‘That’s fine. Cool. I said I’d ask. So I’ve … asked.’
‘You totally did.’ My tone was sarcastic-cheery. ‘Consider me asked. Okay, see ya!’
I was suddenly in a terrible mood but it took a while to narrow it down to offended. Yes, I was offended by the presumption implicit in his suggestion that I had forgiven him. Did he really think it would be that easy? Like, without any apology or explanation? Because – why? Because six years had passed and there was a statute of limitations on Shitty Things Done by Ex-Husbands?
It didn’t work like that.
‘What’s going on?’ Quin asked.
‘It was Luke. He wants us to go on a double date, just like you predicted.’
‘Damn, I’m good! So what do you –’
‘I need to talk to Nola. Sorry.’
As I left the room, Nola’s phone already ringing, Quin called after me, ‘There were three of us in that marriage!’
‘Nola?’ I said. ‘Let me tell you what’s just …’
When she was all caught up, I said, ‘The last time I saw Luke I was crying in the street and begging him to stay. Like, begging, Nola. And he thinks I’m just going to forget everything and go for a friendly thin-crust with him and his new lady love.’
‘Hot coal,’ she said.
‘No!’
‘Holding onto your anger is like holding a hot coal in your hand.’
‘I am not meeting up with Luke and his lady love.’
‘Why are you calling her that? You like her!’
‘I … don’t know. Look. Even if I got through the dinner without crying, I’d be in pieces afterwards. Anyway, I’ve got as much healing as I’m ever going to get. I can live with the rest.’
‘For the past few years I’ve been telling you to Golden Key the Luke question. The universe would untangle things when the time was right – if it was meant to be. He’s here, he’s willing to see you, this is an opportunity you’d be a fool to turn down.’
Nola was very wise and well intentioned. But I knew myself better than anyone – my limits, my weak spots. ‘It took me a long time but I’ve found a way to live happily again. That’s precious.’
‘But you’re stuck.’ She sounded serious, almost angry. ‘You need to sort this shit out.’ Nola was always misleadingly blithe, full of sing-song suggestions rather than stern orders. This was the most forceful I’d heard her in a long time.
‘Quin’s never going to go for it.’
‘Try him.’
‘How solid are we?’ Quin asked.
‘Hundred per cent.’
‘Okay. Then I wouldn’t mind meeting him.’
‘Seriously?’ I was dismayed. ‘But you don’t like Kallie.’
‘I don’t trust her, that’s different. And I’m …’ He spread his hands. ‘I want to know what he’s like. Just need to check that I’m more built and better-looking than him.’
‘You are.’ Objectively speaking, Luke was good-looking but Quin’s cast-iron confidence was very sexy. And, unlike Luke, Quin was lovely to me.
‘Ah yeah, I know that.’ Quin grinned. ‘Look, I’m curious about him. What’s the harm in meeting up?’
I heaved out a sigh. ‘Your competitiveness has a lot to answer for.’
‘How do you feel about it?’
‘I can’t think of anything more awful. And I want to go. Which doesn’t make sense, but that’s how it is.’
‘So we’ll do it. Call him back.’
When Luke answered, I blurted, ‘Tell Kallie we’ll have dinner with you.’
‘Oh. Sure. When?’
‘Tuesday evening.’ Then I said, ‘It’s going to be exhausting.’
After a silence, he said, ‘Likely. But probably still worth doing.’
‘Have you been talking to Nola? No, never mind, nothing. Okay, where should we go?’
‘How was the fermented hay place?’
That was typical Luke – no clue about how hard it would be to get in there.
‘Forget I said that,’ he added. ‘I don’t want to eat fermented hay.’
‘It was delicious.’ Actually, it hadn’t been bad. ‘You can see pictures of it on Quin’s Insta.’
‘Doesn’t matter.’
That was one of the things I’d forgotten – Luke wasn’t very adventurous.
‘I’ll book a place and text you,’ I said. ‘Any dietary requirements?’