‘We should have had a conversation.’
‘We should have.’ They paused while the waiter topped up their wine again and whisked away the now empty plates.
‘Thank you for letting me talk,’ said Theo.
‘Thank you for trusting me with it.’
He glanced down, then back at her. ‘I’ve not told you everything. There’s something else you should know, and I trust you enough to share this next bit of information.’
‘Okay,’ she said, not sure what he might say next.
His voice stayed calm as the honesty landed. ‘I thought I was coming out the other side until I arrived here. I need to tell you… Actually, Iwantto tell you—’ He stopped mid-sentence as he turned to follow Pippa’s line of sight.
Sebastian had spotted them and was walking straight towards their table with a smug smile fixed in place.
Pippa’s stomach flipped. ‘Oh God,’ she murmured.
Sebastian came to a stop beside the table, his tone all false charm. ‘Well, this is cosy. Didn’t expect to see you two enjoying a romantic dinner.’
Pippa sat back, already on edge. ‘Not now, Sebastian. I think you’ve said enough for one day.’
He gave her a lazy smile. ‘Come on, Pip. Don’t be like that. We go way back, don’t we?’
Theo cut in, his voice low but steady. ‘What do you want, Sebastian?’
‘Just saying hello,’ Sebastian said. ‘It’s a small island. Hard to avoid people. Oh, and your wife says hello too, or maybe she doesn’t. I didn’t quite make it off the island in time to get home to Clara.’
It took everything in Pippa’s power to stop her jaw falling to somewhere near her knees. ‘You and Clara?’ She looked towards Theo for clarification.
‘Oh, come on,’ Sebastian said, clearly enjoying himself. ‘Surely he told you. We ran into each other at the Clockmakers’ Ball. It was just like old times.’ Sebastian smirked. ‘One thing led to another. She’s good company; a bit high-maintenance, but you know the type.’ He tilted his head at Theo. ‘No hard feelings, right, mate?’
Theo finally looked up, his expression flat. ‘You should go, Sebastian.’
But Sebastian wasn’t done. He turned to Pippa again, grin widening. ‘Funny, isn’t it? The symmetry of it all. First, there was you and me– you, the wife he always wanted– and then I take his actual wife. As I always say though, all’s fair in love and horology.’
Pippa’s mouth went dry. She couldn’t believe Sebastian had blurted about their one-night stand. She could hardly remember the alcohol-fuelled incident that she completely regretted the next morning, and now he’d made it sound like they had a full-on relationship. She could feel Theo’s eyes burning into her but she couldn’t make eye contact. She stared at Sebastian. ‘Just go.’
But it was too late, the damage was done.
‘It’s me that’s going,’ Theo declared.
Pippa opened her mouth, but her voice barely worked. ‘It was years ago. It wasn’t anything. Just a one-night stand I’d rather forget.’
Sebastian was still smiling as Theo pushed his chair back, eyes still on her. ‘You lied.’
‘I didn’t lie,’ she said quickly, panic rising. ‘I just…’
But Theo kept walking.
Sebastian gave a low whistle. ‘Awkward.’
Pippa sat there frozen, her heart hammering. Theo didn’t look back.
‘What is actually wrong with you? In fact, don’t answer that. I have no interest in you,’ she said, dismissing Sebastian with a wave and turning her back on him as she rose to go after Theo.
Just like that, the trust she’d been building with him all evening had shattered.
ChapterSixteen
