Chapter 1
That smile, the one that touched his eyes and creased his face; that one was all for me.
She noticed the smile and muttered something, making his eyes darken and his mood shift. Not long after that they got up and left.
I guess it was my fault. I shouldn’t have smiled at him like that, but I couldn’t help it. When your lover is across a tennis court from you, you can’t help but smile, and when you haven’t seen them in months, I guess that smile is not as subtle as it could have been.. I suppose when your famous lover is sat with his ‘wife’ and you’re a press photographer you should be able to behave, but hey our relationship never was conventional. You see the thing with dating a famous person supposedly behind his wife’s back (she knew, there was no way she couldn’t) is that you can’t flaunt it. You should act like you don’t know them whenever you see them in public, but it had been so long since I last saw him, that smile, those deep dark eyes, I couldn’t help but smile back. I knew I was in trouble from the last look he shot me, while she had a face like thunder. The call would come, probably in the wee small hours, and he would give me an ultimatum. Only this time I was prepared.
“Lisa.” His Scottish twang sang down the phone. Admittedly half a bottle of wine to calm my nerves as I waited for the call may have been a bad idea. “David.” I replied, sounding sure to myself at least. I heard him sigh and then it took a minute before he spoke to me again. “You’ve been drinking.” “Celebrating.”
"Oh yes? Why?“
I took a sip from my glass of water before replying. "I sold my pictures today.” “Of me.”
“Not just you.”
“You don’t have to lie.” That riled me. “Don’t I?”
Our relationship was based on lies. If I didn’t lie, my friends would have me locked up thinking I was disillusioned. “Tha’s no’ what I meant.” He replied, and I heard him adjust the phone. “Then what David?” I sat forward and placed my glass down. “Are you calling to tell me to back off, or am I actually going to get to see you?” “I can’t get away right now.” I couldn’t tell if he was glad or sad. “Got you on a tight rein has she?” “Something like that. Why didn’t you tell me you would be there today?” I sighed and rubbed my face. “I wrote it on the blog… You know the one you told me to start so you would know I was ok. Five thousand and forty seven people knew I’d be there today.” David had asked me to start a blog and in the beginning it was great. He’d reply as others did but I knew it was him, that username stood out a mile - “trstmeimadr” - it looked like a jumble to most people, but I knew what it meant - trust me I’m a doctor. “She blocked my access.”
That threw me. “She what?!?”
“Blocked all blogs, well not her, but a friend who suspected…” I almost threw my phone. “She’s trying to ruin you and you’re letting her.” “She just wants what’s best for the kids.” He sighed and I heard him close a door. “The kids you never wanted.” “Tha’s no’ fair Lise.” “But it’s the truth David.” I swallowed hard. “You didn’t want kids and you didn’t want her, but until you grow some balls you’re stuck with them both.” “How fucking dare you!” He growled.
“Oh my god, you’re actually still in there.” I exclaimed dramatically, not backing down. “I thought she may have killed you off and replaced you with a cyborg!” “Tha’s no'funny.”
"No.“ I replied seriously. "It isn’t. I need to see you David.”
He took a long deep breath. “Why?” “Because I’ve kept my side of the bargain and now you need to man up and keep your side.” “The Half-Road in an hour.“ He replied and hung up. Bastard. Yes I would get to see him, but I had hoped it wouldn’t be like this. The Half-Road wasn’t the name of the inn, it was just our name for it incase we ever got overheard. And it wasn’t local. A good hour’s tube ride away at the best of times. # by the time I get there you’ll be leaving. # I messaged him and began to get ready as I awaited a reply. # pick you up in 10. Usual place. #
