Page 72 of The In-Laws

Frank came over and sat beside her. ‘I’m sorry. I know how much you wanted him on the books.’

She exhaled deeply. ‘Yep, I really did. I thought if I signed Petrus, I’d have really made it. People would take notice and it would make me one of the top agents globally.’ She suddenly felt as if she wanted to cry.

Frank reached over and held her hand. ‘You’re a legend in my eyes, Melanie. You already have a big prize-winner in Sloane. And you’re inundated with manuscripts. Don’t worry, you’ll find a Booker Prize-winner, and you’re already hugely respected.’

Melanie smiled at him. ‘Thanks.’ Frank had always known how to reassure her when she had a wobble. It was one of his super-powers – empathy oozed from his every pore.

They sat in silence and then Frank said, ‘Actually, there was something I wanted to talk to you about.’

Oh, no. When Frank wanted to talk it was usually about her needing to spend more time at home or with the twins …

‘I think it’s fair to say that we have been drifting a bit. I miss you and I miss us. I feel that the intimacy in our relationship could do with a boost. So I’ve booked us a private Tantric sex class. I know it’s out of your comfort zone and I promise you it’s not naked guided sex or anything like that. This practitioner is all about helping couples to reconnect with each other. If at any point you feel uncomfortable, we’ll stop. I think it’s worth a try to help us find each other again. What do you say?’

Melanie would normally have dismissed it, put it off or just said no. But she was tired and feeling down, and Frank was so kind and good, and he was right: they had drifted miles apart and sex was a distant memory. She had just felt her sex drive spark up and die again, but at least she had felt something, even if it had been for another man. She did not want to do this, it most certainly was out ofher comfort zone, but she felt guilty for giving Frank so little time. She owed it to him, and to their marriage, to give it a go.

She squeezed his hand. ‘You’ve caught me at a weak moment. Okay, I’ll do it, but if it gets in any way weird, I’m out.’

Frank wrapped his arms around her and she snuggled into his shoulder. He smelt familiar and comforting.

Her phone buzzed.

Frank pulled back and stood up. ‘Go on, I know you want to get it.’

‘Thank you!’ She smiled at him.

He left the room and she opened the email. It was from a children’s author called Ruby Rose, asking to meet for a chat about Melanie possibly representing her. She said in her email that she lived in London, but she wanted the meeting to take place at the Fitzroy Agency office. Curious, Melanie typed ‘Ruby Rose’ into the search bar and clicked. A string of images filled her screen.

Melanie sat back in her seat, shocked. Oh, my God! She recognized her immediately. It was her! It was the woman she’d seen Ross arguing with at the Goldstone awards. The woman who’d slapped him across the face. And she wanted to come here, to the office. Melanie stared at Ruby Rose, smiling out at her from behind her latest novel for children. What was going on?

25. Amanda

Amanda studied Ruby Rose’s Instagram page. She was flaunting her baby bump in every perfectly posed photo. There was one of her at pregnancy yoga and she had captioned it:28 weeks gone and blooming … huge. She looked very glowy and young and, frankly, smug. Thank God she hadn’t named Ross as the father yet. She told her followers that thebaby-daddy is still a secret … for now. It felt like a veiled threat.

Amanda stared at the trees outside her bedroom window, a room she spent far too much time hiding in. The autumn leaves had fallen and winter had set in. Bare branches, grey skies and a whole lot of rain. It suited her mood. Bleak. What were they going to do when this baby was born? Whatever the circumstances, the baby was an innocent victim and Ross needed to step up. But how could they ever afford a nice house here in Dublin with a child to support in London? Would Ross have to fly over every few weeks to spend time with his baby? And, if so, where would he stay? Would he end up rekindling his relationship with Ruby? A gorgeous young mother was a lot more enticing than a furious, hurt, paranoid, peri-menopausal wife. If they broke up, what happened to her, and to Theo, and what kind of future would she have? Would she meet anyone else or live alone for ever? What kind of job could she get? Stacking shelves in Tesco was about all she was qualified for at this stage. She felt panic grip her again and knew she needed to do something to fend off a panic attack.

Amanda dragged herself off the bed and went downstairs. Theo was hunched over his phone at the kitchen counter, eating toast.

Ross was standing at the end of the counter, shouting, ‘Take those bloody AirPods out.’

Theo ignored him.

‘Theo!’ Ross roared.

Amanda, sensing a huge row brewing, tapped her son on the shoulder. ‘Take them out,’ she said quietly.

Theo pulled the AirPods out of his ears. ‘What?’ He looked at his father coldly.

‘I’m trying to talk to you is what. Do you have any idea how rude it is to sit there with those in? It’s disrespectful.’

‘Okay, they’re out now.’ Amanda tried to smooth things over.

‘Disrespectful?’ Theo asked.

‘Yes, extremely,’ Ross answered. ‘Your midterm test results have come in and they are not good, Theo, not good at all. You need to get your head down and start studying, because you won’t get any decent course in university with these useless grades. Pull up your socks, for Christ’s sake. You’ve already messed up your education once.’

‘Disrespectful?’ Theo asked again.

Ross glared at him. ‘Are you deaf? Yes, disrespectful.’

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