Page 125 of One Night Only
“I’m just tired.”
“We don’t have—”
“I want to see you guys,” I interrupt.
“Well, great.” She sighs down the phone. “Hey, can we talk for a few more minutes? I want Paul to think I’m mad at him so he’ll make me dinner.”
I close the laptop lid, the image of Fiona burned into mind. “No problem,” I say. “I could use the distraction.”
26
I almost cancel twice, torn between wanting to find out what the hell is going on and burying my head in the sand, but it would be worse not knowing.
I meet them as planned in Barbounia, a chic Mediterranean restaurant that Will and I do the occasional happy hour at. I arrive ten minutes early but the two of them are already there, seated at a table against the wall.
“Declan said the office plans are going well,” Annie says after we’ve hugged.
“It’s great you two are getting along,” Paul says. She’s obviously told him about Declan and me and he gives a cautioning glance at her smug smile.
“Yeah. Well.” I lean back as a waitress pours sparkling water into our glasses. “I wanted to talk to you two about that.”
Annie practically lights up in excitement but Paul frowns, watching me carefully. “Is everything okay?”
“No,” I say. “Yes.” I focus on him, steeling myself. It’s better to just get it over with. “Who’s Fiona?”
Annie’s still grinning at me but Paul grows instantly more guarded. Any lingering hope that I got it all wrong vanishes as soon as I see the look on his face.
“He told you about her?” Paul asks carefully.
“Not exactly.”
Annie glances between us. “Hello? Who’s Fiona?”
I keep my eyes on Paul, who now looks deeply uncomfortable. “Fiona was his wife,” he says after a beat.
“Whose wife?” Annie frowns.
“Declan’s.”
“Declan wasn’t married,” she scoffs. Nobody says anything. “Hang on…he wasmarried?”
Oh my God, she’s dead. I knew it. Iknewit. I sit up straighter, feeling a rush of sympathy for him. It’s all beginning to make sense now.
Annie tries and fails to mask her panic. “But he’s not still married, right?”
I take a breath. “She—”
“They’re separated,” Paul says and I stiffen.
“What?” I ask.
“They’vebeenofficiallyseparated for two years,” he continues. “They don’t see each other. As far as I know they don’t even talk.”
“She’s not dead?”
He looks at me, bewildered. “Not that I’m aware of.”
“Why do I not know about her?” Annie asks.
