The One Before the One by Katy Regan Read Free Book Online Page A

awkward smile, and starts to walk over.
    ‘Bloody bugger!’ I say, squinting at him.
    ‘Caroline,’ says Lexi. ‘Language, please!’
    Martin grins sheepishly and waves as he walks over, that same slightly lolloping walk of his. ‘Unavoidable appointment’? Likely story!
    ‘Hello, you.’ He’s standing right in front of us now, holding out his barbecue prongs like we should shake them or something. ‘I didn’t expect to see you here, Caro.’
    He’s had his hair cut since I last saw him three weeks ago, into a bizarre little quiff that doesn’t really suit him. However, he’s tended to it like he does to everything, with meticulous precision so that it is a perfectly symmetrical, topiary-like construction on the top of his head.
    ‘Clearly, Martin Squire. So what’s the unavoidable appointment, then?’ I prod him jokily in the stomach. ‘A barbecue with your mates? You could have just said.’
    ‘I know I could, it’s just …’
    ‘Sorry, you know Lexi, my sister, don’t you?’ I say, when I can see he’s struggling. ‘Lexi, you remember Martin?’
    ‘Oh yeah, I remember Martin.’ I shoot her a look – why the rude tone? Oh. I know why the rude tone. ‘We met a few times,’ she carries on. I feel the blood rise in my cheeks. ‘The last time when you were actually
engaged
to my sister.’
    Martin’s eyes dart to mine. Mine dart to the floor. Why didn’t I just tell her it was me who broke off our engagement?
    ‘So, er, how’s tricks, Caro?’ says Martin, after a very awkward pause. ‘Just having a walk?’
    ‘We’ve been to see an art exhibition, actually.’ Lexi folds her arms, indignantly. ‘It was at the Pulp House—’
    ‘The Pump House, Lexi.’
    ‘It was brilliant, really inspiring.’
    God, Lexi, just shut the fuck up.
    ‘You should go if you get the chance, although probably best to go with someone, you know, if you can.’
    ‘Right,’ says Martin, staring at me with something combining boy-caught-out and confusion. This is dreadful.
    We stand in awkward silence until I see a blonde, plumpishgirl in flip-flops and a cotton shirt dress walking towards us, smiling.
    ‘Hello …’ She puts her arm around Martin’s back. A girlfriend?! Martin has a girlfriend?
    ‘Oh, hello P.’ P? Pee?! Bloody hell, were they already on pet names and he hasn’t even told me he’s seeing someone? ‘You made me jump. Caroline, Lexi this is Polly. Polly, this is Caroline and her sister, Lexi.’
    ‘Hi!’ She smiles. She has a ruddy complexion, well-bred teeth and earnest, uncomplicated eyes.
    ‘Hi,’ I say, my face fixed into something I hope resembles friendliness. I look over at Lexi, urging her to say the same, but she’s chewing the inside of her cheek and looking Polly up and down.
    ‘Anyway …’ I say
    ‘Anyway,’ agrees Martin.
    ‘We’d better get going.’
    ‘Yes, we’ve got so much to fit in today,’ says Lexi. ‘Shopping, having dinner …’
    ‘Nice to meet you, anyway, Polly,’ I say, squeezing Lexi’s hand tighter. ‘Have a lovely barbecue.’
    ‘We will,’ says Martin, somewhat feebly.
    And then we carry on across the park, and the soundtrack of a summer’s day in London – planes flying into Heathrow, roller-bladers’ shrieks of delight, the laughter of friends on picnic rugs – is drowned out by the sound of my brain trying to fathom how I feel about what just happened.

CHAPTER SIX
     
    After a bus ride, where Lexi goes on about how I am so much prettier than Polly and how Martin wanted me back, she could see it in his eyes, we end up in a Mexican on the King’s Road.
    Lexi studies me over her menu, twiddling her fringe. ‘Are you all right?’ she asks.
    ‘Me? Fine.’
    ‘Are you upset about Polly?’
    ‘No.
No,’
I say, totally unconvincingly. ‘It was going to happen sooner or later.’ Although I didn’t expect it quite so soon. We only split up last September. That’s nine months ago. Nine months to get over a fourteen-year