The weather was dry, and extremely warm when the sun showed its face. They strolled down The Mall to see Buckingham Palace, then along the Strand to the Houses of Parliament. A quick look at the outskirts of Westminster Abbey, and then a walk across the bridge and onto the Southbank to grab a late lunch.
Jack feigned collapsing into his chair when they sat down outside a restaurant with only a few tables empty. ‘I must have walked twenty thousand steps! I’m going to be fit for nothing later.’
Ava grinned. ‘I wasn’t planning on wearing you out, not yet anyway.’
‘I’ll aways have enough energy for that.’ Jack leaned over and kissed her. ‘Shall we have something light, seeing as we’re eating early this evening with Georgia?’
Ava nodded. They perused the menu, and then a waitress took their order. While Jack nipped to the bathroom, Ava relaxed back in her chair, closing her eyes as a blast of sun hit her face. Bliss.
‘Ava?’
A ripple of dread washed over her. She opened her eyes to see her ex-husband walking towards her.
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
‘I thought it was you,’ Giles said once he reached the table. ‘You’re looking great. How are you? Haven’t seen you in a while.’
‘That’s because I haven’t been in the office.’
‘Have you been ill?’
‘No.’
A slight pause. ‘Do you have a new job?’
‘An extension of the old one – for now.’
‘Sounds interesting.’
‘And none of your business, remember?’
His laugh was insincere and awkward at the same time. ‘You’re not still holding the divorce against me?’
‘Oh, no. I’ve moved on.’
‘Well, you’ll probably be pleased to hear that I’m single again.’
Ava glanced towards the door, praying that Jack wouldn’t come out before she’d got rid of Giles. Equally, there was so much she wanted to say to her ex, shout at him even. Instead, she held her tongue. Better to be the bigger person.
But she wasn’t prepared for what Giles said next.
‘I miss you.’
Ava started at the painful expression on his face, his teary eyes. Was this a joke?
‘You left me for someone not much older than your daughter,’ she snapped.
‘I made a mistake.’
‘Again? Because it wasn’t the first time it happened, was it?’
‘If you want me to be honest, then no, it wasn’t.’
‘I don’twantanything from you anymore.’
‘I know. I messed up.’ He touched her shoulder. ‘May I sit with you?’
‘I don’t think so.’
