squeezed so tightly in my hand they nearly broke the skin. “I’m sorry. We’ve talked about this so many times over the years. I just can’t do it anymore.”
I’d just reached the front door when I remembered. “Oh,” I said, taking off my Fitbit. The skin on my wrist looked tender and pale without it. “I won’t be needing this.” I put it on the hall table and noticed the green cover of my iPad sticking out of his briefcase. “And it was nice of you to buy me the iPad, but you use it more than I do, so you can keep it.”
I didn’t dare look at him as I left. He didn’t follow me out to my car, but as I walked down the driveway I knew he was staring at me. When I started the car and sneaked a glance back at the house, he’d gone.
CHAPTER 3
Ruby
I drove as quickly as I could until I was a mile away from home, then stopped the car in a quiet street. My heart was pounding so hard that I had to close my eyes and breathe deeply, counting my breaths, until I started to feel more calm. I was hot and red and my palms were sweating, but all I could feel was relief. It was as though a huge weight had lifted from my shoulders. I’d thought it would be worse than that. Much worse. I’d envisaged a row, with me pleading, him blocking my path, berating me. Then his pièce de résistance: he would cry. He knew how much I hated that.
He’s let me go, I thought. He must have been as unhappy as I was.
Suddenly my face was drenched with tears and I pulled some tissues out of my bag to scrub myself dry. I’d been prepared for this. All those nights I’d spent rehearsing today, and now that the performance was over, I was exhausted. My phone beeped and I leaped to check it. It was a message from Tom.
I’m sorry if I’ve done anything to upset you. I didn’t mean to hurt you. x
I blinked. I wasn’t expecting that. Then another message came through:
I’m worried about you, Ruby. Where will you stay tonight? I’m happy to sleep in the spare room if you want to come home. x
I knew how much that would have cost him to write. He’d never been one to apologize first or to admit he was wrong at all. I didn’t know whether to reply; I hadn’t factored this into my rehearsals.
Don’t worry about me, I replied. I’ll be fine. I’ll be in touch.
I hesitated, not knowing whether to put a kiss at the end. I don’t think I’d ever sent him a message without a kiss, whether I’d meant it or not. It wouldn’t have been worth my while. And then I thought no, of course I shouldn’t put a kiss on the message; I was leaving him.
I looked at my watch. It was time to go. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach as I thought of what lay ahead. I started the car and at the next turning headed south.
* * *
? ? ?
As I approached the hotel, I checked my rearview mirror. Nothing was behind me. I turned quickly and drove through to the car park at the back. I glanced round, just to make sure, but I didn’t recognize any cars. I parked in the corner, almost out of sight. The first spots of rain were beginning to fall as I took my overnight bag from the trunk of the car and I hurried through the car park to the front of the hotel. The receptionist looked up as I entered the lobby.
“Good evening,” she said.
“Hi. I’ve a room booked for a few nights.”
“What name is it?”
I hesitated. “Sheridan.”
She scrolled down her computer screen and at first I thought she couldn’t find it, but then she said, “Oh yes, here we are.” She took a plastic key card from a drawer and programmed it. “Room 201. We have room service until midnight and breakfast is between six and ten every morning.” She smiled brightly at me. “Would you like a