Chapter 8
C losing Gideon’s office door behind me, I made my way back down the corridor. Head down, every step felt like the morning after the night before. Admittedly, an actual Sunday morning walk of shame would have been preferable. At least I’d have had fun beforehand.
As I skulked along, I cursed myself for my stupidity.
Be it on the benefits of fancy underwear, the marital downfall of Gloria Chalmers, or anything else connected to their idea of relationship counselling, I was never listening to Erin and Joyce again.
Twice their not so wise words had left me humiliated. No way was I going for a hat trick.
I sighed, aware that as much as I wanted to blame other people for my predicament, the responsibility was all mine.
No one had strong-armed me into turning up at Gideon’s office.
Everything I’d done was of my own free will.
The only person I’d told about my visit was Wills, and even then, I hadn’t been honest. As for Erin and Joyce, for all they knew I was back in Settledown, safe and sound at The Knitting Nook.
Getting to the end of the corridor, I pushed on the heavy glass doors that took me back into the reception area and despite the excitable chatter, I was too embarrassed to even look at the people gathered at the reception desk as I passed by.
‘Hattie?’ a female voice called out.
Almost at the exit, I stopped still. Closing my eyes for a second, I cringed, praying it didn’t belong to who I thought it belonged to.
I fixed a smile on my face and slowly turned.
It was clear the gods didn’t think I’d suffered enough and for the second time in as many days, I wished I was invisible. ‘Julia. How lovely to see you.’
‘Isn’t it?’ Julia’s smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. ‘You look…’ Her gaze went from my head to my feet, a fleeting look of confusion crossing her face as she took in my odd socks. ‘Erm, well.’
‘You too,’ I replied. But unlike her I meant it.
If Gideon was having an affair with this woman, a part of me couldn’t blame him. She appeared as glamorous then as I remembered. Wearing a wool trench coat, a cream cashmere sweater and a fitted midi skirt, she’d finished her outfit with heels I’d have broken my neck in.
‘Does Gideon know you’re here?’ she asked.
‘Yes.’ Trying not to think about the show I’d just made of myself, I cleared my throat, forced to bring my voice down an octave. ‘I’ve just left his office.’
We both stood there. Two relative strangers, with nothing and no one in common, apart from Gideon.
Obviously feeling as awkward as me, Julia’s brain seemed to scramble for yet another ceremonious statement.
Mine, on the other hand, was in fight-or-flight mode, leaving me desperate to run away and hide.
‘I’ll be off then,’ I said, as the silence went on a bit too long.
‘Yes, of course. That little wool shop of yours isn’t going to run itself.’
Outside, the cold immediately hit me. Rummaging in my bag, I pulled out my bobble hat and mittens, and putting them on, hastened along the street, unable to get back to my van quick enough.
I wanted nothing more than to pretend the whole sorry episode with Gideon hadn’t just happened, but pictures of him crawling around his office floor with his bum in the air refused to subside.
They would be a permanent reminder of my foolishness.
Just like the moment Erin spanked Joyce in the lingerie shop, Gideon’s search for a non-existent mouse would be a snapshot in time forever imprinted on my brain.
I shoved Beryl’s key into her ignition and turned it, but instead of firing up, she coughed and spluttered.
Pulling out the key, I stroked Beryl’s dashboard hoping to coax her into action, and holding my breath, tried again.
The same thing happened and insisting it was third time lucky, I crossed my fingers, willing her engine to catch as I went through the whole process once more.
Beryl’s cough grew weak until it petered out to nothing.
Having never identified with a van so much, I, too, lost the will to live and closing my eyes, I let my head drop onto the steering wheel. It landed on the horn, but I didn’t move. As the beep droned on, I no longer cared who heard or saw what.