The Truth About You (34 page)

She could only hope it was the same for him.

Lying back on the rug, she closed her eyes against the sunlight dappling through the maple and listened to the chafing rhythm of cicadas. If she could only get Tom out of her mind she knew she’d be enjoying every moment of being here, but the instant she stopped talking about other things, or even thinking them, she could feel the ache in her heart growing heavier, stronger, deeper . . .

Taking a breath, she let it out slowly and made herself focus on Marco again, and how his life was all about food, wine, people. It was embedded in the natural world and enriched by reality, while her life and Tom’s seemed more like some sort of fiction.

Sitting up swiftly, as though to escape the thought, she poured more wine into her glass and drank it. It was warm, acidic and burned her throat, but as moments ticked by and Marco continued to talk on the phone she felt herself relaxing again. If she simply listened to him, allowed herself to enjoy the melodic sound of his words, immersed herself in the here and now, perhaps the ghosts of her past, and present, would stop finding a way in.

She must have dozed off, because the next time she opened her eyes Marco was sitting beside her sending emails or texts on his phone. She felt embarrassed about sleeping, but didn’t alert him to the fact she was awake just yet. Instead, she lay watching him through the dark lenses of her glasses, feeling grateful to him all over again just for being there. It wasn’t until Skye’s words staged an unwelcome appearance at the front of her mind, about finding another man to make Tom jealous, that she sat up. It was true, Marco was very attractive, but no one could ever replace Tom, either in her heart or in her bed.

‘Max, that’s just mean,’ Tierney cried angrily. ‘You can’t do it. I won’t let you.’

Max regarded her with some amusement. ‘And you’re going to stop me, how?’ he asked, seeming genuinely interested.

Tierney only wished she knew. ‘I’ll think of something,’ she told him hotly.

‘Then you’d better make it fast, because I’m about to text Lainey to make sure it’s OK.’

Glancing up to check that Skye wasn’t on her way back to the café yet, Tierney said, ‘Does Christie know anything about Skye?’

Max threw out his hands. ‘What’s to know?’ he demanded, as if there really wasn’t anything.

Tierney daggered him a look.

‘We have an understanding, you know that,’ he conceded. ‘Friends with benefits. No strings.’

‘OK, then
you
tell her that Christie’s coming, because I’m not doing it.’

Sitting back to rest an arm on the chair beside him, he said, ‘I know what’s bugging you . . . OK, you’re trying to stick up for your friend, but really you’re all strung out about Dad, aren’t you?’

Wishing it was only that, though actually it was probably the worst of it, she countered, ‘Aren’t you?’

He shrugged. ‘I’ve been here before, remember?’

‘Yeah, when you were like five. It’s got to feel a bit different now.’

‘Maybe, maybe not, but I’m worried about you. Skye’s a good girl, in her way, but she’s the way she is because her dad left, and I don’t want you turning out the same . . .’

‘No way is that going to happen,’ she cried, ‘and anyway, who says Dad’s going to leave? He just has to be there while this woman’s sick . . .’

‘If she’s sick, and we only have his word for it.’

‘He wouldn’t lie about something like that.’

‘Wouldn’t he?’

‘Stop it, Max.’

‘I’m just saying, that’s all. I don’t want him to go either, but if it’s what he wants . . .’

‘It won’t be.’

‘OK, have it your way. I’m just trying to let you know I’m here for you.’

Feeling herself on the brink of tears, Tierney said, ‘Have you spoken to him since we got here?’

‘Nope. Have you?’

She stared down at her phone as she shook her head. ‘Zav has, and Mum.’

‘Lucky them.’ Though he sounded as if he didn’t care, Tierney felt sure he did.

‘Do you reckon we ought to ring him?’ she asked.

‘No way! Well, you can if you want to, but personally I’ve got nothing to say to him, so why would I?’

Since she wasn’t sure what she’d say either, Tierney decided to return to the subject they’d started with. ‘You’ve got to realise there are going to be serious problems if Christie comes here next week. Skye’s not going to like it, and if she starts causing trouble . . . Well, I don’t know what she’ll do, but it’ll ruin everyone’s holiday, that’s for sure, including yours.’

Whatever Max was about to say didn’t materialise, since his phone rang and by the time he’d finished the call Tierney was on the edge of panic as she stared at another text from Guy.

Have to see you. Tell me where you are and we’ll find a place to meet.

‘What’s up?’ Max asked, noticing how pale she’d gone.

