‘He’s been very kind to me, that’s true, but—’
‘You’re the first woman he’s ever brought to dinner here so that says a lot.’ Juggling fruit salad and bowls, Christy walked back towards the kitchen door where she paused. ‘Jake’s had plenty of girlfriends but hardly any serious relationships. I just want you to know that. Be kind to him.’
Be kind to him?
And suddenly, without a shadow of a doubt, Miranda knew that Christy was the woman Jake had been in love with.
When? He didn’t seem like the type to chase after a married woman.
Her own mind suddenly full of questions, she followed Christy back to the table and Jake looked up.
‘You were a long time. Everything OK?’
‘Fine.’ Miranda managed a smile and Christy dished out fruit salad.
‘My fault. I was delving into all her secrets. Woman’s prerogative.’
Jake’s gaze was thoughtful but he didn’t pursue the subject until they were safely back in the car.
‘I’m sorry if Christy upset you. It didn’t occur to me that she’d ask you questions about your pregnancy, but perhaps it was inevitable.’
‘She didn’t upset me. She’s really nice.’
‘And Alessandro?’
Miranda thought about the dark-haired, brooding A and E consultant who had challenged his wife on so many points. ‘A bit intimidating,’ she said honestly.
‘Most women find him irresistible.’ Jake’s tone was dry. ‘Mediterranean heritage and all that.’
‘She was the one, wasn’t she?’ Miranda couldn’t not ask the question. ‘Christy was the woman you were in love with.’
‘What makes you say that?’
‘Just something she said when we were in the kitchen. Something about her caring about you.’ She frowned slightly and Jake gave a smile.
‘I should hope that she does care about me. That’s what friends are supposed to do and, yes, Christy is the woman I was in love with, but it was a long time ago.’
‘Does she know?’
‘Yes.’ Jake’s voice was calm. ‘Funnily enough, I told her just before Christmas.’
‘This Christmas?’
‘That’s right. She and Alessandro were going through a bad patch. I wanted to remind her that what they had was special. Worth fighting for. I gave her up because I could see that they were perfect together. They still are.’
‘You really believe in perfection? Isn’t that rather romantic and idealistic? If you expect perfection then any relationship is doomed to fall apart.’
‘I didn’t say I believed in perfection
, I said that they were perfect together. Not the same thing. In fact, I would say that it’s their imperfections that make them so perfect.’
Miranda laughed. ‘Now you’ve lost me.’
‘Well, they both have fiery tempers and they tend to communicate by flinging plates at each other and a great deal of hand-waving and raised voices. Hardly perfect. But they understand each other. They love each other. It works for them.’
She stared at him. ‘Ever considered being a marriage guidance counsellor?’
‘No. Far too depressing. A large number of people who marry do so for all the wrong reasons. Those marriages cannot possibly be saved and then they’re faced with all sorts of nasty, uncomfortable decisions, like whether they should stay together for the sake of the children, that sort of thing.’