The Lie of Love (25 page)

‘That’s not what this is about.’

‘So
Ged
isn’t the reason you won’t see me anymore?’

‘No.’

‘Can I call you sometimes? Only
to see how you are.’

‘It’s probably best if you
don’t.’

‘Why are you making it so hard?’

‘I’m doing what should have been
done a long time ago. Look at the mess we’ve made, the heartache we’ve caused
our families. I think we’ve done too much damage for any relationship to be
accepted now. I’d never forgive myself if I drove a wedge between you and your
parents and this definitely would if it continued, out in the open or not.
Trust me, Harry – this is for the best and one day you’ll see that.’

His gaze went to the window, the
ticking of the clock the only sound polluting their silence. ‘That’s it?’ he
asked finally, turning to face her again.

Darcy felt her throat tighten.
Tears had to be held in, saved for when she was alone, and she fought them with
all her might.

‘I’m sorry.’

He stood up. ‘Shall I go?’

She stood too and nodded. ‘It’s
probably best.’

He gave her a sorrowful smile and
she thought her heart would break there and then.

‘We had fun, didn’t we?’ he
asked. ‘You liked being with me?’

‘Oh, God, Harry… of course I did!
I will always remember you fondly.’ She smiled and leaned up to kiss him
lightly on the lips. ‘You changed my life, and no matter what else
happens
, you’ll always be important to me for that.’

‘I did?’

She nodded, tears now blurring
her vision. Wiping them away, she gave a small laugh. ‘Don’t get big headed
about it, though.’

He followed as she led him to the
front door.

‘Take care, Harry,’ she said as
she opened it.

He nodded,
gave her a lopsided smile, and then was gone.

Sophie beamed up at Darcy. ‘Did you see me?’ she squeaked.

‘I did!’ Darcy cried, wrapping
her in her arms. ‘I did, you clever girl!’

Even Jake was grinning as he
watched them. ‘Do it again,
Soph
!’

Sophie grabbed the arm of the
sofa to steady
herself
, took a deep breath, and began
to walk. Her steps were awkward, flat-footed and stiff-legged, but she had let
go and went unaided, her arms out for balance.

‘Isn’t that just the best thing
you’ve ever seen?’ Darcy
said,
a grin so wide it would
burst from her face. ‘Get your phone,
Jake,
we need to
film this for your dad.’

Jake ran to the other room as
Sophie leaned against the opposite armchair, smiling. ‘Is Dad coming over
today?’

‘I think so. He will when he
hears our exciting news, I’m sure.’

‘I miss him,’ Jake said, arriving
back with his phone.

‘I know you do,’ Darcy said, her
smile slipping. ‘But we’ve got along just fine since he left and he comes every
week, so you still see him.’

‘I don’t know why he had to
leave.’

‘Jake…’ Darcy sighed. ‘I’ve told
you it isn’t your fault so stop thinking it is. We just didn’t get along anymore,
me and him. It happens all the time. But we can be friends, even if we’re not
married anymore.’

‘Will you get divorced?’ Jake
asked.

Darcy glanced at Sophie, whose
eyes were wide now, all triumph and excitement forgotten. There was that stab
of guilt in her heart again, one that plagued her daily.
Ged
had been gone for three months now and at first
the children had been convinced he would return. But as the weeks rolled by and
nothing changed, Darcy saw the sadness, the growing hole in their lives. Their
suffering was because of her and it tore into her soul. They could never go
back, she knew that, but she was working hard on making the best of it for
them, trying to fill the void
Ged’s
absence had left.

‘I don’t know,’ she said. ‘Dad
and I have to talk about that as soon as we’re both ready. But you know that it
won’t ever change what he feels about you.’

‘Daddy made you sad, sometimes,’
Sophie said.

Darcy stared at her. Sophie so rarely
showed such a deep understanding of what was going on around her, that it was
easy to forget that she was there, silently soaking it all up. Occasionally,
she would say something and shock Darcy with her insight. This was one of those
moments.
Ged
and Darcy’s
marriage had been ailing for some time, like a like a dying fox in the road
that just needed someone brave enough to wield the shovel and finish it.
 Darcy had always felt she did a good job of hiding that.  So good,
in fact, that she herself didn’t even realise it. But here was Sophie, showing
that she knew all along.

‘Sometimes,’ Darcy replied. ‘But
he didn’t mean to. And sometimes I made him sad too.’

Sophie waddled towards her and
threw her arms around her neck. ‘You’ll never make me sad,’ she whispered,
kissing her cheek. ‘I love you and Jake does too.’

Jake came over and Darcy wrapped
her arms around the both of them. They nestled together and Darcy held on
tight. This was her life now, right here in this room, and she wouldn’t want it
any other way.

THE END

THE
LIE OF LOVE © Belinda Martin

E-edition
published worldwide 2014

Kindle
edition copyright Belinda Martin

All characters and events featured in this publication,
other than those clearly in the public domain, are entirely fictitious and any
resemblance to any person, organisation, place or thing, living or dead, or
event or place, is purely coincidental and completely unintentional.

ALSO BY BELINDA MARTIN

LOVE
UNDER THE LEMON TREES (LOVE AND THE JONES SISTERS #1)

ADORE
ME UNDER THE OAKS (LOVE AND THE JONES SISTERS #2)

WEEP
FOR ME UNDER THE WILLOWS (LOVE AND THE JONES SISTERS #3)

MARRY
ME UNDER THE MAPLES (LOVE AND THE JONES SISTERS #4)

BURY
ME UNDER THE ASH (LOVE AND THE JONES SISTERS #5)

Christmas on the Coast

Some people get second chances at love, but not Michelle.
Her husband, Rob, was her life, her
soulmate
, her
everything. But their happiness is cut tragically short when, aged forty-three,
he dies and Michelle is left alone with a withered heart that will never mend.

But two long years later, Jonathan appears in her life - a
chance meeting in the pouring rain one November afternoon. Michelle has never
believed in fate, but after the first meeting he keeps turning up unexpectedly,
as though drawn to her by some invisible force beyond either of their control.

When Michelle takes her terminally ill mother for a holiday
in Cornwall, hoping to make her
last Christmas the best one ever, fate steps in again with unexpected
consequences.  Will Michelle finally be able to move on from Rob and find
happiness a second time?