‘Nothing,’ she said, feeling herself starting to shake. ‘I just . . . It doesn’t matter . . .’

‘Oh, right. Brett’s just told you he’s heading back to England on Sunday. You got a bit sweet on him, didn’t you?’

‘Not really,’ she mumbled, wishing she could show Max the text and ask him what to do. Feeling suddenly nauseous at the very idea of him ever finding out what she’d done, she got up from her chair and fled to the loo.

By the time she came back Skye was at the table, surrounded by designer bags and yakking on to Max about the great bargains she’d found at Armani. Whether he was particularly interested or not he was putting on a good show, until his mobile rang and after checking who it was he clicked on. ‘Hey Lainey. How’s things?’

Tierney tensed.
Please don’t let him say anything about Christie now with Skye right there.

‘Yeah? That’s cool,’ he was saying. ‘Why not? Sounds good. Yeah, they’re here, I’ll ask them. We’re being invited to Adriana’s for dinner tonight,’ he relayed. ‘Do we want to go?’

Tierney looked at Skye.

‘Yeah, we’re up for it if you are,’ Skye told him.

‘Did you get that?’ Max asked Lainey. ‘Count us in,’ and after assuring her they’d be back at the villa within the hour, he rang off.

‘So, did she go out with Marco today, or down to the village?’ Skye asked as her coffee arrived.

Apparently perplexed by the question, Max replied, ‘No idea, I didn’t ask.’

Skye glanced at Tierney. ‘We reckon,’ she said, ‘that something could be going on between them.’

‘What do you mean,
we
?’ Tierney protested. ‘It’s you who said that, and I just wish you’d shut up about it.’

‘OK, OK, cool it,’ Skye responded, holding up her hands.

Watching them closely, Max said, ‘Do you mean you think Lainey and Marco are getting it on?’ He seemed both surprised and curious.

‘It’s not what I think,’ Tierney assured him.

‘Only because you don’t want to,’ Skye informed her. ‘And I don’t blame you, I didn’t want to think my mum was seeing someone else when my dad left us. I kept telling myself they’d get back together, but no one ever does once they’ve broken up.’

‘That’s such bullshit,’ Tierney said hotly.

‘OK, tell me someone who has.’

Tierney took a breath, but she couldn’t think of anyone. She looked to Max for help, but remembering that their dad hadn’t gone back to his mum, she felt a sudden, ridiculous urge to cry.

‘Plenty of people do,’ Max said, coming to her rescue, ‘but whether it’ll happen for Lainey and Dad . . . If you ask me, she’d be better off with someone like Marco.’

‘How can you say that,’ Tierney almost shouted, ‘when you don’t even know him?’

‘Well, he seems a nice enough bloke, and we know what a bastard Dad is, so I know who I’d pick if I were Lainey.’

‘Well, you’re not her, and to start saying things like that about her and about Dad just goes to show how ignorant and immature you are.’

‘Wow!’ he laughed, backing up. ‘I’m definitely hitting some wrong notes with my little sister today. Ease up, T. None of it’s a big deal. If Lainey wants to have a little play around while she’s on holiday, you can hardly say she doesn’t deserve it, given what Dad’s been up to.’

It was on the tip of Tierney’s tongue to tell them both to shut the fuck up about sex all the time, but afraid she’d sound like a weirdo or some stuffed-up virgin who knew nothing about anything, she decided to ignore them.

Luckily the subject changed then, and after finishing their coffees they wandered back out to the car, where Tierney’s few purchases were already stored in the boot. Normally she’d have bought more, but she just hadn’t been in the mood today, and now this text had turned up she couldn’t imagine being in the mood for anything ever again.

‘What am I going to do?’ she asked Skye, when they were finally back at the villa and in the privacy of their room.

Not appearing overly concerned, Skye said, ‘Just ignore it, same as usual.’

‘But if I don’t tell him where we are, he can easily find out from Nadia.’

Skye paused for a moment, then shook her head. ‘There’s no way he’ll just turn up here,’ she decided. ‘How would he explain it to your mum?’

‘I don’t know, unless he brings Nadia with him. She’s joined us on holiday loads of times in the past.’

Seeing there really might be a problem brewing, Skye said, ‘Look, if you’re definitely not interested . . .’

‘Are you kidding? How can you even say that?’

‘. . . then tell him to drop dead, or fuck off. That should do it.’

