My Husband's Wife by Amanda Prowse Read Free Book Online Page A

the Watersmeet Hotel, trying to ignore him, wanting to budge up and fill the spare two inches to her right, putting as much distance between them as possible but without him seeing.
    ‘Hello there.’ He craned his neck, trying to catch her eye.
    ‘Oh, hello!’ She looked over her shoulder, making out she’d only just noticed him.
    ‘Do you mind if I sit here? I know it’s a drag sometimes when you think you’ve got the place to yourself and along comes a random stranger.’
    ‘No, not at all!’ You big fat liar, Rosie.
    ‘Although we’re not complete strangers, are we? I thought it was you – it’s the big hair.’ He twirled his finger near his own. ‘You have lots of it!’
    She nodded. Yes she did.
    ‘You gave me quite a start earlier!’ He laughed now, seeing the funny side.
    ‘And you me.’ She smiled.
    ‘Well, sorry if I alarmed you. Just a few more hours and the place will be free for you to come and go as you please.’
    She gave a small nod. ‘I left in such a hurry, I didn’t get to empty the bins or check you were all right for towels.’ She felt the creep of embarrassment, regretting mentioning towels, considering how he had presented himself earlier.
    ‘Don’t you worry. I am more than capable of dealing with both. This is a lovely place to come and sit.’
    She nodded, glad of the verbal change in direction. The wind kicked up and the sharp breeze grazed her face.
    ‘It’s where I come to think.’
    ‘And here’s me interrupting you.’
    ‘No, not at all.’ This was less of a lie. With the awkwardness now gone, she was happy to chat to the grey-haired man, who actually seemed quite pleasant.
    ‘I love the view from here. I like watching for tankers on the horizon – they fascinate me. When you first see them, you can’t tell if they’re coming closer to you or moving further away. Isn’t that something?’
    ‘Yes it is.’ She nodded, having never considered this before.
    ‘Are you local?’ he asked, twisting on the bench to see her better.
    ‘Yes, I am. Born and bred, never lived anywhere else.’
    ‘What keeps you here?’
    She smiled at him, interested by his assumption that she wasn’t anchored to one place, that she could just up sticks and follow the breeze and live anywhere! Even the idea of it made her laugh. ‘Love keeps me here.’
    ‘Ah, that magic potion.’ He studied her grin.
    ‘Yep. Married for nearly twelve years now, two girls. So, yes, it’s love that keeps me here.’ She pictured the three people she loved most in the whole wide world and her heart soared. She couldn’t wait to see them later.
    ‘So, safe to say you like it here?’
    ‘Is this twenty questions?’ She watched his face turn puce. ‘Oh! I was only joking.’
    ‘No, you’re quite right, I do ask a lot of questions, I know. I’m sorry.’ He placed his palms on his thighs.
    ‘I’m only teasing. I do like it here very much.’ She shrugged, thinking how best to describe her relationship with Woolacombe. ‘It’s where the only people I know live. I can’t picture being anywhere else. I’ve been coming to sit on this bench for longer than I can remember and my mum used to do the same. I think that’s what first drew me to it.’ She smiled. ‘I used to bring my girls and their friends up here when they were toddlers. It was like trying to herd cats. They’d dart all over the grass and dip into the picnic bag and one of them would need a wee the moment we arrived, usually Naomi. They’d be dancing and laughing one minute, falling over and crying the next. I loved it, though: the mayhem, the busyness.’
    ‘What a lovely thing.’ He gave her a warm, genuine smile.
    ‘I’m lucky,’ she acknowledged.
    ‘Yes, you are, for many reasons, not least for having this, the most perfect spot to come sit. Especially today when we have been given this little gift, a bit of sunny residue, warm crumbs that the weather gods found in their pockets and decided to lob in our direction.