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Janey’s eyes closed for a second in sympathy. ‘I probably know the answer to that. Nash can be bloody charming at times. And funny. But he’s moody as well, and if there’s anything I can’t stand in a man I’m with, it’s moodiness.’
I nodded, thinking that really, Janey didn’t know the half of it. She’d only gone out with Nash for a month or so...
‘We bumped into Nash at the pub just before Christmas and that’s when he told us. He said he’d missed you, and I got the feeling he’d like to get back with you.’ She hesitated, looking at me uncertainly. ‘Which I gather isn’t going to happen?’
‘Absolutely not.’ I shuddered at the thought. It was typical of Nash to save face by pretending he was the one who endedthings! ‘He... came to see me one night in December when I was staying at my friend Milo’s, but I pretended I wasn’t in.’
‘Good for you. The trouble with Nash is he wants everything his own way.’ She grinned. ‘You know, once he got all moody with me in the middle of a restaurant just because I’d ordered a dish with parsnips by mistake and I laughed and said I didn’t actually like parsnips. It was like he thought I’d spoiled the whole night or something.’
I felt a little shiver of fear, remembering Nash’s livid complexion when he got angry... the way his eyes would become like ugly black dots in his face... ‘What happened? Did he storm out of the restaurant?’
‘Oh, yes.’ She grinned sheepishly. ‘That’s when I realised I had to get out. And I don’t just mean out of the restaurant.’
I nodded, feeling sick, remembering the times Nash had stormed out onmein a restaurant or some other public place, leaving me feeling shaky and stupid, and painfully aware of the puzzled or sympathetic looks I was getting from strangers who’d seen him explode at me.
‘The ridiculous thing is,’ said Janey, ‘once we weren’t actually together, things got back to being fine. Nash is a lot of fun as afriend. It’s just being in a relationship he can’t seem to handle. It’s like if he finds himself getting too close to a woman, he has to sabotage it by behaving badly.’ She twisted her lips. ‘And I’m pretty sure he was still seeing other women during the short time we were supposed to be a couple.’
‘Bet you’re glad you found Lance,’ I said, wanting to be off the topic of my ex.
‘I am. He’s the complete opposite of Nash, really. Nash was your typical flirty party animal whereas Lance is... well, quite shy and modest. He doesn’t speak unless he has something important to say, and I like that. Plus he’skind.’
‘Nice,’ I said, genuinely meaning it.
She nodded, looking rather dreamy-eyed.
And then Cal, the teacher, called for attention and the class began.
*****
As we packed up after the class, I plucked up the courage to ask Janey the burning question.
‘You... won’t tell Nash where I’m living now, will you?’
She looked shocked. ‘No, of course I won’t. The last thing you need is him turning up at your door trying to persuade you to go back out with him.’
I breathed a sigh of relief. ‘Thanks, Janey.’
She shrugged. ‘He said he’d call in for a coffee some time, to see our new place. But I promise I’ll be suitably vague about where you are, okay?’
‘I’d really appreciate that.’
When we walked out of the village hall, Lance was waiting for Janey.
He got out of the car when he saw who she was with and came round to give me a hug. ‘Good to see you, Rori.’
‘And you.’ I smiled up at him.
‘Glad you got shot of Nash,’ he murmured, still holding my arms. ‘You’re looking good on it, too.’
‘Thank you.’ The warmth in his brown eyes – and my chat with Janey, who understood – had lifted me a little. I felt a lightness of spirit that I hadn’t felt in a really long time... as if maybe I was on my way back to being the fairly strong, well-balanced person I was before I met Nash.
At that moment, I made a decision: I would definitely continue with the watercolour classes.
‘Can we give you a lift?’ Janey was saying as Lance held the door for her and she got into the car.
‘Oh, no.’ I shook my head. ‘Thanks, but I’m only over there.’ I pointed at the café. ‘It’s just a two-minute walk.’
Janey peered across. ‘It’s quite misty on the green, though.’
