I bellow at him, "Love and like have nothing to do with it for you. You covet her because you can't bear to give up any of your women. You're like a c.o.c.k with his hens. You are a c.o.c.k! One big walking, talking, c.o.c.k! You have a Weapon of Ma.s.s Destruction which you go around using at every opportunity!"

He strokes a loose tendril of hair from my cheek. "I swear, believe me, it's been tucked away, unused except by my own hand since I last made love with you."

"You haven't made love' with me for ages, you f.u.c.k me! f.u.c.k my a.s.s off' f.u.c.k my brains out' as your expressions go."

"Come back and live with me again and we'll be making love again...just...I go crazy when I see you...this diet of s.e.x - of us not living together is making me go insane so the last few times we got together I felt like a beast."

He takes my hand. "Feel it. Feel how hard it is. All I can think of is your voice, your smile, Pearl, your face, your lips, your a.s.s, your t.i.ts and most importantly, your soul - your essence, your very being. I can't live without you, cherie. Every waking moment, every sleeping second I'm dreaming of you, Pearl, I'm so crazy about you, it hurts."

"Then f.u.c.king stay away from that asparagus stick b.i.t.c.h, Laura!" I yell, remembering how Sophie had described her as an asparagus.

Rex comes bounding over and jumps up. My screaming has alerted him and he starts to bark at his master. "You see?" I screech - "even Rex is on Team Pearl. He knows what a prize jerk you are. A lying, two-timing jacka.s.s!"

"Look, I'm dealing with Laura-"

"Dealing with her? You are unbelievable. Unbe-f.u.c.king-lievable!" I try to break away from his devouring gaze which is swallowing me whole.

But he has my wrists in a clasp so I can't escape. Christ he's s.e.xy.

"I swear I haven't lied to you. I swear I've been faithful I haven't touched Laura please trust me, Pearl. Please have faith."

"Then why have you been seeing her?"

"I can't tell you. But trust me." He breathes into my face seductively he smells of apples and sweetness. "I was just protecting someone I love."

"Someone else you love? How many of us are there, Alexandre? How many more women have you got hooked on you with your panty-melting antics?"

"I'm sorry, cherie. But I had to see Laura I had no choice." He looks down at his boots. "And I'm afraid I'll have to see her again."

His words stab my heart. I'll have to see her again. I shout out in a jealous rage, "What is it that Laura has that I don't?"

"Something I need from her. Once I get it, I'll never go near her again, I promise."

I try to struggle free. "You are quite something, Alexandre Chevalier. Wow! You really win the prize for being a French, macho s.h.i.t-head!"

He keeps hold of my wrists. "Please, baby, trust me. I can't say more, just trust me." He pushes his soft lips onto mine and kisses my closed, bitter mouth. He begins to lick me very gently and an unbidden low moaning sound escapes my throat which I know is my downfall. He pushes his wavering tongue inside my longing mouth and parts it. My jaw drops open. Even through his thick military coat I can feel his erection pressed up against my thighs.

"Hey, you two! No indecent behavior in public!"

I open my eyes from my reverie and say a little prayer to St. Lucy. Thank you, Santa Lucia, for saving me; for shining a light on this situation and showing it up for what it is...madness. It's a police officer and now he's making his way over towards us, half smiling as if he was kidding about indecency' but I take this opportunity. I slip from underneath Alexandre's clutches and dash towards the uniformed stranger.

"Bye, Alexandre. Rex! Come boy, come!" I start galloping at full pelt in the direction of the East side.

Rex runs behind me, following at racing speed. Rex has chosen me over his master and I feel triumphant.

I don't look back.

Daisy and I are sitting on her bed with our legs tucked under us while Amy's playing with her teddies in her wigwam.

"It's just my body he wants, Daisy, nothing more. Laura was right; he's in l.u.s.t' with me."

"Nonsense, he wants all of you."

"All of me and all of Laura. He wants her for...I don't know what...and me...just to f.u.c.k."

"Rubbish. Look, Pearl, if all he was after was a s.e.xy body...well... I don't mean to sound harsh and you do have an incredible body and you really are beautiful but...well...if all he wanted was a body, he could flick his thumb through any Victoria's Secret catalogue and pick off any top model he wanted well, anyone who Leonardo di Caprio hasn't already claimed, that is. With his money and looks Alexandre could, literally, have any body. But he's chosen you."

"I suppose you're right. It's true, he could be going out with a supermodel. A supermodel who wants world peace and plays chess, to boot. He could get anyone. Sometimes...no - not sometimes, often - I wonder what he sees in me."

Daisy rolls her eyes with irritation. "Stop sounding so poor-me and buck up, woman! He sees your good heart, your soul. And you may not be a supermodel but you look b.l.o.o.d.y amazing for your age. You have a better body than most twenty-five year olds, and a beautiful face sometimes you remind me of Grace Kelly. It really p.i.s.ses me off when you start all that, I'm just an average-looking girl next door' nonsense. It's b.o.l.l.o.c.ks. Plus, Alexandre feels at ease with you, likes to hang out. You both love dogs."

I suddenly think of Laura (Cruella De Vil) calling Rex a creature' and it makes me seethe. "Alexandre swears nothing is going on with Laura and that I should trust him."

Daisy sucks in a lungful of air. "Well, I'm obviously not the best person to discuss this with after what Johnny did to me. And to Amy. I trusted him implicitly I don't think I'll ever be able to do that again with any man."

"At least he wants you back and he's groveling."

"But I don't want him back now. How could I live with that uncertainty again?"

"What about Amy?"

Daisy looks over at the wigwam. Amy is muttering to herself in different voices and playing tea party' inside. "That's my only concern. Amy loves her dad, obviously, but at the same time it's no good if we're unhappy together that's no good for her at all."

