A Slippery Slope (22 page)

Josh had never wanted to hit a man – with the exception of Mathieu
– as much as he wanted to hit Tony right now.

‘Yes, but I thought both people had to compromise to make a happy
marriage, not just one.’

Tony shrugged. ‘All I know is this works for me ... for us, I
mean. And Verity will come back, not just because she loves me, but because
Lucy wants her to and because no way on this planet does she want to end up
like her mother, divorced and going from man to man like some old harlot.’ Tony
had no idea how close he was getting to Josh flattening him.

‘I think that’s a bit much,’ Josh said through gritted teeth.

Tony shrugged again. ‘You don’t know Laura. You wait and see.
She’ll be chasing some young guy within a few days, I can promise you that.’

‘But Laura seems to think you do quite a bit of chasing young
women, yourself. Is she wrong?’

Tony nudged Josh’s arm. ‘What’s a man to do? You should see some
of the girls who’ve worked for me.’ He let out a long, loud whistle. ‘You’d
have to be a monk to ignore some of them – and even a monk would struggle. But
I do love my wife and I’d never thought of leaving her ... until Daniella. Wow!
That girl is – was – special.’

‘And she isn’t ... special now?’

Tony frowned. ‘She is. But sometimes we have to give up things we
want for things we need.’

‘And by that, I’m assuming you mean you need Verity?’

‘More than I thought possible. Much, much more, in fact. When I
heard about the avalanche and realised I could have lost her, it hit me like a
truck. I want her back. And I’m here to prove it.’

‘Yes. You are.’ Josh wondered if there was any chance of another
avalanche – one that would sweep Tony to a quick, but preferably painful,
death.

And he wondered if he had any right to interfere. He’d told Verity
he wouldn’t when he’d criticised Tony several days before. But that was before
they’d slept together. Did spending the most incredible night of his life with
her give him the right? Did thinking that he wanted to pummel her husband into
the ground for his arrogance and contempt give him the right? Did the thought
that he would be miserable if he could never see her again give him the right?
Or the fact that on the mountain, during the search, he’d have willing given
his life in place of hers?

Tony clearly didn’t love her the way she deserved to be loved: Did
that give him the right? Or the fact that there had obviously been other women
in Tony’s life? Did any of it give him the right?

And what would he say? That she should stay with him instead?
They’d spent one night together: one wonderful, sensational, passionate night.
But did that mean they had a future? Did that mean anything other than they
were good together in bed? And that they wanted one another physically?

Yes, he’d have traded his life for hers on that mountain, but
everyone makes deals with either their gods or their devils in that sort of
situation. It didn’t mean they’d live happily ever after. And yes, he was crazy
about her, but was it love? Was it real, long-term, everlasting love? Because
he’d never make the mistake of asking someone else to share his life unless it
was. Not again – not after the last time. He may not have learnt much from his
relationship with Marianne but he had learnt
that
.

And then there was Lucy? She wanted her family back together. Did
he have the right to do anything he could to prevent that from happening? Or
should he just stay out of it and let whatever was going to happen, happen? Wasn’t
that the best for all concerned?

He had absolutely no idea, but he had a very definite feeling that
the next few days were going to be the most difficult days of his life.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

‘So
tell me all about Josh then,’ Laura said sitting on the edge of Verity’s bed.
‘We’ve talked about the accident. We’ve talked about the chalet. We’ve talked
about Christmas. We’ve even talked about the weather. You’ve refused to talk
about Tony. So, don’t you think it’s time we talked about Josh?’

‘Josh! Why? I mean, there’s nothing to tell.’

‘Uh huh. I can see by the flush of your cheeks and the look in
your eye that there most definitely is. And rather a lot unless I’m very much
mistaken.’

‘There isn’t, Mother. Really, there isn’t.’

‘Oh good! In that case you don’t mind if I flirt with him a
little, do you? I’ve thrown Bertie out and I’m on the lookout for a
replacement. Josh would do rather nicely from what I’ve seen and heard so far.’

‘Mother! Don’t you dare!’

‘Why not? If you’re not interested then why shouldn’t I be? He’s
handsome, wealthy, very friendly, kind, considerate, very fit and I suspect
he’d be pretty good in bed. What’s not to like? And there’s the added bonus
that he’s single. Why, the man is every woman’s dream. I’m surprised you
haven’t grabbed him with both hands, ripped his clothes off and shown him what
you’re made of. But then I think we both know that you have. Or that you want
to if you haven’t, don’t we?’

Verity tutted. ‘All right! I admit it. So you just keep your hands
off him, okay?’

Laura raised her hands in the air in a gesture of surrender.
‘Hands very definitely off, darling. So, what was he like then? In bed I mean?’

Verity blushed and grinned despite herself. ‘Pretty bloody
amazing! I ... I’ve never had sex like it. And I don’t just mean the act
itself. I mean everything about it. The way I felt, the things I wanted, the
way he looked at me.’ She gasped and threw her head back against the pillows.
‘It makes me get excited just thinking about it.’

