a ‘young man’ to the end of that question. Way too many mini dramas for Skye, Megan thought to herself. But why not let him see what getting on the wrong side of a McAllister would do?
‘I have no idea what you mean, miss,’ he smirked, tipping his hat.
‘I’m pretty sure you do,’ Skye said sternly, ‘look at the evidence. All of these people were perfectly calm until you turned up. And now my mum’s shouting, and she never shouts.’
Lucas looked at Megan with surprise. ‘Is that true? Because when I knew her she could give as good as she got.’
‘Wasn’t that what got her into this situation in the first place?’ Claudia said, checking her nails. Four pairs of eyes zeroed in on her, and a faint blush appeared on her porcelain cheeks as she realised what she’d said out loud.
‘Well this has been delightful, but–’
‘Lucas, lad.’ Jonathan reached for his hand. ‘I’m so sorry son, we didn’t know, you should have said…’
Lucas shrugged, half-smiled at Megan. ‘I should probably catch up with the kids. They’re teenagers so they’re probably spending the charity money on booze or graffiti-ing something.’
‘Well, that’s an assumption.’ Skye returned to her power stance, hands on hips, guarding Megan. ‘And you know what they say about assumptions…’
‘Skye!’ Megan raised her eyebrows. ‘How do you know what they say about assumptions?’
‘Jeremy,’ Skye shrugged, and then returned her gaze to Lucas. ‘But the point is that it’s not nice, or fair to blame people for something before you know they’ve actually done it.’
‘That’s actually been the theme of this whole conversation.’ Lucas grinned and reached out a hand. ‘It’s been a pleasure to meet you, Skye. I’d always wondered what you’d be like.’ And with that he was gone, down the path, around the corner, leaving Megan free to have a nervous breakdown.
***
August 2004
They were lying in the park at the top of the hill, sunglasses on, listening to music from a tinny portable speaker.
‘All right, Angel?’ Lucas nudged her shoulder, squeezing her fingers.
‘Why do you call me that?’
‘Angel?’ Lucas grinned. ‘Because you are! You’re the good girl in the big house, and I’m the boy who sold his soul to the devil for rock and roll.’
‘If you’d sold your soul you’d play a lot better than you do,’ Megan laughed, ‘and I don’t know where you got this idea about me.’
‘It’s your halo, baby. Shining bright as always. It’s just the way it is; I break, you fix. I sin, you save.’
Megan sat up and took off her sunglasses so he could see the face she was making.
‘You have heard of the Madonna-Whore Complex?’
‘Is that her latest album?’ He laughed, still lying back against the grass.
‘Why do you think you’re the bad guy?’
‘Because the truth is that you’re going to go off and have this big exciting life. And as much as I want to make music, I’m gonna end up here. I’m going to look after my mum every time another fella leaves, and I’m gonna get a job in the mechanic’s or driving a tractor or something, and that’s it for me.’ He stretched briefly, catlike, before resting his hands behind his head again. His face didn’t change.
‘That doesn’t make you a bad guy,’ Megan said, stroking his cheek.
‘No, it doesn’t. But when the time comes for you to leave, I’m not going to be selfless. I’m not going to want to let you go. Even when it’s best for you. And that makes me a bad guy.’
Megan shook her head, but didn’t really know what to say, so she just lay down next to him and said nothing.
‘Don’t let me stop you, okay Angel? You’ve got big, important things to do. Don’t make me that person that stops you,’ Lucas said softly, kissing her cheek and turning the music up.
***
That night Megan escaped the family games night, and said she had some errands to run. She paused in the hallway, watching her daughter laughing at Matty, helping Jasper move the little pieces around the board on the coffee table. It was a picture-perfect tableau and she was glad to witness it. She was also glad not to be part of it. Somehow every time she was happy, it felt fake. And now there was one question gnawing at her that had to be answered. She was going to start putting stuff right, and it was going to start with Lucas.
After getting the address from Estelle, she jumped in the 2CV and trundled down the hill, out past the farms and the new-build flats, and then up higher and higher until she reached his house. The Foxhole, she noted the hand-carved sign. Cute. She turned off the engine and got out of the car, wavering about whether to knock.
It was a sweet bungalow, old fashioned, with a double barn door at the side, where she could see light escaping around the edges. Suddenly the top part of the door swung open, and there was Lucas, lighting up a cigarette and leaning on the door.
His eyes met hers in the darkness and he jumped.
‘Holy shit, woman! Did you come here to kill me?’ He clutched his chest, throwing the barely-lit cigarette out into a little tin bucket on the floor.
‘It’s not my fault you have no lights out here!’ she argued, moving forward.
‘Don’t have many visitors,’ he breathed, still sounding irritated. ‘I’m the town hermit.’
‘Know many hermits who play on stage and ferry around the choir from door to door?’ Megan rolled her eyes.
‘Saintly ones. I’m atoning for my sins in this village,’ Lucas said lightly, starting to roll another cigarette. His hands appeared to be shaking a little, and he rubbed them together. ‘Damn it’s cold out.’
‘What sins?’ Megan already knew.
‘Well…it’s hard to live here when you’ve done wrong by the great Megan McAllister.’
She could believe that, all too easily.
‘I’m sorry,’ she said helplessly, ‘but why didn’t you tell the truth?’
‘I didn’t know the truth.’ Lucas stared into the darkness, eyes briefly illuminated by the flame of the lighter.
‘You knew she wasn’t yours.’
Lucas took a deep breath and looked at her, that same silly smile. He looked good. He’d always been gorgeous, first in that poseur
