In Too Deep by Simon McCleave

Author:Simon McCleave [McCleave, Simon]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2022-11-07T12:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 28

Having reversed his car next to Nell’s on the drive, Gareth sat watching the rain falling steadily into the dark sea. The terrible grim simplicity of the scene matched his mood. There was a dark line on the horizon, which was the only thing that distinguished the sea from the sky. A muted, faintly radiant grey.

Catching his reflection in the rear-view mirror, Gareth felt a dart of shame. He wasn’t particularly enamoured with the man who looked back at him at this precise moment. He mulled over his decision to lie to Laura half an hour earlier. His whole body sank at the thought. Maybe he should have come clean and faced whatever the consequences were. But he was too much of a coward, wasn’t he. And he didn’t want her to storm out of his life before she’d ever really become part of it. However, now he had to continue with the guilt of what he’d done nagging away at his conscience.

Getting out of the car, he felt the rain on his head and on the back of his neck. It was refreshingly cold. He jogged to the front door and then hesitated for a second. Nell’s car was on the drive, so he assumed she was inside. He had no idea what to say to her or if they were just going to pretend that nothing had happened.

He opened the front door and could immediately feel that the house was baking hot. That’s the way Nell had always liked it. Heating on full blast until it was unbearable. He was the opposite. He found the heat oppressive, even claustrophobic, and used to walk around the house in a T-shirt and shorts in the depths of winter.

‘Hello?’ he called in a cheery voice.

His head was a mess of thoughts, resolutions and plans that changed by the minute. They seemed to have a life of their own.

‘In here,’ she said in a rather monotone voice.

He took off his shoes and shook the rain from his coat – he was stalling for time. Time for what? He had no idea. Actually, if he were honest, he didn’t really want to see her.

Padding down the hallway, he made his way to the kitchen where Nell had called from. She had her back to him and the smell of perfume hit him. As she turned to look at him, he could see she was fully made-up and dressed in clothes that implied she was going out. She had a glass of wine in her hand. It was as if she’d never left.

Jesus! What the hell is going on?

‘Going somewhere?’ he enquired.

‘I’m off out to meet a friend for a drink,’ she stated in a withering tone.

Oh my God, I’ve been transported back nine months in time!

‘Okay. Are you up to going out?’ he asked.

‘Yes, of course I am. I’ve been rattling around here all day, so I need to go out.’ She frowned as if it were a stupid question.

He looked at her and could see that she’d done a good job of using make-up to conceal her bruised eye.

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