Page 107 of The Last Kiss

I’m almost entirely sure the earth has disintegrated beneath my feet.

“You’re his wife?”

“Ex.” She holds her hands up, but it’s too late, my happily-not-for-much-longer-ever-after has just splintered in two.

Henri is married to Odile. Something he’s failed to mention. And I’m pretty damn sure that’s worse than my secret.

Married trumps dying and that’s a fact.

27

This is really going to hurt

“You’re married?” I screech back into his bedroom. My blood is pumping fast. I need to catch my breath but can’t. Fingers in tiny fists, there’s a buzzing in my digits like they are expanding into cartoon hands.

Calm it down.

Mr Married is still sprawled in all his now flawed perfection.

“You’re married and you let her buy me a bikini!”

I have the perfect view of his eyes flying wide open, midnight storms and stars falling.

“Julia?” He scrambles up. For some ridiculous reason I’m staring at his dick, probably because I know it’s the last time I’m going to see it. “It’s not like that.”

“How long have you been married?”

His face falls. It doesn’t stop me from wanting to karate kick it—if I knew karate.

“Tell me.” I step closer, chest too tight. “And don’t you dare fucking shrug.”

He freezes. “How will knowing how long make it any better?” Oh my god. That’s practically a verbal shrug.

“How long?”

“Ten years.”

My legs fold. Breath coming in small gasps. Ten years? Ten. Years.

No. Just no. Stumbling forward, I pitch for the patio doors, pushing them open and falling through. Outside the sun has been eclipsed by the moon, or maybe I just can’t see it.

“Julia, please.” Henri struggles to chase after me, pulling jeans up, no underwear.

“Ten years,” I repeat to myself.

“Julia, I’m not married anymore, it’s over.”

I wheel around. “That’s funny, because Odile is confused about whether you are exes or not.” This isn’t strictly true. “Oh my god. You still live with your wife. You let me wear her shoes.”

I’m not sure if it’s the bikini or walking in his wife’s shoes that hurts the most.

“Julianna, will you please just stop? It’s not like that. Odile is a very old family friend. We’ve been separated for months. There is no love between us.”

“How long?” I know the answer before he says it and I drop my head. “Let me guess. Just before your dad died.”

Stalking forward, I poke his chest. “You know when I met you and realised you were so much older than me, I thought you were a grown up. You aren’t a grown man, you’re a fucking mummy’s boy.”

I whirl away, shaking my head. “I can’t believe I just told Liv I was going to stay. I’m such a fool. I can’t believe I’ve wasted this precious time, here, with you, a lying bastard.”