Only wishing it would, Tierney gazed down at her mobile, feeling so worried and wretched she could hardly make herself think. In the end, she decided she had to tell Skye about the photos, otherwise she would never understand why the situation was so serious.

By the time she’d finished her admission she had Skye’s full attention.

‘OMG,’ Skye murmured, ‘the sneaky bastard.’

‘He hasn’t threatened to show anyone, or anything,’ Tierney quickly assured her, ‘but the way he keeps sending them to me . . .’

‘Let me see,’ Skye interrupted, holding out a hand for the phone.

‘No way! Anyway, I’ve erased them, and somehow I’ve got to make him do the same.’

Skye didn’t deny it. ‘The trouble is,’ she said, ‘he’s obviously really getting off on them, so . . .’

‘I don’t need to hear that,’ Tierney cried. ‘I just want you to tell me what to do.’

After giving the matter some careful consideration, Skye said, ‘How about you turn the tables on him? If you threaten to tell your dad . . .’

‘Are you out of your mind?’

‘I don’t mean actually tell him, but if you say you’re going to . . .’

‘He’ll know there’s no way I’d do that.’

Skye thought again. ‘Tell you what, if he does turn up here I’ll deal with him. I’m probably more his type anyway, given all the stuff he’s into . . .’

‘Skye, this isn’t a joke. If I don’t do what he wants he might turn nasty.’

‘I’m trying to help you here,’ Skye insisted crossly.

‘And you think shagging him is going to do that?’ Turning away in frustration, Tierney pressed the phone to her head and tried not to cry.

‘Listen,’ Skye said, coming to give her a hug, ‘think about this sensibly. There’s no way in the world he’s ever going to show those pictures around. It would be the end of him if he did, because everyone would want to know how he got them.’

‘He could say someone sent them to him.’

Skye was shaking her head. ‘Then they’ll want to know who it was, and when they find out there’s no one they’ll realise it was him who took them. OK, it won’t look good for you, but it’ll look a whole lot worse for him.’

Seeing how that could be true, Tierney wiped away her tears as some of her tension ebbed.

‘Don’t worry,’ Skye said gently, ‘we can handle this. It’ll all be fine, I promise.’

‘
I THINK YOU’D
better take a look at this,’ Stacy said, carrying her laptop from her bedroom into the kitchen where Lainey, still in her nightie, was wrestling with the coffee machine.

Lainey looked up and immediately wished she hadn’t moved her head so quickly. Having stayed late at dinner with Adriana and Lorenzo last night, she really wasn’t feeling her best this morning. ‘What is it?’ she asked, stifling a yawn. ‘God, how much did we have to drink last night? No, don’t answer that. How come you’re up so early?’

‘It’s gone ten o’clock,’ Stacy pointed out, though she too was still in her nightie. ‘I thought I’d work from home this morning, i.e. bed, and when I went online to check my emails Diana had sent me a link to this.’

Feeling the onset of unease crawling through her hangover, Lainey took the computer and went to sit down. The small headline on page nine of the tabloid leapt out at her, turning her hot and cold.
Trouble at Hollingsworth Hall?
(This was how some of the tabloids referred to Bannerleigh Cross.)

With a horrible tightening in her chest she scanned the short paragraph, as though only skimming the words would somehow make their detail less real. However, there was no escaping their ugly intrusion into her life, so taking the coffee Stacy was handing her she returned to the beginning and read more carefully.

When news reached us that Tom Hollingsworth had recently moved out of the family home we couldn’t have been more surprised. This was a marriage that had always seemed rock-solid from the outside, however, sources tell us that Lainey, Hollingsworth’s wife of 16 years and mother of two of his children, is devastated by the break-up and has gone away for a while to try and come to terms with it. Nadia Roundtree, Hollingsworth’s literary agent, said yesterday, ‘I am not aware of any kind of rift in Tom’s marriage. It’s not unheard of for Lainey to take the children away while Tom is finishing a book. I don’t think you should read anything into it.’

So we won’t, for now.

Feeling sick and angry, Lainey looked up as Stacy came to sit with her. ‘Where the hell did they get this?’ she snapped. ‘And anyway, it’s wrong. He hasn’t moved out . . . Or not that I know of.’ Her heart was pounding with dread. What if he’d waited for her to leave before coming to collect his things?

‘How could he have done that without your Aunt Daffs knowing?’ Stacy protested when Lainey voiced her fear. ‘Think about it sensibly. If he’s been there packing you can be absolutely certain she’d have told you.’