Page 93 of The Art of Loving You

‘Why are any of us here?’

‘Do you think …’ I’d given this a lot of thought. ‘Do you think you’re stuck here until you’ve completed something?’

‘If it’s until we’ve finished this house I’ll be here forever.’

‘Hey! Have you seen the first floor?’ We fell back into banter as though everything was normal but it wasn’t. ‘What if it’s something else?’ I had been endlessly speculating. ‘Perhaps I’m in danger and you’re here to—’

‘You’re right!’ Jack said. ‘It’s exactly that.’

‘It is?’ I was nervous.

‘But before I can dramatically save you we have to seductively fashion something out of clay so nip out and buy a potter’s wheel.’

This time my smile was genuine. ‘I absolutely wasn’t thinking of Patrick Swayze inGhost.’

‘You absolutely were.’

I laughed. ‘Remember how hard Sam tried to let Molly know he was still around.’

‘How could I forget the utter concentration on his face?’ Jack tilted his chin and wore an odd expression.

‘Patrick looked sexy, you just look like you’re trying not to fart.’

‘Yeah. And you looksodesirable in your panda slippers.’

I stretched out my legs and wiggled my feet so the bears’ ears flapped.

From the hallway outside came a fake cough. The sound of shuffling feet.

Shit.

I’d been so caught up in Jack I hadn’t heard the front door open.I threw a worried glance towards the door and then back at Jack.

He’d already gone.

I was torn between fury and embarrassment. How dare someone let themselves in and just stand there listening. It must be Mum or Alice. I dashed out into the hallway. Alice was making a show of unlacing her dripping trainers. Easing them off one by one. Faking a reason to have been loitering. She usually left her shoes on, wet or not.

‘I didn’t know you’d let yourself in. Again.’ My tone was accusatory, my raised voice blanketing my shame – not at talking to Jack, but at being caught talking to Jack. My family were already desperately worried about me. I knew Alice wouldn’t get it and she didn’t.

‘Libby?’ She was cautious. ‘Were you speaking to Jack again?’

‘You must stop using the key. It was for emergencies.’

Alice offered me a smile; it was too bright, almost a grimace. ‘Who were you speaking to, Libs?’

She made no move to peer around the door to see if there was anyone there. She knew that there wasn’t.

‘Jack.’ There was a defiant tilt to my chin.

‘But …’ Alice breathed out heavily. Pasted on another smile. ‘We talked about this. Mum talked to you about this. She’s upset so I’ve come to reason with you but now … That was more than saying Jack’s name. It sounded like quite a lively conversation?’

‘I’m not mad.’

‘I know but—’

‘You talk to your baby. I’ve heard you. Rubbing your belly. Telling her all the things she will see when she’s born.’

‘It’s not the same.’

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