Tress and Noah looked at each other quizzically, before Tress replied, ‘Nancy, who are Oliver and Gerald? Have you stolen two children? If so, you need to give them back.’
‘Nope, Oliver the Octopus and Gerald the Giraffe. Anyway, two things. First of all, I just wanted to let you know where we’ll be in case you need us. And secondly, I wanted to offer to stay and watch Buddy tonight. My Johnny is away on a golf weekend with Leo Clark…’ Noah automatically smiled at the mention of his dad. ‘…and the rest of the lads from the club. It’s a relief really. I adore the bones of him, but if I have to listen to one more story about a hole in one that almost happened, I’ll be ditching him and getting on the Tinders.’
‘Nancy, that’s so lovely of you but—’
‘No buts. Val and I thought maybe you and Noah could have dinner. Mark this day in some way.’
Noah heard the music in the background at Nancy’s end and realised exactly what was going on here. ‘Nancy Jenkins, I see your game here.’
‘Noah, is that you?’ she retorted, voice full of innocence. ‘Och, well, how lovely is that – I got the both of you together. I’m sure you’ll agree it’s a smashing idea. So, anyway, don’t come home. Go wild. Buddy will be in his bed by seven o’clock anyway, so you won’t be missing much. Right, have to go, byee-eee.’ Click.
‘Did I just hear what I thought I heard?’ he asked, laughing.
‘Yep. Nancy Jenkins and Val Murray trying to play matchmakers while listening to “Man, I Feel Like A Woman”.’
‘I don’t understand it.’ Noah took a slug of his water, before going on, ‘They love Cheska. Why are they trying to throw us together?’
‘Maybe it’s a test. Or just a daft notion. They adore Buddy so much that maybe they just want to ensure he’ll always have consistency in his life, and they think us being together will make sure that happens.’
‘He’ll always have that, even if we’re both with other people.’
‘You and I know that,’ Tress agreed, ‘but those two are a bit more old fashioned. And you know what they’re like when they get something into their heads. How did this become our lives? You being here will have them talking all afternoon, dying to know why we’re together when I’m at work and you’re… Actually, bugger, I’m sorry. I’ve been too preoccupied with my romantic turmoil to ask – why are you here? Is everything okay?’
There was a huge part of him that didn’t want to tell her, but they’d promised each other there would never be any secrets and he wasn’t going to break that now.
‘Yeah, it’s fine. Kind of,’ he sighed, sitting back, re-experiencing that lurch of confusion that he’d felt this morning when he’d clapped eyes on his ex-wife. ‘Actually, I’ve no idea if it’s fine. I had a visitor when I got to work this morning. Anya was there.’
Tress jerked her head up so quickly his mind automatically ran through whiplash protocols. ‘What the hell…? Why? What’s she doing here?’
‘I don’t know. She asked to meet me, says she wants to talk.’
‘And you agreed?’ She looked surprised and Noah got it. Today of all days, this was the reminder that none of them needed. He watched every bone in Tress’s body slump as she exhaled, and he felt a pang of guilt for making her feel this way.
‘I agreed. I’m meeting her at five o’clock tonight to hear what she wants to say. I wasn’t going to turn her away, Tress. We were married for almost twenty years. I’ll always be civil to her.’
‘I know,’ she said softly. ‘You’re too bloody nice, Noah Clark. How did it feel when you saw her?’
Noah ran his hand over the top of his head, as he struggled to pinpoint the right answer. ‘Shocking, mostly. Keli was with me and for a tense moment I thought she was going to go full-scale ninja warrior on her. That’s the thing though, isn’t it? It wasn’t just us who took the body blows. Keli viewed Anya as another sister, and my mum and dad treated her like a daughter. Everyone in our world was affected by it and I don’t know that there’s any coming back from that for any of us.’
‘Would you want there to be? With Anya and you, I mean?’
He’d be lying if he denied that the thought had ever crossed his mind. The truth was that he missed her. Missed the marriage they’d had and the lives they’d spent together. Until the end, their world had been simple. Straightforward. But some hurdles were just too huge to climb over.
‘No. Cheska and I… we’re good. I don’t want anything to spoil that.’ He checked his watch. ‘Talking of which, I need to run. I’m meeting Cheska for lunch and I’m going to be late if I don’t get a move on.’
‘So you’re meeting Cheska first, then Anya. Packed social schedule there, Mr Clark.’ Tress was trying to keep it light-hearted, but Noah could see the tension across her brow.
‘It is. I’ll give you a call later…’
‘Eh, I don’t think so. Not later. Immediately. Within ten seconds of hearing what Anya wants, I demand to know. Now that I’m possibly, maybe, might be, dating a star, I’m going to develop diva tendencies and start snapping my fingers and shouting orders to everyone around me.’
Noah was already on his feet and a couple of strides took him over to her. He kissed the top of her head. ‘Remind me to buy earplugs.’ He got as far as the door, before something made him turn around. ‘You know, Tress, that bloke would be lucky to have you. You deserve someone good. Someone right for you. Don’t rule it out until he gives you a reason to.’
Outside, he picked up the pace so that he got to the restaurant on time for his late lunch. He was halfway there when his phone rang. Cheska. She must have been reading his mind. ‘Just checking you’re on the way, Noah. I’ve got an hour and a half and then I’m back to work.’
‘I’m on my way now.’
‘Great, because there’s something I need to discuss with you. I’ll see you soon.’
