‘Andy has been reminding me about it for months. Making sure I’ve got everything I need. New dress, sexy heels, gorgeous jewellery...’
The woman was really laying it on thickly now. Saskia bared her teeth and hoped it would pass for a cold smile.
‘He really does take care of me—but you know how that feels, don’t you, Saskia? Then again...maybe you don’t. I do hope I haven’t caused any offence.’
Saskia had no idea how she managed to open her mouth, let alone speak. She certainly didn’t recognise the airy, almost amused voice that came out of it.
‘Oh, don’t you worry about me, Babette. Now that I’m out of a toxic relationship and in a much more mature one I don’t take offence so easily. It’s amazing what a secure partnership does for a person.’
‘So secure that you didn’t even know about the Valentine’s gala the Gunn brothers are holding in order to raise money for their precious charity Careful Playing?’ Babette shot back.
But Saskia noticed that the woman didn’t sound quite as confident as she had before.
She ramped her smile up a notch. ‘Care to Play.’
‘Play what?’ Babette snapped, now clearly rattled. ‘I’m not playing at anything.’
Oh, I think you are.
‘Malachi’s charity is called Care to Play. It provides a safe centre for young carers to just be kids for a few hours and forget their usual responsibilities. I’ve volunteered there several times, but Malachi wanted me to ease back until the baby is born.’
That much, at least, was true.
‘Maybe he just doesn’t want you around,’ sneered Babette, having finally dispensed with any attempt at veiling her snipes. ‘Have you ever thought that perhaps he doesn’t want you sticking your nose into other areas of his life, and concern about your pregnancy is just a convenient excuse?’
It was galling how closely her words seemed to mirror all of Saskia’s deepest fears. It just proved what a viper the woman was.
But Saskia wasn’t about to let her know how acutely her words cut. ‘Surely you’re not suggesting that Malachi’s concern for our baby isn’t genuine?’ She shook her head, managing to appear genuinely bemused.
‘No. I was suggesting—’
‘Oh, well, that’s a relief,’ Saskia cut in swiftly, realising she’d just been handed a way to use Babette’s earlier words against her. ‘I could only imagine how offended he would be if he thought what I just did.’
‘What? No...’
But Saskia was already striding down the corridor as fast as she could, head held deliberately high, before Babette could regain her footing and hit her with a typically cutting comeback.
However, the reality was that any sense of victory she was feeling in that moment was fleeting. Any moment now Babette’s remarks were going to circle back in her head, echoing all the fe
ars she’d been trying to push aside for what felt like for ever.
Malachi hadn’t invited her to the gala tonight. He hadn’t even told her about it. His life was so neat, so ordered, with each part of it separate from the others. His work life, his charity, his personal life...
Not one seemed to cross the divide between one and another. Not even her.
Especially not her.
Sadness, and something else she couldn’t—wouldn’t?—put a name to, trickled through her.
They lived together, they were husband and wife, and they were expecting a baby together. Yet in all other areas they might as well be complete strangers.
Saskia didn’t know whether that was her fault or Malachi’s. She only knew that one of them was going to have to make the first move if they wanted to resolve it.
So why not her?
And why not tonight?
* * *