jerks his head up. ‘What made you think about that?’
I shrug. ‘It just popped into my head. I don’t think you ever told me why it never worked out between you two.’
‘I don’t know. But it’s all ancient history now. Do we really have to go into it?’
‘No, course not. I’m curious, that’s all.’
‘It just didn’t work out. She was too stand-offish and cold. Our relationship never really got going in the first place.’
‘But she finished with you, right?’
‘Way to make a guy feel good!’ Ed flicks my arm playfully.
‘Sorry!’ I manage a short laugh. ‘But she did, yeah?’
‘She said she cared about me, but she’d met someone else. I was relieved, to be honest. I’d been wanting to break it off, but I didn’t want to hurt her.’
I twirl a strand of hair around my finger. ‘That must have been when she met Nathan.’
‘Yeah, those two are perfect together. Both really ambitious and career-driven.’
‘You’re ambitious too!’
Ed leans forward to kiss me. ‘I love my job, but I wouldn’t say I’m ambitious. I’m more of a family man than a career man.’
I slide across to sit on his lap and wrap my arms around his broad back. ‘I love you, Mr Perry.’
‘Love you too, Mrs Perry.’
As we kiss and I run my fingers through his hair, I make the decision that I’ll do whatever it takes to ensure that whoever it was who sent those photos will never come between me and my husband. My family means too much to me to let someone else’s twisted agenda destroy my life.
‘Right…’ Ed pulls away from our kiss and smooths my hair away from my face. ‘Much as I’d love to sit here all day snogging my hot wife, I have to go to work.’
I scowl and blow a raspberry. ‘Spoilsport.’
‘Someone has to be the grown-up.’ He grins.
‘Better you than me.’ I jump up off his lap. ‘Those children are being scarily quiet. Better go and see what’s happening.’
‘Stay here if you like. I’ll go and check on them,’ Ed says. ‘I want to say goodnight before I leave.’
‘Okay, thanks, babe. Have a good night.’
Ed goes next door and I hear him chatting to the children before he leaves for work. I sit back down at the kitchen table and take a sip of my tea, but it’s already gone cold. Now that Ed’s gone, the anxiety I’m feeling ramps up even more. Aside from being scary, this thing has the potential to completely ruin my life.
I can’t go to the police, because that would risk Ed finding out. My brother Ash is a cop, but he has strong morals and might not believe I’m telling the truth. I’ve always been a bit of a rebel and I wouldn’t blame him for thinking the worst of me. Even though I would never do anything like that. My family is sacred to me. No, I’ll have to get to the bottom of this without his help. I did send Kelly a couple of texts earlier to meet up for a chat…
I think I’m going to risk confiding in her. She’s always so caring and non-judgemental. She’ll know what to do for the best. I should probably wait until later when the children are in bed, but I can’t spend another moment with all these worries swilling around in my brain. I pick up my phone and call Kelly’s number. Even if we can’t talk properly now, I can ask if she’ll come over for a chat, maybe even for dinner. She could bring the boys over. Ryan and Sonny are never any trouble. Annoyingly, her phone goes straight to voicemail. But that’s fine, I’ll get hold of her eventually, and when I do, she’ll help me to come up with a plan. A way to get out of this mess.
But, even as I strengthen my resolve and try to act more positively, I can’t help feeling that things are slipping and sliding out of my control. That if I don’t do something soon, the life I’ve built will fall away, and I’ll be left with nothing.
Thirteen
Friday
KELLY
Derek has left me a box of jewellery to display on the counter. The pieces are delicate and pretty – a golden dragonfly brooch, several twisted silver rings and various coloured bracelets and clip-on earrings. As I attempt to hook them onto the stand, I wonder about their previous owner. Did the person grow tired of the pieces or was it someone who died and had no one