Jas barely slept that night. She’d always been a good sleeper but when her marriage had started falling apart anxiety made her unable to relax. Where once she was calm and easy-going, she started getting paranoid and tetchy and her formerly sound sleeping pattern turned into restless nights; too tired to think, too wired to sleep. This time, she tossed and turned for hours, obsessing over the evening’s events. She felt terrible about the way she’d left things with Luke. He’d had every reason to drive away. And, in fact, in the circumstances he’d been a lot nicer to her than some men might have been. The childish tantrum she’d thrown certainly hadn’t helped. She felt mortified the more she thought about it. Why hadn’t she just told him about Richard in the first place, like everyone had told her to? Was she just hoping it would all work out fine? Since when was she so naïve? And what did last night mean to Luke anyway? So much had happened yet they’d never had a straightforward and honest conversation about their feelings for each other.
The situation with Luke was just one problem keeping Jas awake. The conversation with Lila had been more than upsetting; it had chilled Jas to the bone. Not only was Lila acting as if her so-called friendship with Richard was completely normal, there’d been something uncharacteristically cold in her voice. Richard had really gotten to her quickly.
Over the next few days, the main communication Luke and Jas had was via emails with other members of the Mr Right team copied in. Jas had texted him when he landed back in London to apologise for how she’d left things and he was perfectly polite, but just said they’d talk ‘when you’re properly back’, and that for now ‘we should probably have a bit of space’. How could she argue with that?
A few afternoons later, Jas was filming a group-date with Gabriella, Charlotte, Georgia, Nysha, Mackenzie and Kat. Dylan was taking them to the north of the island where they’d spend the afternoon learning Spanish before having a tapas dinner. Jas tried to throw herself into the scenario – by now all the girls in the group had grown extremely fond of Dylan and the chemistry between them all was palpable. But while they knocked back cava and shared paella in between attempts at broken Spanish, Jas slipped away to make a phone call.
‘I was wondering when you were going to call,’ said the familiar voice.
‘Wow, Lila, not even a hello?’
‘Hello. Jas, I’m sorry for upsetting you the other night, okay? I didn’t mean to. But you’re blowing this Richard thing out of proportion.’
Out of proportion? Jas had to bite her tongue. She took a deep breath before answering, to make sure she kept calm.
‘Lila, you need to listen to me. I’m sure Richard is being charming to you. That’s what he’s like when he wants something. But can’t you see that he’s using you to get to me? He’s furious with me about this divorce and he wants to hurt me. I know it sounds extreme but, honestly, it’s what he’s like. Or what he’s become.’
‘So, the only reason why your husband – my brother-in-law – could possibly be nice to me is to get to you? It’s not because we’re family, not because he’s my friend and wants to help me? It’s all about you, is that what you’re saying?’
‘You’re twisting my words.’
‘Am I?’ Lila was shouting now. ‘You always do this. You always make it about you. I’ve said I’m sorry and you’re still not listening to me.’
‘You don’t know him like I do. He’s a rat. He’s manipulative and vicious. He wants to hurt me. He sees this divorce as a personal attack on him and his manhood or some such bollocks. Can’t you see? We’re fighting already … that’s just what he wants!’
‘You are unbelievable. You can’t bear it that someone else is happy, can you? You’re the one who’s been on at me for months to grow up, get a proper job, all of that. Now I’ve done it and, just because Richard’s involved, you hate it.’
‘That’s not what I mean at all! But I don’t see how you can be friends with him. Have you forgotten what our marriage was like?’
Lila sighed down the phone. ‘No, Jas. But until recently I only heard your version of events. There are two sides to every story.’ Jas couldn’t begin to think where to go with this.
Lila sighed. ‘Look, I better go.’
‘Wait a minute. What’s this Connor Scott tells me about you texting him for a hook-up to get some coke? Is this Richard’s influence as well?’ A lump formed in Jas’s throat. She felt her previous closeness to her baby sister slipping away as they spoke.
‘You’re kidding, right? I’m twenty-five. I’m not a kid any more. How dare you ring me up and try to tell me how to live my life? What makes you so special? You’re just jealous because you have no one. You couldn’t possibly make Richard happy, and now he’s having a bit of fun with me and you can’t stand it. Well, guess what? Not everything is about you, Jas. You say you’re asking him for a divorce but I don’t see you taking any action recently. Sounds like maybe you don’t want to let him go after all. Or you don’t want him but you don’t want anyone else to have him either, is that it?’
‘What are you talking about? You know how much I want a divorce. These things take time. The court case is next month. I can’t control how long the legal stuff takes.’
‘Whatever.’
‘Lila, please don’t do anything you’re going to regret.’ Jas was emotional now.
‘Bye, Jas.’ The line went dead. Jas wiped away her tears, pulling herself together so as not to draw attention to herself. Lila had always had a sharp tongue but there had been a new venom in her voice just now that had sent chills down Jas’s spine. It brought back a feeling she hadn’t experienced in a long time, not since she’d lain awake at night willing Richard to come home when it was painfully obvious he was out with another woman. Now as then, Jas had a strong feeling that something wasn’t right, that something terrible was about to happen – and her husband and sister were going to be at the heart of it.