Page 109 of If We Were Young

I was sure I’d slipped into a different dimension. Who were these women, why were they being so nice, and what the hell were they talking about? “Sure. Thanks.”

“And the kids? How were they when they came in?” Ruth asked, sliding the glasses across the table.

Oh. They must have been talking about Matthew’s children. My ears pricked up, although I tried not to be obvious. Which was a bit like trying not to look like a camp spy in some awful World War II movie. My head swivelled and my eyebrows shot up. All I needed was a bowler hat and a moustache to twirl and I’d be in character.

“Jack was emotional, but I think he knew he’d be seeing Matthew today. I’ll be glad when this whole mess is over.”

A glass had been placed in front of me and I picked it up and wet my lips. “When all what is over?” I asked.

All three of them groaned.

“Everything. The divorce, the business. It’s a nightmare.”

“Oh? But we’re trying to save Supersaver Foods from going bankrupt, aren’t we? I thought that was why I was here? We’ve had two weeks to deliver a plan to the administrators.”

Lynn’s gaze met mine steadily. “Ronnie, the only thing being saved here is Matthew’s ego.”

I’d taken another sip of wine and it burnt down the wrong way. “What do you mean?”

“Meaning,” cut in Ruth. “That Matthew’s ego is so enormous he can’t admit that he’s made some massive mistakes and has been paying for them ever since.”

“Oh.” The skin on my throat warmed and tingled and not in a Matthew kiss kind of way. “Well, I don’t need to know about that. I’m only here to help him with the rebrand.”

I wanted them to stop talking. I didn’t want to know little secrets that Matthew himself might not have wanted me to know. “What mistakes exactly?” Good one, Ronnie.

“Oh, you know. Being miserable and married to the most hideous woman on the planet and then not walking away all because of his dad’s stupid shop.”

Ruth reached over and patted Lynn’s hand. “Sorry, Mam, but it’s true.”

Lynn nodded.

“Stupid shop?” I asked. “He’s really concerned about the staff. He doesn’t want to let anyone down or for them to lose their jobs. I get that. I’m the same with my staff.”

Lynn shot me a sympathetic glance. “None of us want to let the staff down, but it is what it is. It’s taken Matthew five years to extricate himself from this divorce. Those poor kids have been through hell; have been ruined by her and her family and their extravagant spoiled lifestyle.”

“Really?”

“And now he’s in London trying to save a ghost.”

“Why though, if it’s making his boys upset?”

Lynn sat back against her chair next to Lennie and sipped at her wine. “She made things awful since he first asked for a separation. Actually, it wasn’t even a separation, it was straight to divorce.” She really shouldn’t have been telling me any of this. I shifted closer. “First it was visiting rights; the only way for him to see the boys was if he pretended to still live at home and keep up a facade of their marriage. Then when he pushed her for the divorce again it came down to money. It should have been fifty/fifty, they never signed a pre-nup, but they’ve dragged everything out. He deserves payment though, for what he’s put up with.”

“I don’t think you should be telling me this.” I shifted again in my seat. Matthew was just in the room next door, watching the football with his sons. He hadn’t told me any of this for a reason. “What has he put up with?” I couldn’t help myself.

“He must have told you. The takeover of Carling Supersavers was halfway through when Matthew said he wasn’t sure about the marriage. He wanted more time but then the deal went sour. His dad got sick.”

“Oh. So Matthew didn’t want to get married?”

Ruth snorted loudly. “Anyway, this will all be over soon. Matthew will get the business back through the administrators and then we can all get back to being a normal family again.”

Lennie cackled. “Normal?”

“You know what I mean. Maybe Matthew can be happy again. Although I’m not sure I’ve ever seen him happy. We all might die of shock.”

“What do you mean gets the business back through the administrators?”

I had my gaze on Lynn so I could watch her face cloud. “The payout from the divorce. All he wanted to keep was his dad’s business. And then right before the paperwork went through, McStandish declared it in administration. I know, I know. I get it; he’s angry. Feels that Matthew betrayed him and Julie, but right now Matthew isn’t even leaving the marriage with what he went into it with.”