Take a Chance on Me by Jill Mansell Read Free Book Online Page A

Stay there, I’ll get you another one.’
    By the time he returned from the kitchen, Abbie was in tears again.
    ‘Sorry, I don’t know where it’s all coming from.’ She fumbled for another tissue. ‘This must be the most boring night of your life.’
    ‘Don’t be silly. We’re friends, aren’t we?’ He sat back down. ‘You’ve had a rotten thing happen and you don’t deserve it.’
    A rotten thing happen. Well, that was one way of putting it. But he was trying so hard to help. And it was comforting to know that he was on her side.
    ‘I don’t know what to do.’ Abbie’s voice broke. ‘I still can’t believe he did it. I can’t believe this is h-happening… I just want to hurt him like he’s hurt me…’
    ***
    Oh no. Oh God. The moment Abbie opened her eyes, the events of the night before came flooding back in technicolor detail.
    Every single detail .
    Her stomach clenched with horror, she gazed at the unfamiliar curtains and felt the unfamiliar arm draped over her side, the warm breath on the back of her neck. How had she got herself into this situation? Except she already knew the answer to that. Fueled by the second half-pint mug of mostly brandy with a dash of lemonade, she had carried on ranting and raving while Des had been… well, lovely, really. Kind, patient, and endlessly understanding. Until finally she’d cried, ‘I mean, how would Tom like it if I did it to him?’ and Des had gazed wordlessly into her eyes until the penny finally dropped.
    If she was honest, there had always been a frisson of attraction between them. Not that either of them would ever have dreamed of doing anything about it, simply because that wasn’t the kind of people they were. She was a respectable, happily married woman, and Des had respected that.
    But now, after all this, well, why shouldn’t it happen? A combination of alcohol and the desire for revenge was what had propelled her to do it. She had leaned over and kissed him. That was all, just a kiss, but Des had responded with alacrity. They’d kissed some more and it had felt strange, but it was a way of getting back at Tom, so she’d carried on. Then, after a while in Des’s arms, the slippery leather sofa has become uncomfortable and he’d helped her to her feet, leading her through to the bedroom. By that stage, the alcohol had well and truly kicked in. Recklessly, she’d almost made up her mind to have sex with him . There you go, Tom, see how you like that . But when it came down to it, she hadn’t been able to see it through. Des had taken off his shirt, but by the time he attempted to unfasten her buttons, she was already shaking her head and pulling away, saying no, no, sorry but no. And to his eternal credit, he hadn’t pressed her to change her mind. He had stopped at once, comforted her when she started sobbing all over again, and told her that it didn’t matter, just being here with her was enough. Not long after that, overwrought and exhausted and unaccustomed to the alcohol she’d drunk, she’d fallen asleep in his arms.
    Still fully clothed, thank God.
    Abbie blinked and shifted to the edge of the bed. Her mouth tasted sour and last night’s torrent of tears had left her eyes sore and gritty, as if they’d been sandpapered by a deranged carpenter. The clock on the bedside table showed that it was ten to six. Outside, the sky was still pitch black; it wouldn’t start to get light for another hour.
    ‘Where are you off to?’
    Guiltily, she turned and saw that Des had been watching her. If last night had been embarrassing, this morning already felt worse. ‘Sorry, did I wake you? I need to get home.’
    ‘You don’t have to. You’re welcome to stay.’
    He was her boss. She had led him on and nearly-but-not-quite slept with him. And he was still being kind. Feeling sick and dreading Tom’s return from his fishing trip this evening, Abbie said, ‘Thanks, but I want to go.’
    ‘I’ll give you a lift.’ He began to throw