Miranda's Big Mistake - Jill Mansell [145]
`I didn't deserve any of it, you know.'
He thought being set up like that had been embarrassing, Chloe marvelled, and the programme hadn't even gone out yet. Just wait until all his friends saw him on Sweet Revenge.
`Oh well, let's not argue about that,' she said cheerfully. `Let's argue about something else instead. I know, how about the divorce?'
`You're in a funny mood,' said Greg. Warily, he eyed her stomach. `How much longer to go?'
`Another three weeks yet. Don't worry, your car seats are quite safe.' Chloe marvelled at how easy it was to be flippant when you genuinely couldn't care less. `Actually, I'm pretty hungry. Could we go to Sadler's?'
Greg looked irritated. Sadler's was expensive.
`I thought you rang me because you wanted a divorce.' `I do. Well,' said Chloe, `I assume we both do. But can't I have lunch too?'
Chapter 57
It was strange, seeing Greg again for the first time in months. Over lunch at Sadler's, Chloe caught up with all the news, learning that he had found himself a new girlfriend - a chiropodist called Antonia - and that yes, this time she knew all about his estranged pregnant wife.
`How about you?' He watched Chloe's white teeth as she bit into a stem of asparagus.
`Me? Just going for the quiet life. Giving the rock-climbing and the paragliding a miss,' said Chloe. `Playing quite a bit of Scrabble though, drinking loads of cocoa, that kind of thing…'
Bravado, thought Greg.
`You'll meet someone else, you know. One day.' For some reason - guilt, probably - he felt compelled to say it.
`Will I? Who knows?' Chloe shrugged and raised a playful eyebrow. `I'm not such a catch as you.'
She was teasing him, Greg was stunned to realise. What was more, he found he couldn't tear his eyes away from her. It really was the weirdest thing; Chloe had this massive bulge sticking out in front of her but somehow she didn't look pregnant. She waddled when she walked and massaged
her back from time to time but she didn't seem pregnant either. Her gold-blonde hair was glossier than ever, her eyes sparkled, she was laughing and making jokes… It was uncanny, thought Greg, bemused. Where had all this confidence come from? Because he'd certainly never seen any evidence of it before.
Actually, it was quite erotic.
`Okay, this divorce,' said Chloe, bringing him back to earth with a bump. `Cheap and cheerful, are we agreed? Oh, yes, please, I'd love another orange juice.' She gave the waiter loitering beside her a dazzling smile and Greg realised with a jolt that the waiter had noticed it too. He wasn't looking at Chloe as if she were pregnant at all - putting it bluntly, he was ogling her.
Jesus, wondered Greg, what was going on here? His ex-wife was exuding sexuality like some fifties starlet and she was managing to do it in white cotton maternity trousers and a man's pink and white striped shirt.
`Greg? Are you having another drink?'
Still baffled, Greg shook his head.
`Shouldn't you do up a couple more buttons?'
`What?' Chloe glanced down. `My bra isn't showing, is it?'
`Your cleavage is.'
He was frowning at her chest. Chloe suppressed a sudden urge to burst out laughing.
`Greg, don't you worry about my cleavage. It's my problem, not yours.'
But you're still my wife, Greg longed to yell out. He realised how desperately aroused he was. Good grief, he'd never wanted to make love to a pregnant woman in his life-just the thought of it had always been enough to make him feel sick.
But he badly wanted to make love to Chloe now.
`What's the matter with you?' chided Chloe, leaning across the table and pinching one of his grilled mushrooms. `You've hardly touched your food.'
In his mind, Greg raced feverishly through the options open to him. It was twelve thirty - there was clearly no time to whisk Chloe back to his flat now. And Antonia was coming round this evening at eight, dammit.
`I'm glad we're still friends,' he blurted out. `Civilised, like this. Better all round. You're looking fantastic, by the way. Honestly.'
Chloe sat back, eyeing him with amusement.