"You need more time to think it through. Let Johnny wallow in his misery a bit, it'll do him good. Make him appreciate what he's lost." I realize I sound like Alexandre that's exactly what he said to me.

"Coming from you, the eternal forgiver, that sounds tough."

"Well, some men deserve the cold shoulder, now and then. If you're too nice they walk all over you."

"Actually Pearl, I have a confession to make."

"Really?" A gamut of possibilities runs through my mind. Perhaps she's been having private conversations with Alexandre and has been holding out on juicy information.

She looks at the wigwam and whispers, "About Zac."

"Zac, the surfer? The good looking one we met on the beach?"

Daisy looks down; her face flushes pink. "We kissed."

My jaw drops open. "You are kidding me? Daisy that's so exciting..."

"It gave me confidence made me realize I was still attractive."

"Are you kidding? You're gorgeous. Especially since you've lost all that weight. He should be so lucky."

Then she squeals quietly, "But wait. There's more!"

I laugh. "You sound like one of those infomercials...'but wait, there's more.'"

"I s.h.a.gged him."

s.h.a.g - British for f.u.c.k'. I scream, "No!"

Amy pokes her head out of the wigwam. "Why are you shouting, Auntie Pearl?"

"Nothing, honey. I thought I saw a spider but I was wrong."

"I like spiders. I would never kill a spider."

"That's because you're an angel, sweetheart. Don't worry, I don't kill them, either."

Amy slips back inside her wigwam and continues her tea party.

Daisy whispers, "I haven't been able to get him out of my mind since."

"I'm not freakin' surprised. He was gorgeous. When did this happen? You're such a dark horse, Daisy."

"That day when you three all went on a walk in the woods. Remember? When I said I'd stay behind? Zac popped over."

"Sounds like he did a lot more than just pop over."

"Well, yes. It started with a kiss and then...well, I thought, I'm on holiday, what the h.e.l.l.' I didn't mean it to go so far but my hormones took over, I couldn't resist him."

"And? Was it worth it?"

"Let's just say that he woke up a certain part of my body that had lain dormant for a long while."

"You were very brave to just go for it like that."

"Like I said, I was on holiday - I felt reckless. As far as I was concerned it was a one night stand...I mean a one day stand'...but he had other ideas."

I'm still grinning at this gossipy news. "Like what?"

"He told me he wanted more. Well, I left him hanging - you know, it wasn't exactly the right time in my life to be jumping into another relationship. When a woman doesn't give a d.a.m.n, it makes a man all the more interested. I told him I wasn't ready for a relationship."

"Relationship? You'd even consider Zac as boyfriend material?"

"He's gorgeous, Pearl. And he's a really sweet guy. And not dumb either he's interesting. Yes, I see potential there."

"But... but... he's a surfer - the non-committal type - he'd drive you nuts."

"That's what your dad's like. Zac is more demonstrative."

"Really? What did he demonstrate?" I laugh at my silliness and wait for a detailed description of the nitty-gritty.

Daisy replies in a serious tone, "Nothing like absence making the heart grow fonder.' He wants me to think about moving to Kauai and living with him."

Stunned doesn't even begin to describe how I feel. "You'd consider leaving New York? Living in Hawaii?"

"You bet. I mean, it's so beautiful there, so peaceful. A great place for a child to grow up. You get a tropical life but it's still part of America the best of both worlds."

"Are you sure it wasn't something he just said the way guys do sometimes. Empty promises and all that?"

"We've been in touch by email. No calls. I told him not to call I don't want to upset A. M. Y."

A little voice pipes up from within the wigwam, "Mommy, I know you're talking about me."

"Just saying how pretty you are, Amy," I shout out. "My G.o.d, she's bright for her age."

Daisy whispers, "He's invited us to stay with him at his house. A three month trial period, he suggested."

My mouth hangs open. "I can't believe I'm hearing this. A surfer with plans?"

"Well, he said it. It was his idea. Maybe not every surfer is as flaky as your dad when it comes to relationships."

"And you're considering it? Seriously? What about your practice? What about your job?"

"I'm self-employed, I can go anywhere. I could start up something there. I may earn less out there but the cost of living will be so much less than New York City. I mean, Amy and I wouldn't move in with him straight away. I think that would be foolish. We could get something small nearby. See how it goes first. It would be an adventure a life change. I'd keep my autonomy. Then, if it didn't work out with Zac it wouldn't be the end of the world and if it did, well...h.e.l.lo? Book Two of my life."

"What about Johnny?"

She lowers her voice to an almost inaudible whisper, "Johnny can f.u.c.k right off."

"Really?"

"The only reason he wanted us back is because Lady-love Phoenix has gone back to her husband. He had the perfect life with me and Amy and he blew it. We can't be left-overs. Anyway, don't worry, I won't do anything rash. But I am weighing things up." She clears her throat. "And what about you, Pearl? D'you think you'll have the willpower to stay away from Alexandre when he's still expressing undying love for you?"

"This time I have to, Daisy. I have no choice. I can't be left-overs, either."

"I just don't get it. Why is he still seeing Laura?"

"He says he needs one more thing from her and then he'll never see her again."

"Is that code for one last goodbye, d'you think? One last s.h.a.g?"

"That's what I fear but he's been taking his time about it this Laura thing has been dragging on for weeks."

"It must have been painful for you not spending Christmas with him."

"I had an amazing Christmas here with you and Amy and Ant."

"Yes, but still. Have you spoken to Sophie, by the way?"

"Yes, she called the other day. So strange. She asked me what was going on with Alexandre. She asked me."

"But surely she must know if it's to do with their mother - this big emergency' Alexandre was talking about."