The Husband's Secret(41)

            “Connor!” He tapped his broad chest. “Connor Whitby!”

            “Oh, Connor, of course. It’s so nice to . . .” Tess half rose, and then found herself trapped by her mother’s wheelchair.

            “Don’t get up, don’t get up,” said Connor. He went to kiss Tess on the cheek just as she was starting to sit down again, so that his lips met her earlobe.

            “What are you doing here?” asked Tess. She didn’t seem especially pleased to see Connor.

            “I work here,” he said.

            “As an accountant?”

            “No, no, I had a career change a few years back. I’m the PE teacher.”

            “You are?” she said. “Well, that’s . . .” Her voice drifted, and she finally said, ”. . . nice.”

            Connor cleared his throat. “Well, anyway, it’s very good to see you.” He glanced at Liam, went to speak and then changed his mind and held up the sheaf of tennis forms. “Thanks for this, Rachel.”

            “My pleasure, Connor,” said Rachel coldly.

            Lucy turned to her daughter as soon as Connor left. “Who was that?”

            “Just someone I used to know. Years ago.”

            “I don’t think I remember him. Was he a boyfriend?”

            “Mum.” Tess gestured at Rachel and the paperwork in front of her.

            “Sorry!” Lucy smiled guiltily, while Liam looked up at the ceiling, stretched out his legs and yawned.

            Rachel saw that the grandmother, mother and grandson all had identical full upper lips. It was like a trick. Those bee-stung lips made them more beautiful than they actually were.

            She was suddenly inexplicably furious with all three of them.

            “Well, if you could just sign the allergies and medications sections here,” she said to Tess, jabbing at the form with her fingertip. “No, not there. Here. Then we’ll be done and dusted.”





            Tess had her keys in the ignition to drive them home from the school when her mobile rang. She lifted it from the console to check who was calling.

            When she saw the name on the screen, she held up the phone for her mother to see.

            Her mother squinted at the phone and sat back with a shrug. “Well, I had to tell him. I promised him I’d always keep him up-to-date with what was going on in your life.”

            “You promised him that when I was ten!” said Tess. She held the phone up, trying to decide whether or not to answer it or let it go to voice mail.

            “Is it Dad?” said Liam from the backseat.

            “It’s my dad,” said Tess. She’d have to talk to him sometime. It might as well be now. She took a breath and pressed the answer button. “Hi, Dad.”

            There was a pause. There was always a pause.

            “Hello, love,” said her father.

            “How are you?” asked Tess in the hearty tone of voice she reserved for her father. When had they last spoken? It must have been Christmas Day.

            “I’m great,” said her father dolefully.

            Another pause.

            “I’m actually in the car with—” began Tess at the same time as her father said, “Your mother told me—”