After the Honeymoon Read Online Free PDF Page A

noticed it too but he’d told her in no uncertain terms to steer clear of the long jagged line on the base of his neck. Now he tried to do the same thing but failed. Her touch was so soothing! As though hypnotised, Winston found his eyes closing as she smoothed something cool onto it.
    ‘It’s a special oil that I make myself with herbs from the garden. Helps to make scars look less red.’ She smiled wistfully. ‘My mother taught me. She was Spanish, you know.’
    So that explained the dark looks. As for the scar, it had been troubling him all morning, burning, as though it was still open and raw. Was it reminding him of the date, as if he needed any prompting?
    ‘How did you get it?’ she was now asking tenderly.
    There was a flash of fire in front of his eyes. A scream. The smell of burning flesh – just like bacon – which had turned him vegetarian overnight. He pushed back the chair and leaped to his feet. Enough was enough. Who was this woman who thought she was some kind of psychotherapist?
    ‘It’s none of your business.’
    She was looking at him now with a stricken expression. ‘I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to be nosy. It’s just that I’m talking out of nerves. Please don’t complain about me or they won’t ask me to do any more.’
    God, he felt like a heel now, even though it had been her, surely, who’d stepped out of line. There was a knock on the door.
    ‘Three minutes, Winston,’ Poppy called out.
    Melissa actually had a tear running down her face. This was awful. How could he go before the cameras and do
Work Out With Winston
, knowing that he’d upset this woman who had somehow, on the strength of half an hour’s acquaintance, affected him more than anyone had in years, right where it mattered?
    ‘Look,’ he said urgently, leaning forwards. ‘I’ve got to go now, but how about a coffee afterwards?’
    He’d expected her to be grateful but instead she was texting on her phone, brushing away that tear as though it was an inconvenience.
    ‘I can’t. Sorry.’ She was frantically texting while speaking. ‘I’d love to but …’
    ‘It’s OK.’ He headed for the door, hot with embarrassment. ‘You don’t have to make excuses.’
    ‘No, really.’ She ran a hand through that glorious black mane, shaking it like a wild pony. ‘My son has left his homework behind so I’ve got to get back and take it in to school. If I don’t dash now, I’m going to be horribly late. There are only two trains an hour back home.’
    There was another knock on the door. Louder than the first. ‘Two minutes, Winston.’
    Damn that. ‘Where’s home?’ he asked brusquely.
    She was still texting. ‘Corrywood. It’s about an hour away.’
    ‘Wait there.’ Winston heard his voice barking like an order. Her face jerked up, startled. ‘I mean,’ he continued, in a softer voice, ‘I’ll get my PA to sort out a car for you.’
    ‘Really?’ Now Melissa was looking anxious and relieved at the same time.
    ‘Sure.’ He could feel his chest tightening with apprehension at what he was about to say. ‘But on one condition.’
    Her dark eyes searched his, just as Nick’s had done at the end. ‘What’s that?’
    Winston heard his voice coming out of his mouth without his brain having given it permission. ‘That you have dinner with me one night.’
    ‘One minute, Winston.’ Poppy’s voice was edged with panic.
    There was another toss of that wonderful black mane. Nick’s had been much shorter, of course, but the colour and texture were almost identical. Winston held his breath as his words came back to him, words which he’d tried so hard to bury all these years.
I’m trying, Nick. I’m trying
.
    Then Melissa smiled. A lovely smile which made him weak with relief. ‘I’d love to – providing I can get a babysitter.’
    That had been three months ago. ‘I loved you from the moment you walked in,’ he confessed during his proposal, which he’d blurted out while they were walking