The Other Half (28 page)

James continued, “So I was thinking, to make it up to you, I’d like to take the two of you out to dinner.”

I should put up more of a fight, Chloë thought, or James will think I’m a pushover. Not for the first time, she cursed her body for betraying her—her legs were buckling. If it hadn’t been for her yearning to impress Rob, she would have been seriously tempted to drag her lover into her bedroom there and then.

“Never one to turn down a free meal, me.” Rob grinned.

“Where do you fancy?” asked James. “You’re the chef—you should choose.”

“Let’s stay local,” urged Chloë. “I’m exhausted.” She’d been working late on
All Woman
nearly every night.

They went to an expensive Indian restaurant on Lavender Hill which Chloë sometimes went to with her father—Rob loved it but could rarely afford to dine there. The restaurant was bright and boldly decorated, its primary colors creating the perfect backdrop to their upbeat conversation. Chloë’s fury with James was blunted further because he and Rob seemed to get along so well. Given the two men came from very different worlds, things might have been sticky—especially because with a few drinks inside him, Rob could be outspoken to the point of tactlessness. But James was at his most relaxed and socially adept—drawing Rob out with questions about his work and his clients. In return Rob asked James about his role as magazine publisher, keen to glean what had attracted him to an environment chiefly populated by women and gay men. He kept well away from difficult subject areas, and appeared eager to entertain rather than provoke. Halfway through their main course it dawned on Chloë as to why.

He fancies him! she thought. And far from being threatened by Rob’s sexuality, James appears flattered. I reckon he’s flirting back. Well, this is a surpise, she laughed to herself.

By the time they got home, they’d had an awful lot of wine, topped off with brandy, and Rob was on a roll discussing his various sexual exploits. He relished having an audience, especially one as attentive as James, who was clearly fascinated by the number of notches on Rob’s bedpost.

“I must say,” said Rob, slapping James on the back as they stumbled into the hall, “you’re not half so bad as I thought you’d be.” Chloë winced. “I wasn’t really too sure what to make of you before. What with your being married and having a child.” For a split second James looked aghast, yet Rob pressed on: “Although, hey, who am I to judge?” James smiled, if a little halfheartedly. “Anyway, thank you so much for the meal. And now, my lovebirds,” Rob winked campily at Chloë, “this is when I leave you to it.”

After having to restrain herself earlier and such a successful introduction to Rob, Chloë was on the biggest high she’d enjoyed in weeks, and was horny as hell. With no further ado she shoved James into her bedroom.

*   *   *

The next morning James didn’t stay late, leaving Chloë to wonder if he was racing to be home before Maggie after all. Yet nothing could mar the pleasure of thinking about the evening they’d shared, and although she tried to get back to sleep after James had left, in the end she was too excited. Keen to know what her roommate had thought of him, the moment she heard the telltale sounds of the radio coming from Rob’s room, she couldn’t resist bouncing out of bed, pulling on her dressing gown, and rushing to tap on his door.

“Tea?”

Rob looked at her out of one eye. “You must learn to be quieter,” he said sternly. “I can hear everything through that bloody wall.”

“Sorry.” Chloë blushed.

She made two mugs of tea, carried them carefully into Rob’s room, and sat on the end of his bed. By now Rob was sitting up, looking decidedly morning-afterish, his peroxided hair standing in unkempt Tintin tufts.

“So? What did you think?”

“Well, I’d shag him.”

She knew it! “You thought he was sexy, then?”

“I’ll say.”

“What about the flowers and everything? The fact he took us both to dinner?”

“I know.” Rob nodded. “Very generous. He seems like a nice guy.”

Basking in his approval, Chloë felt confident to push for more. “And what about us? Do you think we make a good couple?”

Rob paused. “Mm.” He appeared perplexed, as if wondering what to say. At once Chloë feared he wasn’t going to be so positive. “I’m not so sure.”

That hurt. “Why not?”

“It’s not that I don’t think you’re well suited. You’re great together—I’ve never seen you that happy with anyone—and he’s obviously keen on you. It’s only…” He sighed. “I don’t believe he’s ever going to leave his wife.”

“What makes you say that?”

