew what it was like to live with a jealous partner. But I couldn't have been more wrong. Liam wouldn't have it, insisted on meeting up with me. I refused, of course, I'm not stupid. Until he dropped a bombshell that blew my world apart.