A Season for Second Chances(100)

“I’ll be leaving tomorrow,” he said.

“I know.”

“You’ve done a good job here.”

“I think you’re doing the right thing, but it won’t be the same here without you.”

“I’d have been pushing off to the city before long anyway.”

“But still. I’ll miss you.”

“John’s right. It’s time to face my demons. I’ve got to at least give it a try. Tide’s in tonight.”

“Good job you can sleep here, then.”

Alfred nodded and headed back outside.



* * *



—

A couple of hours later and the revelers had drifted home, the band and the makeshift bar were dismantled, and the little beach fires had been doused and the wet wood piled into the back of Paul’s pickup. The beach was cold and dark and still, and it was hard to believe that there had ever been a party; if it weren’t for the presence of Max and the boys, Annie might have thought she’d imagined it all. John had made himself scarce ever since Max’s arrival. He’d popped in briefly to say good-bye and tell her what time he was dropping Alfred off the next day.

“Come and see me after,” said Annie. “Tell me how it went.”

“I will. I promise you, if there’s any sign that he’s not okay, I won’t leave him.”

“I know you won’t. You don’t have to go just because Max is here.”

“He seems to want to talk to you. Let’s leave our book tonight; The Woman in Black can wait. Truth be told, it’s scaring the shit out of me anyway. I’ll let you sort out whatever you need to with Max.”

John’s understanding made Annie like him even more.

“It’s all hot air, you know,” she said. “He’s not a man of great substance. Puddles have greater depth.”

John smiled.

“We’ll talk tomorrow, when I haven’t got your husband’s beady eyes trained on me.”

John bent and kissed her cheek, lingering longer than necessary. Annie breathed in the scent of him, felt the warmth of him on her skin, and wished she could pull him to her and stay like that, just the two of them, wrapped in one another’s arms. He pulled away and looked at her for a beat too long and then he left.





Chapter 76



Max took the mop out of Annie’s hands.

“I’ll do that,” he said. “You crack on with cashing up.”

“You haven’t mopped a floor since 2002,” said Annie.

“I’m a changed man. You’ll find out if you give me half a chance.”

Annie shook her head and began counting receipts. Alex, Greg, and Peter were upstairs; she could hear the rumble of their laughter through the floorboards.

“Do you like him?” Max asked.

“Who?”

“That John.”

“Yes. I do like that John. Very much.”

They worked for a while longer in a silence that felt laden with unspoken truths.

“This place is great, Annie.”

“Thanks,” she said idly, totaling up the day’s takings.

“You wouldn’t have to give it up if we gave us another try. It could be the perfect setup.”

Annie looked up.

“What are you talking about, Max?”

“This could be like a sister café to the restaurant. We could call it the Pomegranate by the Sea. You could stay down here while we rebuild our marriage, we could start dating, go back to the beginning. It would be exciting, romantic, me dropping you off at your door after a nice meal. You’d get the breathing space you need, and we’d be building the business at the same time.”

“I don’t need breathing space, Max. I . . .”

“Don’t answer now. Sleep on it. You can’t tell me the boys wouldn’t love to see us at least try.”

Max’s phone buzzed on the counter, and Annie automatically picked it up to pass it to him. And then she saw the message.


Ellie mobile: Hey Maxi, I’m sad I won’t get to see you tonight . I’m keeping it warm for you baby Xxx



Max must have seen the expression on her face because the color drained out of his cheeks. He looked as though he’d like to make a dash for it, but he didn’t. He stood frozen to the spot.

A wash of nausea sloshed in Annie’s stomach as adrenaline shot through her. He was still lying, even now. All those meaningless words. She was glad the boys were upstairs. This wasn’t going to be pretty.

“You told me it was over with Ellie.”

“It was! It is!”

“I’m not sure Ellie knows that.”

“Well, she’s, you know, she’s not so bright . . .”

“Max!” The word snapped out of her, loud like a gunshot.

Max jumped and dropped the mop.

“You are a liar!” She began to move toward him, and he took a few steps back, hands held up in supplication.

“Annie, I promise you, I ended it. It was over. But then it looked like you weren’t coming back, and she wanted to meet and . . .”

“Tell me the truth! For once in your life just tell me the fucking truth!”