He shrugged. ‘I don’t know, Em. I guess I knew it was coming. Some time, some when.’
‘Why do you say that?’
‘I’ve told you before. You’re way out of my league.’ He shrugged again.
‘No. It’s the other way around. I don’t deserve you. You’re special and I’m ruined. I was ruined when we met and there was nothing you could do to change that,’ she spoke.
He nodded, shuffled his feet and then locked eyes again.
‘Is he Dominic’s father?’ The question hung in the air, silence shrouding it only slightly.
What should she say? Should she tell him the truth? Didn’t he deserve something?
She nodded then and swallowed, dipping her head and avoiding his eyes. When she finally lifted her head back up, Chris was looking resigned.
‘I just knew… a sixth sense or something.’
‘I hadn’t seen him or had any contact since Dominic. He just turned up, opening Ally’s fitness centre and…’
‘You’re still in love with him,’ Chris finished for her.
She couldn’t respond. This was the hardest conversation she’d ever had. Her heart wasn’t just breaking for Chris; it was breaking for the loss of the relationship. There had been nothing bad about it. Chris had been everything a boyfriend should be. He just hadn’t been Guy.
‘What happened with you two way back then? Before Dominic?’ he asked.
Emma shut her eyes. This was the problem. You gave someone some information and it was never enough. They always wanted more. Like Ally wanting to know the names of all those boys she said she’d slept with.
‘I can’t, Chris.’
‘Why not? I mean, I can’t say this is great for me but for Dominic… he gets to meet his dad after all this time,’ Chris said.
‘No. No, Chris, you mustn’t say anything to Dominic about this.’
Now she was petrified. She shouldn’t have said anything. It was all very well trying to lessen the blow on someone’s feelings but not if it was going to cost her her relationship with Dominic.
‘I don’t understand. You’re going to get back together, aren’t you? It looked very much like that from where I was standing at the stadium,’ he snapped.
Now he was angry and she was glad. Having him feel sorry for her when their relationship was crumbling before his eyes was far worse than any of his rage.
She didn’t say anything. She didn’t know what to say now. She had said too much again.
Chris stepped closer to her and put a hand on her arm.
‘You’ve got one amazing boy up there. Do one thing for me. Do the right thing by him.’
His voice cracked at the end of the last sentence and Emma let out an anguished sob as Chris opened the door to the hallway. He was leaving. He was leaving her. She closed her eyes, then hearing the front door open, she dashed after him.
‘Chris!’
He stopped in the doorway, turned to look at her, tears streaking his cheeks.
‘Take care of yourself, Emma.’ He paused, took a breath. ‘And take care of Dominic.’
With those words said, he left, closing the door for the last time.
*
He could hear laughing and voices chattering excitedly as he entered the house. Madeleine was obviously entertaining. She had done that a lot in France. Usually it was women like her, drinking too much, eating too little and discussing what was ‘hot’ or ‘not’. He slipped off his jacket, hanging it over the banister before moving towards the kitchen.
‘Guy!’ Madeleine greeted in excited tones. She threw her hands in the air and teetered towards him. She was wearing her favourite pair of Blahniks. He only knew what they were because he’d bought them for her and they’d cost close to a thousand Euros.
As she kissed both his cheeks he noticed her guests. Gabriella was there and…
He stepped out of Madeleine’s embrace and took another pace backwards.
‘Hello, Guy. You’ve come at the right time. I was just telling the girls here a few stories about La Baume,’ Keith greeted, raising his wine glass.
‘I’ve just remembered. I have left something at the club. Merde! My phone again. I should go and get it,’ he started, concentrating on Madeleine.
‘What? But you’ve only just arrived. It can wait. Come and sit with us. We are discussing the designs. Keith has some wonderful suggestions about the trim,’ Madeleine said, pulling his arm.
‘It’s looking gorgeous,’ Gabriella commented.
How was he going to leave? It would raise questions. What was he going to do? Keith had a self-satisfied smile on his face