This Could Change Everything(75)

‘We don’t know yet that she can. She might be working.’

‘It’s Saturday. She’ll be free.’ Essie took out her phone.

Conor said, ‘You’d better let me speak to her, then. She’s going to need to borrow my camera.’

Essie called Scarlett’s number and handed the phone over to him as it began to ring. ‘Mind your ears, she might scream. This is going to be like the understudy in the West End musical discovering that the star of the show’s just broken her leg.’

Oh joy. Conor coughed, then braced himself for Scarlett’s reaction.

But when she picked up on the fifth ring, he didn’t even get the chance to draw breath and speak.

‘Morning!’ she chirruped. ‘Let me guess, you’re calling your lonely single friend to boast about your amazing sex life, am I right? Well you can just shut up, because it’s been so long since I saw a man naked, I can’t even remember what they look like. In fact it’s been so long since I last had sex, I’m seriously thinking of taking Danny up on his offer. I mean, would that really be such a terrible idea? What d’you reckon, Ess? Do you think I should?’

It was struggling not to laugh that set off Conor’s explosive bout of coughing, causing Scarlett to give a yelp of alarm. ‘Oh my God, what’s wrong with you, have you gone down with Ebola? You sound like an elephant seal!’

Essie, needless to say, was listening in and doubled up laughing.

Conor managed to stop coughing and said, ‘Actually, it’s me. Essie lent me her phone. And yes, I do think it would be a terrible idea to take Danny up on his offer.’

‘People shouldn’t be allowed to use other people’s phones,’ Scarlett wailed. ‘It goes against the Trade Descriptions Act. You should be arrested for fraud.’

Amused, Conor said, ‘Who’s Danny?’

‘One of my exes. We broke up two years ago.’

‘Why?’

‘Because he cheated on me.’

‘And now?’

‘He’s single, I’m single, he keeps trying to persuade me we should be friends with benefits.’

Conor already disliked him. ‘And are you tempted?’

‘Honestly? Most of the time, no, but every now and again I kind of think it might be nice.’

‘Is he nice?’

‘Danny? Not really.’ Scarlett sighed. ‘He’s a bit of a prat. But you know how it is, sometimes you get lonely. Well, not you, obviously, because you’ve got Belinda now. But I do. Anyway, enough about that. I’m sure you didn’t call me to discuss my non-existent love life.’

‘Are you free this afternoon?’ said Conor.

‘Why?’ she said playfully. ‘Are you offering to be my friend with benefits?’

He smiled; she was incorrigible. ‘Listen, you heard me coughing. I’ve picked up a virus, which means I can’t take the photos this afternoon—’

‘Really? Oh thank you! I’ll do it, I’ll do such a good job.’ Scarlett gave a little whoop of delight. ‘I won’t let you down, I promise!’





Chapter 36


‘This is where I was standing when I first saw her.’

Zillah followed the direction of Jerry’s bony finger, pointing over to the undulating gallops beyond the stables.

‘She was wearing a red shirt and black jodhpurs,’ Jerry continued, ‘and her hair was flying out behind her as she raced down the hill. Later, when she led the horse back into the yard, I saw her close up. And that was all it took. One look, and I knew she was the girl for me.’

‘How wonderful. Go on,’ prompted Zillah.

‘A fortnight later, she came into my office and said, “Have you ever wondered what it’d be like to kiss me?” And I said, “Why?” And she said, “Because I’ve been wondering what it’d be like to kiss you.” Those were her exact words.’ Jerry broke into a smile. ‘And that’s how it happened. She was the best girl I ever kissed and the last girl I ever kissed. We were married for thirty-three years.’

‘Happily married,’ Zillah reminded him.

‘Oh yes. It’s been ten long years since she died and I’ve missed her like crazy every single day. I can’t wait to see my beautiful girl again.’

The bay mare in the stable behind them let out a whinny, and Jerry turned his head to greet her. ‘Hello there, gorgeous.’ Reaching up to stroke her velvet-soft muzzle, he murmured, ‘Fresh straw and warm horse. Isn’t that the best smell in the world?’

In response, the mare rested her cheek against the side of his face.

Zillah watched as Scarlett took more of the photos that would bring comfort to Jerry’s two sons, currently serving overseas, and to his extended family spread across the world. Jerry’s simple comment about looking forward to seeing his wife again continued to echo in her mind. Would it happen when her own turn came . . . would her beloved William be there, ready to greet her? Would he be cross that she’d kept him waiting for so long? Worst of all, would he make fun of her appearance because time had marched on and left its marks on her face but not on his? Or would she magically become younger again, so that they were still a perfect match?

‘Excuse me . . . I’ll be back in just a moment.’ Battling with her emotions, Zillah retreated and headed for the parking area, where she’d left the car. In her haste, and whilst she was busy searching her bag for tissues, she didn’t look where she was going until she hit an uneven patch of ground and felt her ankle go over.