It Started With A Tweet(93)

‘Excuse me?’ I say, feeling as if he’s winded me.

‘You know, you keep going on about me being so secretive and how you’re an open book, but it’s all just lies. You and Alexis probably deserve each other.’

‘But I’ve told you all about me; I haven’t kept anything hidden. You started saying this the other day before you walked out. I just don’t get what you’re going on about.’

‘I’m going on about you making out that you’re looking for the one, and it’s the men you meet who are only ever after sex.’

‘That’s true, that’s what it’s like Tinder dating –’

‘So you’d never say anything like that, then? Funny, I read a pretty interesting article on the Mail Online that says otherwise.’

I close my eyes to hold the tears at bay. ‘That isn’t really me,’ I say. ‘It was all out of context, and those pictures aren’t what they seem.’

‘They looked like you to me.’

‘Well, it was me, but it was a hen do. The theme was “slutty”; I had to dress like that, and the provocative posts were from a game we were playing. I only posted them for our friend Amelie.’

Jack shakes his head.

‘But you could have sent her those pictures or messages rather than posting them for the world to see. No wonder you found it so difficult to go offline, if you were constantly telling everyone what you were doing.’

‘But I’m not like that anymore, this detox has changed me. I admit that I used to spend far too much time on social media, and I was probably as addicted as my sister told me I was. But still, those tweets and pictures aren’t a reflection of me, not the real me.’

‘I don’t know what to believe. I mean, the tweet that got you fired .?.?.’

I can barely look at him.

‘You made me think you left because of stress.’

‘The tweet was only supposed to be a joke, I didn’t even mean it. I mean, the guy was vile, and –’

Jack stands up to walk away.

‘Hey,’ I shout, calling him back. ‘You know, you’re the one who told me off for listening to things that other people said. Why didn’t you ask me about this? And how did you even find it in the first place, were you looking me up online?’ I shake my head as he doesn’t deny it. ‘If you’re so into the truth, why don’t you tell me what you really do, and why Liz and Gerry are always seeing you with so many women? I’m beginning to think that I should be calling you Jack Bigalow.’

I sound like an American teenager auditioning for a part in Mean Girls. But I can’t help it.

‘Oh right, I’m a male escort, am I? Is that what Gerry and Liz would have you believe?’

‘I’m struggling to think of another profession that would have you hanging around so many women. I mean, what other explanation is there?’

‘Oh, I don’t know,’ says Jack, sighing. ‘How about because I’m a psychologist, specialising in abusive relationships. And ninety-nine per cent of my clients are women?’

Bugger. That’s a much better explanation.

‘If that’s true,’ I say, ‘then why don’t you tell the villagers?’

‘Because I give my clients anonymity. A lot of them are going through extremely sensitive episodes in their lives, and I don’t want the villagers to be speculating about what their problems are and gossiping about them. Especially if one of them is from the village.’

‘Like Jenny,’ I say in a whisper.

He nods and I hang my head in shame. ‘Jack, I’m sorry, I jumped to conclusions.’

‘It doesn’t matter,’ he says. ‘I don’t care at all.’

His words slice through me, how can he not? ‘But our letters, I thought we were .?.?.’ I trail off, suddenly feeling stupid. That’s twice in one night I’ve been sucked into thinking that a man is something he’s not. He was playing me, just like Alexis.

‘Right, then, I see. Obviously I was wrong.’

‘You obviously were,’ he says snappily. ‘You’ll just have to make do with Alexis now.’

‘I don’t want him,’ I say shaking my head. ‘I never really wanted him.’

Jack shakes his head and it makes me even angrier that he won’t listen to how I feel about him and who I really am, and who I’ve really become.

‘I’m going back to London tomorrow.’

For a second, I feel as if his mask drops, as he looks a little shocked. But his expression soon hardens again.

‘Of course you are,’ he says, with a bitter laugh. ‘Going back to your real life, as all this is just fantasy. Oh well, at least I’ll be able to go about my business and not find that you’ve got yourself stuck in some stupid situation you need rescuing from.’

I wish I had some witty retort, but my powers of sarcasm fail me. Short of sticking out my tongue, I’ve got nothing.

Jack turns to leave as Rosie runs towards us.

‘Hey, hey,’ I say, instantly jolted by the tears streaming down her face. ‘Where’s Ru?’

‘He took the car,’ she says in between hiccups and tears. ‘He was so mad. He said he was going home. And now I’ve got to get back to the farm. I’ll pick up the Land Rover and I’ll –’