Country Pursuits (49 page)

‘I think I'll hold my own,' she continued. ‘Anyway, it's a good chance to hurry him along with the divorce papers.'

‘I'll be on standby if he tries anything,' said Benedict darkly.

‘My hero!' Caro said teasingly and leaned over to kiss him.

It was a fine, dry day as Caro made her way over to the pub a few hours later. As she crossed the green, she realized the cramped, anxious feeling she was used to getting before seeing Seb had gone. She wasn't looking forward to the meeting, but there was no dread there, either. Caro felt strangely calm.

The pub door was open and as she ducked her head under the low beam, she could see Sebastian had arrived before her. He was standing at the bar, clearly trying to chat up Stacey Turner. Once upon a time the scene would have made Caro's heart clench in misery. Now she just thought how worn and pathetic he looked.

She walked over and tapped him on the shoulder. ‘Seb?'

He turned around from leering down Stacey's
top, and his eyes widened in surprise. ‘Christ, you look amazing!'

Caro did. She was in fantastic shape, but the glow of being in love illuminated her more than any make-up or toned figure ever could.

‘I'll get you a drink,' he said. ‘Sauvignon Blanc, isn't it?'

‘I'll have a Perrier,' she told him. She wanted all her wits about her, she didn't put it past him to try something funny like announcing he was going for sole custody of Milo. ‘I'll find us a table.' Caro walked over to one in the corner, feeling Sebastian's eyes on her bottom.

‘So how are things? How is my wonderful son?' he asked over-heartily a few minutes later.

‘Milo is great.' Caro took a sip of her drink. ‘You can see him whenever you want; I'm not going to stop you.'

Sebastian cleared his throat and looked around the room evasively. ‘Yah, you know how it is,' he said. ‘I've been so busy. Work's simply a
bastard
at the moment.' He fixed Caro with his most beseeching look, trying to garner sympathy.

It didn't work. She had heard it all before, and simply didn't care enough to challenge it. Sebastian was so transparent, it was laughable. Caro had a sudden urge to get out of there.

‘When are you going to sign the papers?' she asked. ‘They've been with your solicitor for months now.'

Sebastian took a glug of his vodka tonic, eyeing her over the glass. ‘Ah yes,' he said lazily, a sly smile playing at the corner of his lips. ‘I've been meaning to talk to you about that.' He smiled
patronizingly. ‘Don't you think you've made your point, darling?' He held his hands up in an insolent gesture. ‘All right, so I'm
sorry
! Sebastian's been a naughty boy, and now he's had his wrists slapped.' Laughing, he took another slug of his drink. ‘Let's just stop all this divorce crap and go home, shall we?'

Caro sat perfectly still. ‘You really don't think I'm serious, do you?' she asked evenly.

Sebastian sat back smugly and put his hands behind his head. ‘I know you too well. The ball-breaker act just doesn't suit you.'

‘You don't know me at all,' she said quietly. ‘You never have. Because even if you were the last man on earth, I still wouldn't stay married to you.'

He laughed indulgently. ‘Sweetheart!' His tongue ran revoltingly across his lips. ‘Mmm, I like it when you play hard to get.' Sebastian reached over and put his hand on her thigh. ‘Stop it now, though, darling. You know we're both dying to shag and make-up.'

Caro pushed his hand off and stood up. ‘Sebastian?' she said quietly. He looked up like the cat who'd got the cream, arrogant and smirking.

She looked down at him. ‘Go fuck yourself.'

Her words took a second to sink in. Sebastian's jaw dropped slack with shock. ‘But, but . . .' he stammered.

Without a backward glance, Caro turned her back and walked out of the pub, ready to live the rest of her life.

Jo Carnegie
lives in London and Cardiff. She spent her early career as a fledgling reporter on Bedfordshire's
Biggleswade Chronicle
before working at
More!
and
Glamour
. Most recently she worked as Deputy Editor of
Heat
and has interviewed stars from George Clooney, Justin Timberlake and Will Smith to Posh and Becks and Kylie Minogue.

Country Pursuits
is Jo's first novel. She is now writing her second,
Naked Truths
.

For more information on Jo Carnegie see her website at
www.churchminster.co.uk