Page 1 of Heal You
Chapter1
Humming lightlyas she tilted her face towards the sun, Jan rested against the bonnet of her car and smiled.God, she loved pleasant weather.More than anything, she loved pleasant weatherandgood people.Friends, family, even her employees most of the time.
Today was the beginning of a new week, and Jan had everything to look forward to.She had a husband who had dedicated every second of his time to her over the weekend, and she planned to see Gillian and Finn in a couple of days.What more could she need right now?
Oh, you have it all.
Jan pushed off her car and took the steps up to the office.Gillian, her best friend, often told her she was out of her mind to be stepping over gravel in her expensive heels, but this was all second nature to Jan Bartlett.All she had known for over twenty years was this.The business.The daily commute down the motorway to deal with plant hire and housing developments.
“Love?”Phil opened the door to his office—an outside portacabin —that he was currently residing in while his usual one was being refurbished.He swapped and changed depending on his mood, but he would know about it the moment the summer arrived.He would be cooking in that tin can.“Can you bring me the files on The Mews development when you have a minute?I forgot to pick them up when I got here earlier.”
“Of course.Give me ten to get my things sorted, and I’ll be over.”
“Thanks.”Phil regarded Jan with a loving smile, his gaze lingering.“You look gorgeous today, by the way.”
Jan smiled to herself as she allowed the compliment to sink in.“Thank you.I’d say the same back at you, but you’ve always been a handsome bastard, and that’ll never change.”
Phil winked and turned back inside the cabin.He had been extra attentive this weekend, surprising Jan at the last minute with a spa weekend on the outskirts of the city.It had been just what they’d needed, given how busy they’d been recently.Jan didn’t require much in the way of relaxation, but shedidneed a day or two to recharge on occasion.
She quickly rushed inside her own office and took her phone from her handbag the moment she was sitting behind her desk.Gillian had wanted an update on the hotel they’d just been to, and if Jan didn’t take care of that right now, Gillian would be calling her for most of the day.
Hotel was amazing!The treatments were exceptional.Throw the hint to Finn and I’ll expect a call from her for hotel details soon.Love ya!x
Jan locked her phone and looked up at the door when someone knocked.She caught sight of Gareth through the small window and waved him inside.Gareth was one of the business’ couriers who handled the delivery of office supplies.He was here at least twice a week, usually delivering reams and reams of paper or ink cartridges.
“Hi, Gareth.”Jan sat back in her seat and clasped her hands on her knee as she crossed her legs.“Nice weekend?”
“He…hasn’t told you.”
Jan frowned.“I’m sorry?Who hasn’t told me what?”
Gareth’s face had suddenly turned very pale.Jan’s concern was instant, so she shot from her seat and helped Gareth into the one on the opposite side of her desk.
“I’m sorry, Jan.I really didn’t want to be the one to do this.”He scrubbed a hand down his face as his voice broke.“Fucking coward!”
“Okay, take a breath, and tell me what’s going on.”Jan returned to her seat and perched her elbows on her desk.She had no idea what Gareth was talking about, but he seemed almost…haunted by whatever this was.“Has something happened?Are your family okay?”
“Y-yeah.Mum is doing really well, and Dad has been a diamond looking after her.”
Jan smiled.Gareth’s mum had recently undergone treatment for cancer.Jan and Phil had given him any time he needed off so Gareth could be there for appointments, so to hear that things were going well was always a plus.“That’s great news.Please send them our love, won’t you?”
Gareth stared at Jan.That look on his face hadn’t changed.It was only growing worse.“I, uh… I caught them, Jan.In bed together.”
Jan smiled.“Caught who?”
“Anais and Phil.”
Jan sat forward a little.She thought for a second that Gareth had said her husband’s name.No, he couldn’t have done.“Anais and who?”
“Phil.Your Phil.”
Jan laughed, mostly with nerves…but also because that just couldn’t be true.“My Phil?No, you have it wrong.We’ve just been away for the weekend to a spa hotel.It wasn’t him.”
“It…was last weekend.”Gareth swallowed as his eyes filled with tears.“She told me she was away with friends for the weekend, so I decided to stay with Mum and Dad.Give Dad a break, you know?”He shook his head.“I called home on the Saturday morning because I’d forgotten my razor and wash bag.They were there, in bed together.”
Jan’s heart sank.Phil had also been away from home last weekend.Only for Jan, that was nothing out of the ordinary.Phil often travelled for work, usually to finalise contracts or to source land for new developments.Still… “No, you have it wrong.Phil would never cheat on me.We’re celebrating our twenty-fifth wedding anniversary in a few months.W-we’re taking our friends away on a cruise.”
Only you haven’t booked that cruise yet.
