There were raised voices coming from Alex’s office and I didn’t know whether to go in and try to diffuse the situation a little, or leave Alex and whoever he was arguing with to it. The receptionist, having done what I’d asked, had left me to it. I didn’t blame her.
Indecision kept me hovering next to the water cooler outside his door – should I stay or should I go away and come back later? I was about to walk away when I heard my name. I went closer to the door. That sounded like Henry’s voice. But it couldn’t be. I pressed my ear right against it.
‘She’s my wife.’
‘Not that anyone would know, for all the respect you show her. You desert her with no warning, then when she gets on with her life, you don’t like it.’
‘Working for you isn’t getting on with her life.’
‘She’s happy working with me. She has an interesting job, good friends, somewhere to live …’
‘What, on your couch?’
‘No, the job comes with a studio.’
‘Which I bet you have a key to.’
‘Alex!’ I shouted, bursting through the door.
‘Beth!’ they both said at once.
‘Henry, what are you doing here?’
‘I was worried after I got your text yesterday so I got on the first flight.’
‘How did you know where to come?’
‘The internet is a mine of information, Beth. And when my plane landed I called the office number, not expecting anybody to actually be working today …’
‘Whatever!’ Alex shouted. ‘Enough! Look, Henry, Beth’s back with me now, so you’ve wasted your journey.’
‘No, I’m not,’ I stopped him before he could say any more.
‘Yes, you are.’ Alex took a step towards me.
‘You know what, Alex? After you left for Dubai without me and phoned from the plane like a coward, I was convinced at first that you’d change your mind and I thought that was what I wanted. Then all I wanted to do was come over here and shove you off a tall building. I behaved like an idiot because I was angry and my head was all over the place. But then Henry gave me a job – a really good, interesting, exciting job – and I started to get my self-respect back. But I hadn’t got it back completely yet. Henry understood that. He knew I wasn’t ready to come here and see you, but I thought I was. It was my mistake. But d’you know what good has come out of it? I’ve seen that the marriage I thought might be worth fighting for isn’t. You’re not worth it. And that’s what I came here to say to you now. I’ve packed and as soon as I’ve got my ticket sorted I’m going home.’
‘With him?’ Alex glared at Henry.
‘If you mean will we be on the same plane, then hopefully yes.’
‘You know that’s not what I meant,’ he snarled.
‘Not that it’s any of your business, but no, not with him. Henry isn’t interested in me in that way. Now, I think it’s time Henry and I were making our arrangements. Goodbye, Alex. I don’t expect to hear from you again other than via a solicitor.’
I took off my wedding ring and tossed it to him before walking out of the room with as much dignity as I could muster, relieved to hear Henry behind me.
‘I’m so proud of you,’ he touched my arm as we reached the lift. ‘I was worried he’d find a way to get round you, take advantage of your generous nature, get you to stay with him, and then hurt you again.’ The lift doors opened and we got in. ‘But what did you mean when you said I wasn’t interested in you in that way?’
This was going to be awkward. ‘Well, it’s just that … well, you’re not, are you?’
‘What makes you think that?’
I couldn’t think of any other way of saying it. ‘Because I’m a woman?’
‘You think I don’t like women? What? Hang on a minute, you think I’m gay?’ He looked so shocked it was almost comical.
‘Well, you asked me to keep the women at the ball away from you.’
‘Because those particular women could bore for England. What other reasons?’
‘You chose those ball gowns for me with matching accessories? What straight man does that?’
‘One who still has an account at all the fancy shops where his ex-wife used to spend most of his money, and can rely on the staff to think for themselves when given a few simple instructions!’
‘Oh.’
‘Anything else?’
‘You’re the cleanest, tidiest man I’ve ever met and you always smell lovely.’ Even I knew I was scraping the barrel now.
‘Er, thank you?’ Henry looked at me quizzically.
‘I’m sorry. I thought that was why you got divorced.’
‘I got divorced because my wife ran off with a timeshare salesman.’
‘Ouch.’ I grimaced at him. ‘You must have hated me when I compared your company to a posh timeshare …’ The lift doors opened on to the ground floor and we stepped out, moving aside to let other people get in and the doors close again before saying any more.
‘It wasn’t your most endearing moment,’ he raised an eyebrow at me. ‘Let’s get out of here and sort out our tickets.’
‘And pick up my luggage.’
‘Yes, and pick up your luggage. All of it. We don’t need any reason for you to have to come back here.’