‘Yes, all that’s true. I saw the texts just before lockdown and I did give you plenty of opportunities to tell me you’d been up there, but you didn’t, which made me suspicious. I found the key later, in your suit jacket pocket.
‘And then, all through lockdown you seemed happy, with me and the kids so I convinced myself it was a ridiculous mistake. Then, just when I’d convinced myself to move on I saw another text, asking you if you wanted to take up where you’d left off. When I found out she was back in the village and then the phones turned up…’
‘You put everything together and decided I was having an affair with that bunny boiler – because she is. And when I explain it all, you’ll feel sorry for me… what I’ve had to put up with, for us.’ Jimmy dragged his hand through his hair, tension etched on his face.
‘What do you mean?’ Gina was on the border of being deliriously happy, yet still wary.
When Jimmy slumped into the sofa, looking more drained than she’d felt for a very long time, she braced herself, imagining Bella throwing herself at him, luring him into the farm and all sorts happening. ‘Just tell me. I need to know because I’ve been driving myself mad for so long.’
A deep sigh, then the answer. ‘Okay, so it seemed like a great idea at the time and was meant to be a surprise, but that’s gone tits up so just hear me out because after all this, there’s half a chance you might not want to kill me. And neither will Babs, thank God.’
‘It began a couple of days after our Christmas’ party. I was mad busy when I took a call from a number I didn’t recognise and seriously, I nearly fell off my chair when I realised it was Bella.’ Jimmy reached over and took Gina’s hand, holding on tight as he explained it all.
Despite her flannel about being in between jobs, it seemed Bella was actually in the country to start packing up her parents’ belongings and then put the farm on the market. Old Mr and Mrs Young had no intention of coming back to Blighty, so had decided to sell up.
She’d called on the off-chance Jimmy had any contacts that might be interested in buying it privately, a quick sale would save on estate agent fees.
‘I fobbed her off by saying I’d have a think, then rang Guy and gave him a roasting for passing on my private number without asking. Once Guy had apologised, he told me something interesting.’
Bella was lying. She was also in a lot of debt. Her sunbed shops were in receivership and in desperation she’d asked her parents for help otherwise the bailiffs would take everything. After they got over the shock, they’d agreed to bail her out, via the sale of the farm and in lieu of her inheritance. Bella was relying on the sale to clear her debts and start over and would no doubt sell to the first bidder.
The day Babs saw Jimmy, he was on his way over to check out the farm and seeing as Bella was actually in court, trying to buy some time with a judge, she’d left the key so Jimmy could have a mooch about.
‘I immediately saw huge potential in the house, outbuildings and masses of land and knew it was a great business opportunity. I also knew you would hate the idea so decided to keep it to myself until I’d done the sums and had something concrete in place. The plan was to sit you down, tentatively mention the B-word and if you didn’t go ballistic, I prayed you’d get onboard with what I had in mind.
‘A price had been agreed via both parties then out of the blue, Bella’s dad fell seriously ill, and she flew to his bedside, the day before Italy went into lockdown. Mr Young had Covid. Nothing could be signed because he was in a coma, and everything stalled.
‘Then the UK went into lockdown, too. It wasn’t until the flight corridors opened again and Mr Young recovered that the deal could go ahead, with Bella returning to tie up the sale. Then, once her debts were cleared, she intended to start again in Italy.
‘So you see, love. There was never any affair, just a business opportunity that I hoped would change our lives forever.’
CHAPTERFORTY-FIVE
The whole time Jimmy spoke,he hadn’t taken his eyes off Gina. She knew, because she’d been doing the same. With each word, her world came back into focus. Yet she still had so many questions, not to mention apologies for not trusting the man she should have known better.
‘I’ve been a complete idiot, haven’t I? And I feel so ridiculous. I let my imagination and terror at the thought of losing you cloud everything. Then lockdown happened and I had you all to myself and it was perfect. Just us in our bubble with the kids and even though the doubts remained, I hoped it was a phase or a mistake. Bella had gone and it was over.’
Jimmy dragged his hand across his face and sighed. ‘Gina, you are such a bloody nightmare! Why didn’t you just confront me, then you wouldn’t have gone through hell for all this time? Come here, you infuriating woman.’
He pulled Gina into his arms where she buried her face in his chest, happy tears wetting his shirt as she tried to explain.
‘I was scared. Right up to telling Babs and Robin, who, for the record, didn’t believe a word of it. They made me see I had to say something, and I intended to this weekend, but maybe Babs knows me better than I know myself and suspected I’d chicken out. She was probably right because in my head, the minute I said the words to you that would be it. No more pretending it would be okay. No more silent prayers that you wouldn’t leave me.’
Jimmy held her close, gently stroking her arm as he spoke. He sounded sad. ‘So, you’d have carried on, thinking I was having an affair, worrying day in, day out?’
Gina nodded. ‘Yes… I think I would because I didn’t want you to leave us. I couldn’t bear the thought of Max and Mimi… telling them you had left.’ She flicked a tear from her right eye. She was making Jimmy’s shirt very soggy.
Jimmy gently pushed her away and sat up straight, turning his body so he could see her face. ‘That’s probably the saddest thing I’ve ever heard and it’s killing me inside, knowing you’ve been like this. But please, Gina, from now on promise me you’ll never bottle stuff up again.’
She sniffed and sat up straight, too, her body lighter than it had felt in a long time. ‘I promise. And there’s so much I want to tell you, explain, because I feel incredibly sly and just horrible really, snooping on you and thinking terrible thoughts.’
‘There’s plenty of time for that. Don’t worry. The main thing is you know the truth.’
It was true, she had plenty of time to tell her shameful side of the story but there was something more pressing she wanted to talk about.
‘Okay, I’ll tell you later but I’m curious about this plan of yours and yes, I am a bit shocked that you’ve been communicating with Bella, but under the circumstances you’re forgiven… I think.’
‘Ah, my grand plan for world domination, yes, I need to explain and then I have another surprise for you.’ Jimmy winked and brushed a stray hair from Gina’s face and tucked it behind her ear.