‘Oh, darling, I’m so pleased for you! It’s about time you had some
fun and some real romance in your life.’

Verity lifted her head. ‘Well, I’m not sure about the romance
part. He says he’s crazy about me but I think that may just be lust, you know.
I get the distinct impression that marriage and all that stuff definitely isn’t
on his agenda. He’s got a great life here and he had a very bad relationship
just over a year and a half ago and ... Well, I think it’s put him off getting
seriously involved with anyone for a while.’

‘I see,’ Laura said. ‘But you know, darling, none of us can
control love, whether we want to or not. It’s either there or it isn’t but if
it is then we should grab it and not let it go until we have to – or until it
leaves.’

Verity nodded. ‘But that’s the other thing, Mum. I’ve only been
with Tony until now and ... and I do still love him. I think this may just be
some sort of rebound thing on my part. Tony left me for a beautiful young woman
and I just need to feel wanted. Sexy. Attractive. I just need attention. And Josh
is giving me that. It was strange because from day one, I was attracted to him,
even though we were actually having a disagreement at the time. And it was just
a sexual thing. From the word go, all I could think about was what it would
feel like to have his hands on my body. Is ... is that weird?’

‘No, darling, that’s not weird at all. And a powerful physical
attraction like that doesn’t just mean it’s all about sex. It can mean that
you’ve found a kindred spirit – the love of your life, perhaps. That’s how I
felt about …’ She stopped and met Verity’s eyes. ‘About Noah.’

‘Noah? Who’s Noah. I’ve never heard you mention him before.’

Laura shook her head. ‘I’ve never told you about him. I’m not sure
why. Possibly because it still hurts me to this day to think about it, but I
felt like that once. A very long time ago. From the moment we set eyes on one
another, we both felt it. It was an animal attraction and it was so intense
that all we could think about was how much we wanted one another.’

‘When was this? You didn’t marry him?’

‘No, I didn’t. I–’

‘Mum?’ Lucy poked her head around the door. ‘Josh is back and he’d
like a word with you, when you’ve got a moment he says.’

Verity glanced at her mother. ‘Tell him–’

‘No, no,’ Laura said, getting to her feet. ‘It was a very long
journey – especially the part from the airport to here. I very nearly killed
your father, Lucy dear. But anyway, I’d like to have a little lie down so why
don’t you talk to Josh and we’ll catch up later? It’s waited this long. It can
wait another few hours.’

She leant forward and kissed Verity on the head.

‘What can wait?’ Lucy asked.

‘I’ll tell you both about it,’ Laura said, wrapping her arm around
Lucy and leading her out. ‘But not just now.’

***

‘Hello, Josh,’ Verity said, smiling up at him as he entered the
bedroom. ‘So ... now you’ve met my mother and …’ She lowered her head. ‘And my
husband. What do you think of them?’

‘Your mother seems lovely. Do all the women in your family take
some sort of youth potion? She doesn’t look old enough to be your mum, and you
look more like Lucy’s sister than her mother, as I think I’ve said before.’

‘Yes, but not her twin sister, I seem to recall.’ She raised her
head again and grinned.

Josh smiled and pointed towards the edge of the bed. ‘May I?’ Verity
nodded and he sat down. ‘Your husband ... I’m trying very hard
not
to
think about. I’m sure I don’t have to explain why.’

The look in his eyes made Verity’s entire body feel like whipped
cream. She shook her head. ‘This is very awkward, isn’t it? What possessed you
to offer him accommodation? He’s staying at Louis’, I assume?’

Josh nodded and shrugged. ‘Yes, he is. He and Laura came through
arrivals together and I didn’t know they disliked one another so intensely. I’d
offered before I realised the true situation and it seemed a little churlish to
then tell Tony he’d have to find alternative transport and somewhere else to
stay.’

‘I don’t envy you that journey.’

‘It was the longest of my life, and one I’d rather not repeat.
Even if they both go back on the same day and the same flight, I’ll do a
shuttle service. There’s no way they’re getting in the same car with me ever
again.’ He grinned at her before adding: ‘Are they always like that? You must
have felt as if you were living in a constant battle zone if so.’

‘They weren’t that bad. Mum’s never liked him and they would both
have a little dig at one another if given the chance but when we were all
together as a family, they both behaved with a sort of polite disdain. Did ...
did Tony say when he would be going back?’ She met his eyes.

‘No. Did Laura tell you why he’s here?’

He took her hand in his and rubbed her fingers with his thumb; a
charge of electricity shot through her. She could tell by the look in his eyes
that he felt it too.

‘I rarely discuss Tony with my mother. As you’ve discovered, it’s
like lighting a touch paper on a very large firework and forgetting to step
back. It always blows up in my face. She did start to talk about him but I shut
the door on the subject and astonishingly, for once, she let it be. But he’s
here to see for himself that Lucy is safe ... and to check on me, I think. He
... he may have left me for another woman but we were married – are married,
and we have been for over twenty years, so he clearly still has some feelings
for me, even if it is only mild concern.’

