And then, during her first term at university, everything changed when she met Ash.
19
Over the next few days, Emilia has no choice but to try to put the recent events to the recesses of her mind. She’s busy preparing for her paperback launch of The Lost Man, and has received the edits on Her Last Chapter. She wants to work on them as quickly as possible so that she can send them to Hannah before her editor goes off on maternity leave. She buries herself in her book, grateful for the distraction, working long hours to get it finished.
Elliot arrives just two hours before they need to leave for her launch. She hasn’t long been home after picking up the kids from school and there is clutter everywhere, last night’s dinner plates still stacked in the sink, the kitchen table covered with Jasmine’s coursework, and half-cut card left over from Wilfie’s English project. She feels a flicker of guilt, then remembers how busy she’s been. Still, she goes about stacking the dishwasher as soon as she hears his key in the lock.
He looks tired but relieved to be home when he walks into the kitchen. He wraps his arms around her waist as she bends over the dishwasher rack and rests his cheek against her shoulder.
‘Can’t tell you how good it is to be home.’
She turns to hug him. ‘It’s great to have you back.’ All the anxiety she’s been feeling the last few days ebbs away and she relaxes into him, inhaling his familiar warm scent. He kisses her, then pulls away, asking where the kids are.
‘In the den. I’ve said they can come to the launch tonight.’
He frowns as he casts his eye around the room but he doesn’t say anything. ‘Great. I’ll just go and say hi to them.’ He leaves the kitchen and she continues stacking the dishwasher. When Elliot returns five minutes later he has both kids in tow. He must have told them to tidy up because they wordlessly, if reluctantly, begin packing away their things. Wilfie sighs at least five times as he gathers up the card. She bites back her irritation, wishing Elliot would relax for once and tell them about his trip rather than fixating on any mess.
‘Be ready for six,’ she calls to them, after they’ve finished and made a hasty retreat. She’s greeted with two grunts in response.
‘You could have made more fuss of the kids,’ she says, as soon as they’ve left the room. ‘Especially Wilf. He missed you when you were away.’
Elliot’s face falls. ‘Sorry … I wasn’t thinking. I’ve brought them gifts.’ He reaches into his bag and extracts two fluffy moose. He holds them up and makes them talk to each other in silly voices until she laughs. ‘I’ll go and give them to the kids.’
While he’s gone, she finishes clearing up. When he returns he looks more relaxed. He takes her hand. ‘Come on, let’s have five minutes to catch up before we have to leave.’ They head to the sofa and sit down. ‘So? What else happened while I was away?’
She crosses her ankles and tells him about the night Ottilie stayed over.
He runs a hand through his hair and pulls at his tie as though it’s strangling him. ‘I think we need some more security. You’ve changed the password for Alexa?’
‘Of course. I did that straight away. Made it more secure.’
‘Could someone have got hold of the original one?’
‘I don’t know. I can’t see how. I keep it, with others, on my phone and the kids don’t know it, but …’ She shrugs.
‘I’ll ask Dad about getting this place some proper security alarms,’ he says, reaching over and taking her hand. ‘Just to be on the safe side.’
The book launch is only for her close family and friends in a small, narrow independent bookshop called the Shop on the Corner in Richmond. They aren’t really her thing – she hates being the centre of attention and both her weddings had been small, intimate affairs – although with Jonas that had been because she was pregnant. Her friends have always encouraged her to do a book launch – although she knows that’s because it’s a good excuse for a get-together and a booze-up. She knows Elliot doesn’t really enjoy them, and he finds it difficult being in too close proximity to Jonas. He’s said before he doesn’t really understand why she always invites him and Kristin or why they come. But they are Jasmine’s family so, therefore, still part of hers. And it’s been years since she’s done a book launch.
‘Did you invite your mum and dad?’ asks Elliot, as he pours prosecco into glasses while they wait for people to begin arriving. Wilfie and Jasmine are slouched on the bookshop’s only sofa, already looking bored.
‘I did, but who knows if they’ll come?’ They’ve only made one launch, for her debut.
Elliot squeezes her arm in sympathy and she moves away when she sees her editor with her publicist, Ava, walk in. Hannah looks like she’s about to give birth at any minute and places a hand on her back as she greets Emilia. Ava, who is mid-twenties at the most, with waist-length dark hair and a ready smile, rearranges the stock of The Lost Man on the table.
It’s not long before the small bookshop is packed. Drummond, her agent, arrives with his very glamorous wife. Now both in their late sixties they were childhood sweethearts and still look very much in love. Ottilie is in the corner chatting to one of Emilia’s crime-writer friends, Rob. He’s handsome, single, and seems to be enjoying his chat with Ottilie, who has him almost pinned up against one of the bookcases. She looks fabulous in a low-cut red dress and matching lipstick, her long blonde hair gleaming. Emilia wishes she felt as confident in her new dress.
She glances around for Louise. She’d said she was going to pop in on her way back from work but she can’t spot her among the sea of faces. There are a few people she doesn’t recognize – maybe plus-ones of her friends – but her heart stutters at the sight of them. What if her stalker is here tonight? She remembers what the woman at the florist said about a man in his mid-thirties coming into the shop to place the order for the wreath. Emilia had called her back yesterday to ask if her colleague thought it was the same man who had placed the lilies order and it was. Is there anyone here matching that description? Her eyes roam the room and she almost jumps out of her skin when a hand clamps onto her shoulder.
It’s Elliot. She’s hardly seen him all evening. She knows he’s been with Wilfie. Nancy is here with her mum, Marcie, so at least Jasmine is occupied.
‘Are you all right?’ he asks her, his face full of concern.
She nods. ‘It’s just … I keep thinking, What if he’s here?’ She assumes it’s a he based on what the florist has told her.
‘Don’t let this ruin your night –’ He stops mid-flow as Kristin and Jonas walk in arm in arm and head straight for where Pam, the bookshop owner, is handing out drinks.
‘Be nice,’ Emilia warns her husband.
‘When am I ever not nice?’ He grins.
Emilia surveys the room. Despite the wet weather it’s warm in the shop, and people are packed quite closely together. The hum of a dozen conversations wafts over to her. ‘I was hoping Louise was here so I could introduce you. I hope she can make it. Shit. Look who’s just arrived.’