Trust Me - Sheryl Browne Page 0,28

up trouble between couples.’

‘But who? And why?’ Emily knitted her brow. Was it just that, someone trying to stir up trouble? Other than his constantly working late, she’d had no cause to think that Jake had been cheating on her, but add to that his many call-outs and that damn email … And he had reacted so angrily when she’d hinted she suspected something. Wouldn’t he have tried to reassure her, rather than go into defensive mode, if there was nothing to hide?

‘I don’t know, someone thwarted in love maybe?’ Sally suggested. ‘Someone with a grudge, determined that no one should be happy if they’re not? The contents of that letter are pretty bloody awful—’ She stopped abruptly as Jake, home early, amazingly, walked from the hall into the kitchen, catching them unawares.

‘What letter’s this?’ he asked, a curious expression on his face.

‘Jake!’ Sally exclaimed delightedly, distracting him as she walked back to the island, while Emily quickly scooped the letter into one of the drawers underneath. ‘We weren’t expecting you.’

‘I gathered.’ Jake smiled warily, his eyes travelling to the two wine bottles. And then over Sally, Emily noticed, with a stab of jealousy.

‘So are you going to enlighten me?’ he asked, his eyes back where they should be, on Sally’s face. Which was meticulously made up, as it always was. Emily was suddenly acutely aware of her own lack of make-up. Since finding the email, part of her thought she should make more of an effort with her appearance. Another part of her, though, told her there was no point. She was already hurting more than she’d thought possible. How hurt would she be if she tried to attract his attention only for him not to notice?

‘Sorry?’ Sally blinked, perplexed.

‘The awful letter,’ Jake said, placing his case at the end of the island and shrugging out of his jacket.

Sally’s eyes ran the length and breadth of him – Emily couldn’t help but notice that too – before gliding worriedly to hers. Working to still the green-eyed monster writhing inside her, which now seemed to be suspicious of everyone, she signalled her friend not to share the information with a quick shake of her head. She intended to talk to Jake, but later, when they were alone, when she’d decided how much to disclose. She’d told herself she hadn’t mentioned the email to him because she’d needed more proof. Because she didn’t want the children to have to cope with the fallout. But now she wondered whether she was doing what she’d promised herself not to, burying her head and hoping it would all go away. It wouldn’t. The doubt would never go if she didn’t talk to him and give him the opportunity to explain. Assuming there was anything to explain. There might not be – she felt a kernel of hope unfurl inside her – if, as Sally said, the email and the letter had been sent by some twisted individual with a grudge. But why target Jake and Natasha? Try as she might, Emily couldn’t ignore that link.

‘Oh, just work gossip. You know what we girls can be like.’ Getting the message, Sally deflected Jake’s question and perched herself back on her stool.

‘You’re back early.’ Changing the subject, Emily arranged her face into a bright smile. She would drive everyone away at this rate, including her best friend. Plus, she was desperate for Jake to look at her anything but guardedly. He knew she was worried; he’d always been able to sense that kind of thing. When she’d been so upset about Millie’s childhood asthma diagnosis, he’d been there, strong, professional, reassuring. When she’d been devastated thinking she might be losing Ben six months into her pregnancy, he’d been there for her, so supportive, such care and kindness in his eyes, she wouldn’t have got through it without him. Was he avoiding full-on eye contact now out of guilt? Because he didn’t want to acknowledge how crushed she would be to find out he was cheating on her? But how unfair was she being expecting him to read her mind? She had to talk to him, however painful it might be.

‘I had a call-out.’ He draped his jacket over his case, ran a hand tiredly across his neck and then walked around to press a light kiss to her cheek, which was at least something. ‘I came straight home rather than go back to the surgery.’

‘Oh?’ Emily glanced up at him, uneasiness prickling her skin as she