Yeah, sure, Miles didn’t turn up to our wedding, but do I have some fatal flaw that stops my relationships going the distance? What is my relationship kryptonite? I’m not clingy or needy. But maybe I’m too aloof, too self-sufficient? It’s worth thinking about – as I can clearly see what behaviours or beliefs might be hurting my newfound friends as they navigate the search for a soulmate, so what are mine? My spontaneity has been an issue before, as has my indifference about starting a family. There are also the times I go quiet, craving solitude, which is occasionally seen as being cold, detached.
‘So, the French lady is a possibility then?’ Jasper asks the group, pulling me from my reverie. ‘Perhaps she’s tiring of the toy boy?’
‘Yes,’ Princess says, a gleam in her eye. ‘The toy boy is on the chopping block and if this is her modus operandi and he’s fully aware of that then I don’t see an intervention will help but we can try for the sake of the poor lovesick man.’
Sabrina arrives with a tray full of wine glasses and another bottle of wine, white this time. ‘It is it Madame Delacroix and her lover?’ I ask as she opens the bottle of wine.
‘Nope, not them. I have it on good authority that this couple split over a suspected cheating scandal. The guy went rogue, even though he professed his love for her morning, noon and night.’ With that, Sabrina flounces off.
‘Ooh no, then we can’t stage an intervention if there’s been a cheating scandal.’ Princess frowns. ‘I wouldn’t want to encourage that type of behaviour.’
The group confers for a bit.
‘Well, Sabrina did say “suspected” so I put it to the group that we find out who the couple is first and get the lowdown, and we can then decide if an intervention is warranted,’ Barry offers.
Princess beams. ‘Such a clever man. OK, so who do we suspect it could be?’
‘Ooh.’ Karen holds up a finger. ‘Could it be the young couple from Hawaii? You can’t miss them, they wear matching clothes and are so happy and bubbly, but almost too happy and bubbly, like it’s a little forced.’
‘Faking it, to get through a holiday?’ Jasper gives her a sage nod. ‘I’m sure we’ve all been there before.’
I’m not sure why that comment gets under my skin, but it does. Is the man mountain finally showing his true colours? ‘So you’ve faked it before, have you, Jasper? That seems rather cruel. Do you have a thing against honesty in relationships?’ My voice comes out taut, tense, possibly contaminated by my own heartbreak.
Jasper colours. ‘No, God no, all I mean is…’ He takes a moment to calibrate, or conjure a lie – who can tell. ‘…I’ve been there before with a partner on a holiday.’
Princess shoots me a warning glare, as if I should be giving Jasper the benefit of the doubt. ‘And I’m sure the purpose of the trip was romance. Was it not, Jasper?’ Princess asks.
He ruffles a hand through his hair. ‘It was a last-ditch trip, booked on a whim in an attempt to save a relationship that was on the way to failing, but neither of us wanted to admit it and so there was this feeling of just going through the motions…’
He’s rambling, just like a man trying to make excuses for his poor behaviour.
‘Makes perfect sense to me,’ Princess – ever Jasper’s cheerleader – declares. ‘You’ve got a good heart, Jasper.’ I fight an eyeroll and lose, resulting in another glare from Princess.
‘I’d prefer honesty rather than my partner “going through the motions” all because we were on holiday.’ Is Jasper just like all the others? Probably. Why can’t men be upfront? I give him a cool stare. Not that I’m very good with cool stares; that’s more Rox’s domain. I narrow my eyes to really emphasise the point.
He has the audacity to lay his hand atop mine, and it irks me no end that my body gets a buzz from his touch. I try to give myself a stern talking to, but apparently it’s falling on deaf ears because when he looks deeply into my eyes, my body goes molten, like lava. This is the worst betrayal – myself against myself.
‘Truly, it was just one of those situations where the love had fizzled out and like always when it comes to me and all of my relationships to date, I tried to save it far too late.’
‘Aww,’ Princess says, dropping her bottom lip. ‘This is why you’re part of the Unlucky in Love Travel Club, Jasper. We’re all guilty of this, in one way or another. Making mistakes in love that we’re not even aware of until too late.’
‘Yes,’ Barry says with a wide smile. ‘I sure could use some help from Lady Love.’
Princess is on the same wavelength as me, but I don’t want to encourage her where Jasper is concerned. He could say he’s the love ’em and leave ’em type and she’d tell him how sweet he is for sharing his hot body with the masses.
‘Maybe our club will be good for us! We can ascertain what we’ve done wrong in relationships and how to fix them. With the exception of me; my curse can’t be fixed, but it’s not too late for all of you.’
‘I’m not sure I can be fixed either,’ Jasper says. ‘Unless I give up my job.’
‘You just haven’t met the right person yet,’ Princess says. ‘And by the stories I’ve heard around the table, none of you have, except maybe Aubrey, but her person now walks with Jesus.’
‘Miles is not actually dead.’
Karen squeezes my shoulder. ‘His journey earthside might have ended but his memory lives on.’
I let out a frustrated laugh, which makes them gather round, and the next minute I’m in the centre of a group hug, for crying out loud.
10