‘And you? Do you still have feelings for him? I know it’s none of
my business but ... the other night was ... well, I’d just like to know where I
stand, that’s all.’

Verity held his eyes and tried to read his thoughts but all she
could see was passion and longing – possibly even a hint of sadness.

‘I’d be lying if I said I didn’t. I had absolutely no idea that my
marriage was in trouble. This was all a complete shock to me. Perhaps it
shouldn’t have been. Perhaps I’ve been a fool, but until I found him in bed
with ... Well, I thought we were going to be celebrating my birthday together
and I even thought we were going away somewhere special. It was a bolt from the
blue and I think I’m partly still in shock. I’m not sure how I feel and that’s
the truth. But ... I do still love him in a way and part of me always will.
We’ve been married for a long time, Josh and we have a child together.’

‘I understand.’ Josh let go of her hand as if it had burnt him.

‘No, Josh, you don’t,’ she said, reaching out and grabbing it
again. ‘I do still love him but if I loved him as much as I thought I did, I
would never have slept with you. I know he’d left me and I know I’m stupid but
I thought I’d remain faithful to him for ... years.’ She let out a little
laugh. ‘Instead, I met you and from the moment we met – and I do mean the
moment
... in my bedroom ... sorry, your bedroom,’ she teased, ‘I wanted you in a
way I’ve never wanted anyone before. And ... I still do.’ She smiled
provocatively at him and pulled his hand towards her. ‘How do you feel, Josh?’

‘I ...’

He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her, tenderly at first
but with a growing passion before suddenly releasing her from his arms. He took
both her hands in his and looked her directly in the eye.

‘I have to tell you something, Verity, even though I’d really
rather not, but I can’t ignore it and hope it’ll go away because it won’t. More
to the point,
he
won’t. Tony isn’t here just to see Lucy and to check
for himself that you’re both okay. He’s here to ask you to take him back.’

Verity felt as if she’d been hit by a ski-bus for a second time in
as many days.

‘What? Did ...
he
tell you that? When?’

Josh let go of her hands and ran a hand through his hair. He stood
up and paced beside the bed. ‘He told me – us – on the way from the airport.’

‘My mother knows?’

He nodded.

Verity screwed up her eyes. So that’s what she wanted to talk
about just now, she thought. I should have let her tell me.

‘He ... he seems pretty sure you’ll take him back. Will you?’ Josh
asked. ‘I’m sorry. Forget I asked that. You need time to think and it shouldn’t
be me telling you this, it should be him but ... I know it’s none of my
business and I know I have no right to say this but ... he doesn’t deserve you,
Verity. He really doesn’t.’

He turned on his heel and marched from the room and Verity was
left thinking that her life had seemed so much simpler when she was hanging
upside down in that gully. All she’d thought about then, was how much she loved
Lucy, and how much she wanted to live to see her, and Josh, her mother and
Mistral again. She hadn’t even given Tony a moment’s thought.

***

‘Hello, Verity. You’re looking much better than I expected,’ Tony
said as he came into her room and plonked himself on the bed. ‘It must have
been a dreadful ordeal and I’m so glad you’re safe and well.’

‘Thank you,’ she said, watching him through anxious eyes. ‘It’s
... good of you to come all this way to see Lucy and me. I know Lucy’s really
pleased to see you.’

He smiled at her and she saw the man she’d fallen in love with all
those years ago. He was still very handsome, although now that she looked at
him, he wasn’t quite as good looking as Josh but he still had those chiselled
features that always attracted her. The same strong facial features that she’d
noticed about Josh when she’d first seen him. But the resemblance ended there.

 Tony had always reminded her a little of Michelangelo’s
David
:
loose curls; aquiline nose; deep set eyes; firm jaw and a face that looked as
if the artist himself had sculpted it. His hair was still the light brown of
his English father, although he used chemicals now to hide the grey and his
eyes were his father’s blue but he had his mother’s olive skin.

‘I hope you’re pleased to see me too,’ he said, reaching out for
her hand.

She pushed her hands under the covers. ‘It’s certainly better than
the last time I saw you.’

‘Ah, yes. That.’

‘Yes, Tony. That!’

‘I’ve missed you, Verity. There’s no easy way to say this, so I’ll
just come out and say it. I’ve been a fool, an absolute fool and it wasn’t
until I realised that I could have lost you forever that I came to my senses.
Christmas wasn’t the same without you and it brought it home to me that perhaps
I’d made a mistake. I missed the way that you decorate the house; I missed the
silly joke presents you hang on the tree; I missed our Christmas party; I even
missed your mother making barbed remarks about the way I cook the turkey – and
I never thought I’d hear myself say that. But when I heard on the news – yes,
that’s how I heard that my wife had nearly died as well as my child – it hit me
with such force that I knew I had to come and beg your forgiveness.’

Verity couldn’t believe her ears. ‘So ... what are you saying,
Tony? Are you telling me it’s over with Daniella?’

‘Yes. It’s over. I told her I was coming out to see you to find
out if there is any way we can rebuild our relationship.’