Rob rubbed his forehead. It was clearly hard for him to say, but he felt obligated. “I had a rather revealing conversation with him last night.”

“When?”

“Before you got home.”

After the intense high of the previous evening, Chloë could feel herself rushing headlong downward. “What did he say?”

“It’s more what he
didn’t
say. I reckon he was disconcerted to find me here without you, and he seemed to feel he had to explain himself a little. Especially since he knew I’d cooked for him. Anyway, I suppose I was pretty cross with him at first. I said something about my cooking not being up to his wife’s standard.”

Chloë could hear it: Rob was a master of the snide one-liner. “Then he said something about her cooking being amazing, and I said something about how it must make it impossible for him to leave such fabulous home cooking behind.”

Oh Lord. “And how did he respond to that?”

“He didn’t really say anything.” Rob ruffled his hair, causing it to stand up even more bizarrely. “That’s what I mean. He simply grunted and said that was probably true. Which, let’s face it, doesn’t seem the kind of thing he’d say if he was planning on divorcing her tomorrow.”

The happiness drained from Chloë’s day.

“Then he tried to justify what was going on with you. He was aware I knew about the two of you, and that I must wonder what he’s playing at.”

“So what did he say?” Chloë had to ask.

“He said he felt irresistibly drawn to you. He asked me if I understood what that was like, and I said I did although I’d never been seriously involved with a married man.”

“I see.”

“Then he said he felt torn between the two of you, that he’d never done anything like this before, and that he didn’t really know how to handle it.” Rob appeared extremely hesitant, as if he couldn’t bear to hurt Chloë so. “Or how to finish things with you.”

“Did he say that?” It was as if she’d been smacked in the jaw. I believed James was on the verge of committing to me, she thought, and he’s actually trying to work out how to end it! The pain was all the more intense because it came hard on the heels of such hope.

“Not that I think he
is
going to finish it with you,” Rob added. “He clearly cares for you a lot.”

“Did he tell you that?”

“In as many words, yes. He said he couldn’t just stop seeing you for that reason, and it was even harder because you work together.”

Chloë felt tears welling. “So you don’t reckon we’ll end up together then?”

“I might be wrong.” Rob was obviously trying to be kind.

“Do you think I should end it?”

“It’s up to you, honey. You’ve always known what I think. This whole thing’s got tragedy written all over it.”

Chloë was silent. “I suppose so,” she said at last.

36

With a scrunch of gravel, Maggie pulled the car into the drive and turned off the ignition. Nathan was asleep in the backseat; it was past his bedtime, but she’d wanted to be able to tuck him in the moment they arrived so that she could talk to Jamie. She got out and lifted her son into her arms, all floppy and sleepy. The light in the porch came on as she approached the house, and clutching Nathan, she opened the door with one hand.

Jamie heard them and came to help. Unaware of her discovery, he’d clearly been mystified why she’d chosen to stay away the entire weekend, yet she’d refused to discuss anything, explaining over the phone that she wanted to speak in person. “Not
again
,” he’d moaned. “I thought we’d sorted it out. Haven’t we had enough serious chats?”

The gall! “Seemingly not,” she’d said.

“You can get the bags,” she ordered without saying hello. As he passed her on the stairs, she’d a good mind to stick out one of her legs and send him tumbling headlong.

Presently everything was safe inside. Sitting on the bed, watching her unpack, Jamie was defensive. “So now what’s up?”

“It’s not what,” her words stabbed the air, “it’s
who
.”

Jamie flinched. “God, Maggie, you’re sounding like your needle’s stuck. Can’t you leave it alone?”

“Seems
you
can’t.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

She hurled clothes into the laundry bin, tempted to turn around and drive straight back to Fran’s. But he’s in the wrong and I’m damned if I’m going to leave my own house, she thought. And it’s not fair to Nathan. “Here’s a clue. Her name’s Chloë.”

“I don’t know a Chloë,” he said, way too fast.

“Crap! Crap! Crap!” She thumped her books onto the bedside table. “You are one shit liar, Jamie. Have you forgotten that I
know
you know a Chloë? I even know her myself, for God’s sake! Though not as intimately as you seem to, that’s for sure.”

“Where’s this suddenly coming from?” The color was draining from his face. “Jean said something to you, didn’t she?”

