Three Amazing Things About You(83)

Apart from anything else, Zander simply didn’t seem like the cheating type.

‘He’s been lying to you,’ said Julia. ‘And to me too. He told me he was single. Then someone told me he’d been playing the two of us off against each other. You didn’t see him on Monday night, did you?’

Monday, Monday . . .

‘No, I didn’t.’ Flo shook her head.

‘That’s because he was seeing me. He’s a liar and a cheat,’ said Julia. ‘I couldn’t believe it when I found out, but it’s true.’

She knew that face from somewhere, but where? Not being able to place her was driving Flo nuts.

‘You must be devastated,’ Julia continued. ‘I was too. Why do men think they can get away with it? Because they always do, don’t they! I challenged Zander and he flat-out denied he was seeing anyone else. I bet if you asked him he’d say the same thing. What a bastard. He just wants to have his cake and eat it!’

She was saying the words but they didn’t sound completely authentic. Flo stared at her ears, her neck, her earnestly outraged expression. Something was missing, but she still couldn’t work out what it was. Julia’s hands were tanned, her wrists narrow. She had a well-elocuted voice and was clutching the strap of a small cream leather bag. Something about her was making Flo think of flowers . . .

‘How did you know where to find me?’

‘I don’t think I should say. I wouldn’t want to get anyone into trouble. So what are you going to do?’ said Julia. ‘Once a cheat, always a cheat. You’ll never be able to trust him again. I think we should both dump him, don’t you? That’d serve him right!’

Flowers . . . flowers . . . and for some reason camels kept sliding into Flo’s mind. Honestly, this was infuriating. She cleared her throat. ‘Have we met before?’

‘What, us? You and me? No, definitely not.’ Julia was shaking her head. ‘Never.’

‘Are you a florist?’

‘No.’

OK, in for a penny. ‘Do you work at the zoo?’

Now Julia looked offended. ‘God, no, I do not!’

It was the squeak of outrage that did it, prompting Flo to realise that it was only the face she recognised, not the voice. The next moment, in a flash, she knew where she’d seen Julia before.





Chapter 38


OK, she was almost completely sure. Maybe best to double-check. Reaching for her phone, Flo checked the time – yes, Margot would be in her room now – and fired off a quick text.

‘What are you doing?’ said Julia. ‘Asking Zander about me? I’ve already told you, he’ll just deny everything. He’s a complete weasel.’

More to pass the time than anything else, Flo said, ‘Tell me how the two of you met,’ and Julia began burbling away about the night she’d been chatted up by Zander in a bar on Park Street.

Luckily Margot didn’t hang around. The attachments popped up on her phone and Flo opened them.

And there it was, the confirmation she needed. She’d been right after all.

‘What?’ Julia tried to peer over the top of the phone. ‘What are you looking at?’

‘Photos of you,’ said Flo.

Julia’s face instantly flooded with colour. ‘I don’t know what you mean.’

‘No? Maybe it’s just someone who looks like you. Ooh,’ said Flo, ‘or maybe your mum had twins and gave one of you away!’

‘Let me see,’ said Julia.

‘I like this one, of you in Egypt with the pyramids in the background. You’re standing next to a camel.’

Julia rubbed the base of her throat, which had gone all blotchy. ‘This is ridiculous.’

‘And I really like this one, taken on your wedding day. Last summer, wasn’t it? You look beautiful,’ said Flo. ‘And your husband seems so nice. Does he know about you and Zander?’ She held out the phone to show Julia the wedding photo, taken in the porch of a village church. There were garlands of flowers wound around the wooden posts on each side of the ancient oak door, yellow rosebuds in Julia’s headdress and more arrangements of pink and yellow roses in tall silver vases on the deep stone ledges behind her.

Flowers.

And camels.

The brain was indeed a wondrous thing.

‘Oh God, I don’t believe this.’ Julia’s haughty demeanour had crumbled. Flushed and mortified, she shook her head. ‘Look, I’m sorry. I’m not having an affair with your boyfriend.’

‘I know,’ said Flo.

‘How on earth did you get hold of those pictures?’

‘I couldn’t work it out at first. I knew I’d seen you somewhere before.’ Flo paused, briefly wondering whether to keep her in suspense. But no, she couldn’t do it. ‘I work at Nairn House.’