Your Lying Eyes

Your Lying Eyes Chapter 39

The rest of the journey was completed in silence, except for Maisie whimpering in her car-seat.

Once they were back home, they unpacked the car and took the bags into the house, Anna going through to the kitchen to make the evening meal for the three of them.  Howard carried Maisie into the kitchen and put her in her highchair, giving her a drink.

Anna stood preparing the vegetables. She felt a pair of arms snake around her waist, then her hair was brushed back from her neck.  Soft, warm lips began to plant butterfly kisses down her neck to her shoulder, sending shivers through her.

"I'm sorry hun, I shouldn't have shouted like that in the car," he whispered to her, pulling her back to him.  "I'm sorry."

"You frightened Maisie too you know," she told him, trying not to lean back into his arms.  "Poor kid nearly jumped out of the seat.  She's not used to hearing you shout."

"You forgive me?" he asked her, his face close to her neck so that she could feel the soft stubble on his chin, his breath hot on her skin.

"Yes.  As long as you tell me what is troubling you. Because there is something I can tell," she said, putting the knife down and turning to look into his eyes.  "Tell me what it is How.  Don't try and cover it up," she pleaded with him.

"There's nothing to tell," he lied to her, "nothing at all." He closed his eyes and kissed her forehead, working his way down to her lips and kissed her slowly.  

As the kiss ended, she pulled back from him, looking into his eyes.

"Honest?" she whispered to him.

"Honest," he repeated to her, his eyes flickering as he did so.  He pulled her back against his chest, his arms wrapped around her tightly.  "You've nothing to worry about babe.  Everything is ok.  Honest."

Anna tightened her arms around him, trying not to let the tears fall.  If she hadn't seen his eyes blink like that she'd have believed him.  She cursed herself for having done so.

"Ok hun, if you say so," she told him, going along with it.  He hugged her tightly again before letting her go.

"Don't worry about anything Anna.  We're ok, I promise you."

Anna wasn't the only one who was uneasy.  Jason had seen the way that Howard reacted in the studio and had seen him and Gary having their conversation on the car park.  He thought back to what Nina had said about working with him in Dublin and Durham.  Sophie had told him that one of her friends had spent the night with him in Dublin.  Maybe Nina was the one she was talking about.  She certainly was a friend of hers. She had been with her in the pub that time when he had paid her for her help in trying to split the two of them up.

Jason sighed.  He regretted having done that now. He'd realised that he'd be causing Anna so much pain if his plan had worked.  He'd always thought that Howard would one day be responsible for them splitting without any help from him.  Now it seemed possible.  If Anna found out about his latest fling, it would all be over for them.  He didn't think that she would be able to forgive him again.  Sadly, it looked like she may need him again sometime in the future.  Possibly sooner rather than later.  He'd never understand why Howard did the things he did, especially when he had so much to lose.

The next few weeks passed quickly.  Howard, Anna and Maisie went on their holiday to the south of France, Gary letting them use the villa he had bought there the previous year.  While they were away, Howard told Anna that he wasn't going to be working away at weekends as often as he had done in the past.  He wanted to show her that he was serious about them spending more time together as a family.  He told her that he was going to do just one gig per month, maybe a couple during the holiday high season.  He'd had lots of offers but had turned them down.