Faithful by Louise Bay Read Free Book Online Page A

bottle of wine and while I’m gone you can decide whether I’m going to have to interrogate you or if you are going to explain willingly what is going on, Leah.”
    “ No waterboarding will be necessary. Get some wine.” There was no point in trying to pretend the flowers were from Charlie. Anna knew him better than that.
    In the end , I told Anna that Daniel and I had met for a drink to reminisce about old times and that Daniel had indicated he was interested but I can been clear that I was engaged. I didn’t mention the subsequent email exchange. She seemed satisfied and didn’t push things further. I think it helped that she had other news.
    “So, you know how Fran has been really moody recently and not drinking?” I was only half -listening while wondering whether Anna had really dropped her questioning of Daniel and me.
    “Leah, are you listening? Fran is pregnant .”
    “Are you serious?” I whispered loudly.
    “Totally and completely serious. She’s about three months apparently. She told me last night because I confronted her about her weird behavior.”
    “Is it the DJ ’s? Or that barman’s? Does she know?”
    “She said she was pretty sure that it was some random guy she met in a club one night . I don’t think she’s holding out much hope that he’s going to make an honest woman of her. I don’t think she’s even planning to tell him. I don’t know. It’s a lot to take in for her, I guess.”
    Fran didn’t want anyone knowing , so I was instructed by Anna to pretend I didn’t know until she was ready to tell me.
    Discussions over Fran’s situation took the rest of the bottle of wine , and, as selfish as it was, it was a welcome distraction to the Daniel drama that was going on in my head. Not that that would last for long.
    I checked my personal email in the cab on the way home. There it was: another message from Daniel, and the end of my distraction. I felt relief knowing he hadn’t given up. Would he want us to meet again?
    I dreamt of you last night. I dreamt of you in my bed, of the taste of your skin, the sounds you made as I touched you and your beautiful face as I made you come. x
    M y stomach flipped and my cheeks blushed. I’d never had a man be that direct with me before and it was, well, hot. We were dreaming of each other now. I felt like he was running at me at 100 miles an hour and I wasn’t sure whether to get out of the way or stand here while he crashed into me.
    Charlie was in front of the TV when I got in, his feet up on the coffee table and a beer in his hand.
    “Hey, there. Did you have a good night with Anna?”
    I couldn’t look at him. I was convinced the he would be able to read my expression and see that I was thinking about someone else. I needed to pull his focus from me. I needed to think about something else.
    “Yes, it was great. But oh my goodness, Charlie, you will never believe it. Fran has gone and got herself pregnant.”
    He actually turned to look at me. “What do you mean? No she hasn’t.”
    I really shouldn’t have told Charlie, I wasn’t supposed to tell anyone. I was just desperate for us to be talking about anything other than us.
    “So whose baby is it? Is she going to keep it?” Charlie went on.
    “I don’t know, and I think so. She wants to do it on her own, apparently. Anyway, I’m tired. I’m going to bed. Are you coming?” I really hoped he said no.
    “No, I’m going to finish watching this . I’ll be in in a bit.”
    I went into the bathroom, locked the door, and took out my phone to read that email again.
    ***
    The weekend passed without me replying to Daniel and without him emailing again. Other than going to a birthday dinner for a friend of Charlie’s on Saturday night, Charlie and I didn’t spend much time together. I went to the gym. Charlie seemed to spend most of Saturday in the office and then in bed on Sunday.
    Things were strained between us on Saturday night , but maybe I was making more of it than was