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‘I’d always assumed she was angry about what Dad did,’ Luke continued. ‘But actually I think she was just kind of sad. Under different circumstances I think they probably would have just split up like a normal couple, and we’d have spent time with both of them.’
‘Yeah,’ said Rob. ‘Are you glad that it’s all out in the open now?’
‘Definitely,’ said Luke. ‘I’m not angry with Dad any more, anyway. He properly messed up, but he’s paid for that ten times over.’
‘And how was it for you, Dan?’ asked Rob, pointing his bottle in Dan’s direction.
‘Mental,’ muttered Dan. ‘Like, Jeremy Kyle-level mental.’
Rob laughed. ‘What about Graham? What happened to him?’
‘He didn’t come,’ said Luke. ‘Stayed here for one night, kicked off about being allergic to the bedsheets, then flew home the next morning.’
‘Have you heard from Hannah?’ Rob asked, unable to keep it in any longer.
‘Yeah, she messaged me yesterday,’ said Luke. ‘She’s OK.’
Rob breathed out slowly, glad that Hannah was alive and well even if it wasn’t him she wanted to speak to.
‘Look,’ said Luke, leaning forward and resting his forearms on the table. ‘I don’t want to stick my nose in or anything, but what happened with you guys?’
Rob shrugged and peered into his beer bottle. ‘What did your dad say?’
‘Not much,’ Luke replied. ‘He just asked where you and Hannah were, and I told him about her having a meltdown at the hotel. He said something about how she did the right thing taking the chance, even if it didn’t pay off.’
‘Yeah,’ said Rob, draining his beer and waving at the barman for three more. ‘That makes sense.’
‘So what’s the deal? Are you and Han, like, a thing?’
‘No,’ said Rob. ‘We could have been, I think, but the timing wasn’t right. For either of us.’
‘Why not?’ Luke’s eyes had a wide-eyed innocence, and for a moment Rob wished he could be eighteen again. Maybe he’d do things differently second time round.
‘She’s not ready for another relationship after Graham, and definitely not the type for a holiday fling.’
‘And what about you?’
‘I’ve only ever done holiday flings, and am not nearly adult enough for a relationship.’
Luke laughed. ‘What are you, like, thirty?’
‘I’m twenty-eight.’
‘Right,’ said Luke, and Rob caught the mocking tone in his voice.
‘It’s not that I don’t want to,’ said Rob, ‘and obviously Hannah is great. I’m just not sure I’ve got what it takes, and I don’t want to hurt her.’
‘Sorry, but that’s bollocks,’ said Luke, and Rob caught a waft of Hannah’s fiery spirit.
‘What?’
‘It’s bollocks. I know I’m biased or whatever, but my sister is AMAZING.’
‘I know that,’ Rob said softly.
‘She pretty much helped Mum raise me, and made sure it was a normal life rather than the crazy shit she had to deal with. She lasted fourteen years married to Graham, who is a boring fuckhead, she’s brilliant at her job, and, I don’t know, the best female tennis player in Surrey or something.’
‘I know that too,’ said Rob, even more softly.
