The Man She Married: A gripping psychological thriller with a heart-pounding twist(12)

‘I don’t think there are any rules about it.’ My giggliness is starting to evaporate. ‘It just needs to be someone relatively sensible who can help organise stuff on the day.’

‘So you don’t think it’s odd?’

‘What?’

‘Well, look…’ JoJo sweeps an arm round the room. ‘Look – all that lot are your friends. Some of them are from when we were at school, and some from college, and that lot over there are your pals from when you worked at that tapas restaurant… and look, there’s Lisa who does your hair… and your parents’ former neighbours, your godparents, your cousins… and who has Dominic got here? Adam and a couple of other randoms from his office and a couple of guys who work out at the same gym. So where are they?’

‘Where are who, JoJo?’ My tone is terse. I don’t like what she’s implying but remind myself once again that her best friend’s wedding is bittersweet for her.

‘Dom’s people. His family and old friends. It feels a bit… weird.’

As if on cue, Dominic appears at my side with a glass of champagne in each hand. He sets them down and sweeps me up into his arms, squeezing me so hard that my silver-shod feet lift up off the ground.

‘How’s the gorgeous Mrs Gill? Time we had a dance, I think.’

I kiss him square on the lips, then throw a look over my shoulder at JoJo. A look that’s intended to signal ‘Look how lucky I am’. To shut down her doubts. ‘I couldn’t agree more,’ I say.

As Dom turns to lead me in the direction of the dance floor, JoJo grabs my wrist, pulling me back again. ‘Sorry, I didn’t mean anything, Al. It’s the booze talking. As long as you’re okay.’

I gesture at my smiling husband, handsome in his Armani suit. ‘Of course I’m okay, silly! I couldn’t be any happier.’





Six





Alice





Then





The honeymoon is blissful.

Dominic has booked a private villa on Skiathos. There’s an enchanting terraced garden with an infinity pool overlooking the sea, and when we’re not lounging beside the pool, we’re trekking down the steep path from the villa’s wooded hilltop to the private beach to swim or picnic. We hire bikes to explore the island, take boat trips to other islands and have long, late lunches followed by siestas and sex. Lots of sex. We spend hours lost in exploration of mutual pleasure. Married sex is, I decide, the best I’ve ever known.

In the evenings, we drink wine on our terrace or walk to a local taverna to eat grilled fish caught that day. The April weather is pleasantly warm during the day but chilly at night. One day, we buy seafood in the market and barbecue it ourselves as the sun sets, washing it down with retsina.

‘Glad you married me, then?’ Dominic enquires.

I wind my arms round his waist while he expertly turns prawns over hot coals.

‘Just a bit,’ I admit. ‘I’d keep you for your barbecuing skills alone.’

The following morning, after a long lazy session in bed, he comes into the bathroom as I’m popping my contraceptive pill out of its blister pack.

‘Just as well you’re taking those,’ he observes. ‘Or the way we’ve been going at it, you’d be knocked up by now. No doubt about it.’

I pause with the tiny white tablet halfway to my lips. ‘Actually… I was thinking of stopping it quite soon.’

Dominic does a double take, banging his hip into the vanity unit as he steps back. ‘What? Why?’

‘Well, because we’re married now.’ I’m genuinely confused. ‘I was thinking we could just, you know, see what happens.’

‘You mean have a baby?’

The look on his face – concern bordering on dismay – throws me completely. ‘Yes, of course I mean have a baby. That’s what people do once they’re married, isn’t it? I mean, I assumed…’ I tail off. Of course I made assumptions, because we haven’t actually got round to having the conversation yet. I’m someone who always used to pour scorn on couples who failed to discuss having children before they got married, and yet here I am. Doing exactly that myself.

‘We don’t want a baby, do we?’ Dominic asks.

I feel a sudden, irrational prickle of tears. ‘Of course I want a baby!’ I say hotly, trying to mask how upset I am. ‘Don’t most people? Don’t you?’

He pulls me forward into his arms. ‘Sorry, babe, I didn’t mean to upset you… of course kids would be great. I just meant that I don’t want one right now. This has all happened pretty quickly, and we’re still busy getting to know each other.’

‘I’m thirty-one in a few months, Dom. We can’t put it off forever.’

‘Exactly. You’ve only recently turned thirty. There’s loads of time.’



We fly back to London and become reabsorbed into our busy work lives over the summer. I decide that it will be nice to at least enjoy our first Christmas together as man and wife, before thinking about starting a family.

From October onwards, I start making plans. I’ve always loved Christmas, but in my post-Alex single life, the invites to spectate at other people’s celebrations left me feeling empty and a little left out. A little bit Bridget Jones. Now, at last, I’m part of a couple again. When I’m not busy juggling jobs for Comida, I squirrel away presents for Dominic’s stocking and make Pinterest boards of Christmas recipes and decorations. We’ll throw a drinks party on Christmas Eve, I decide. But, first, the sitting room will have to be redecorated, and the rather shabby curtains I bought in Habitat five years ago replaced with some smart new ones.