Read Coming Around Again for Free Online

says you’re any different from the idiot who already
takes up far too much time as my boyfriend. Thank you. But no, thank you.”
    The banker glanced in Stella’s direction and Eden
quickly put paid to that. “She’s married.” It didn’t make him move. “Seriously
do one. Now.”
    “Eden,” Stella chided. “That wasn’t nice.”
    “Like you’ve never done worse! I remember a bloke you
utterly decimated. He’s probably still in that same bar wishing for death
rather than the extension of yet more torture.”
    “Oh, that guy. Come on, he deserved it.”
    Eden topped up her glass with more red. “How are
you, really?”
    The only real downside of having a friend deal with
your divorce was the constant questioning every time a stinging letter arrived
from Niels’ solicitor.
    “I’m good. Ish. I suppose.”
    “I know you spoke to your mum the other day.”
    God, how disastrous that had been. “She wasn’t happy
that I hadn’t tried hard enough to stay married.”
    Unhappy being an understatement. Eden sighed
heavily. “She’s worried about you.”
    “She has no idea. I’ve been married ten years.
Better than she fucking well did. And I’d have stayed married longer, but Niels
decided otherwise. Bastard.”
    “Speaking of my other lovely-looking friend…” She
trailed off suggestively. “Have you talked to him about the house? There’s
still a substantial mortgage on it. He hasn’t said anything more than he’s more
than happy to make periodical payments.”
    “I don’t need that jackarse’s money,” Stella
declared boldly.
    “Well, quite, but you really should understand his
current situation…”
    “Are we talking shop? I thought we were out so I
could have a break and not think about what the hell that arse is telling my
sweet babies.”
    “You’re getting drunk. Best way I can get things
out of you these days,” Eden said, without a hint of repentance.
    “That’s my house. He’s got a house. Why are we
fussing?”
    “Because from the gist of what his solicitor says,
the situation for both of you is pretty tenuous and you have a large mortgage
on your house. If you stay there, you need to show you can afford it.”
    “Course I can.”
    “The thing is, Stel…”
    “Niels is sitting in a mortgage-free house. He’s
such a cunt,” Stella spat. “Tell him he can pay for it, but I am staying put.”
    “Fandabidozy,” Eden muttered. “Anything else?”
    “He’s got naked pictures of me.”
    “Erm…”
    “You know what? Lemme tell him.”
    Eden reached for her phone, but Stella snatched it
out of the way. “I really don’t think that’s a good idea.”
    Stella burped loudly. “It’ll be fine.” She’d
changed Niels’ number on her phone from Husband to The Prick.
    What’s happening with the house? Why haven’t you
said I can have it?
    Good evening to you, too, Stella. What do you want
to happen with the house?
    Obviously I want to stay in it.
    And?
    And just tell your solicitor so she can back off.
You’ve got your own house.
    True, but the house you’re in is larger. Five
bedrooms. You don’t need five bedrooms.
    I am not selling the house.
    You don’t need that much space.
    Fuck. You. I earned that house.
    Whatever do you mean by that?
    “Oh my god, he’s so fucking frustrating!” Stella cried,
reading through the messages with Eden. Her friend covered her eyes with her
hands.
    “I told you this wasn’t a good idea.”
    “He’s such a bastard.”
    Stella typed faster, her fingers flying across the
keyboard of her phone, venting her fury and feelings where Eden had told her
not to communicate anything to Niels in writing. Nothing that she wouldn’t be
embarrassed by a judge seeing. She lost her patience.
    There had never been a time when she hadn’t been
able to vent to her husband before, and after three glasses of wine on the
emptiest stomach in the Western Isles, she wasn’t about to start now. His reply
to her rounded her eyes and she turned