Maggie’s stomach lurched. Does Jean know? she thought. Is this common knowledge at UK Magazines? Am I the last to find out?

“Does she know something I don’t?”

“You tell me.”

“Actually, you gave yourself away with no help from anyone. I found Chloë’s number on your BlackBerry while you were asleep. You called her the night I asked you to come back here last week—Thursday.”

“You sneaky bitch!” He got to his feet.

“Not half as sneaky as you.”

“What does one phone call prove?”

Maggie stopped unpacking and turned to face him. “Do you want me to walk out right now? Because you’re sure going a long way toward making that happen. Fran would be more than willing to have me.”

“No, don’t leave, please. I had to call Chloë about work! She’s the editor on a really important project of mine.” He sounded desperate.

“Oh, yeah,” said Maggie. “Very important project, I’m sure. You had to call her at home, didn’t you? In case you’ve failed to notice, Jamie, I am not a complete dunce. You were going to see her, weren’t you, and not going to play squash at all? Then when I insisted you come home, I threw your plans so you had to cancel. In fact,” she was really getting going, “I bet you saw her on Friday night, didn’t you, to make up for it? That’s why you weren’t here then when I called.”

“You called here on Friday?” Distractedly, he picked up her hairbrush.

“Yes.”

“You never left a message.”

“Seemed rather pathetic. Wife leaving message while husband’s out shagging another woman.”

Jamie said nothing and stood tugging hairs from the brush. After a while, with obvious reluctance, he said, “You’re right.”

Confronted with the truth Maggie didn’t feel sick or faint. Instead, she felt a ghastly sense of relief. At least she hadn’t imagined it; her judgment was sound, she wasn’t going mad. Yet she had to clarify. “Are you in love with her?”

Jamie stared at his shoes. “No.”

“Look at me when you answer! I need you to look me in the eyes and tell me that. Because if you don’t love her, then I’d like to know why on earth you would want to risk jeopardizing everything you’ve got. And if you do—” She stopped.

What if he does? What then? She panicked. It might mean that he doesn’t love me anymore; then he’ll want to leave me, Nathan, our home.

He looked up with those horrible, beautiful, hazel eyes that had cast a spell on her for so many years. To her surprise, they were full of tears. “I suppose I do,” he said at last.

Maggie sat down on the bed, afraid her legs wouldn’t hold her upright. This was it, then.

The end.

“But I still love you,” he added. Sitting down next to her, unsure as to how near was appropriate. “I love you, too.” He appeared as if he might take her hand, and thought better of it.

She wasn’t sure whether to see this as a glimmer of hope, or as hollow words designed to soften the impact of what he’d just admitted. A consolation prize. There was only one question left. “Do you want to split up?”

“
No! No!
I couldn’t bear it! I love you! I love Nathan! I didn’t mean it. It doesn’t mean half as much to me as you do. I couldn’t bear to lose you. Please!”

“What do you mean you didn’t
mean
it? Sounds like you bloody meant it to me. How long has it been going on for? How often have you been seeing her? Is she a good fuck? A better fuck than me?”

“
No!
I told you! It’s all been a terrible mistake. Once I’d started I couldn’t seem to stop.”

“Was she with you in New York?”

A pause. “Yes.”

“Did you see her on Friday?”

“Yes.” In a whisper.

“Did you fuck her?”

“Maggie, please.”

“Did you?”

“Yes.”

“The night after you made love to me?”

Silence. She was acutely conscious that they were sitting, with only a few inches between them, on the marital bed. Yet they seemed a mile apart.

She continued, “Can you imagine how that makes me feel?”

There was a long pause, then Jamie cried, “I don’t know what got into me, Maggie, honestly. I’ve never done anything like this before. It’s something that happened, then, before I knew it, I couldn’t seem to stop, and she … she…”

“She what?”

Jamie seemed at a loss for words. “She was so … so … up for it.”

“Up for it! I bet she fucking was. An older man. Her boss. Someone else’s husband. Every editor ought to do it at least once. Great copy, after all.”

“It’s not her fault.”

“Do me one favor, Jamie. Allow me to hate her. You might be in love with her, but excuse me if I’m not. She’s done something I would never have done.”