Free Escape for the Summer by Ruth Saberton Page B

out of this one.
    “A couple of months. Four? Maybe five? Since you started that Safe T Netjob. I never saw you once that began. You never have time for me these days, do you? All you care about is work.”
    Andi felt like he’d punched her in guts. She’d been working for them ! Every hour that she’d sweated over her computer had been about putting money towards their future. How deluded was she? Or perhaps Tom was a better actor than she’d given him credit for?
    “And what about the money?” she demanded. “Don’t try and deny that you’ve cleared my accounts, either. You were the only person who knew those passwords.”
    Tom shrugged. “I needed some funds quickly, babe. Den – you know Den, he has the garage near Penge – he’s got this Audi TT come in. It’s only a year old and it’s an absolute bargain. If I hadn’t been quick I would have missed a great deal. You’ll love it, babe. It’s bright red and a soft top.”
    Andi stared at him. “Let me get this clear. You blew all my money and our rent on a car ?”
    Tom tilted his head in a winsome way. In fairness to him it was a look that had always worked in the past, but right now Andi could have cheerfully kicked him all day long.
    “It will be great for the summer,” he continued, as though he hadn’t just been caught cheating and swindling. “I needed it too: taking cabs to all my auditions costs a fortune.”
    Andi thought she was about to combust with fury. Tom’s taxi habit was already a bone of contention. Why he insisted on taking cabs when they lived practically in the sodding Tube station was a mystery. And now he’d stolen her money to buy a car? Who was going to tax it and insure it?
    Muggins. That was who.
    “I want my money back,” she said coldly.
    Tom shrugged. “Cash deal, babe. You know Den. Don’t look like that. I’ll pay you back.”
    “I need that money! It’s my money!” Andi couldn’t believe that she had just caught her boyfriend cheating and yet was more worried about the lost money than his infidelity. If she’d had the time to pause and think about it, this realisation would probably have made her feel a whole lot better.
    “Car’s in my name.” Tom jingled a set of keys under her nose. “Prove it’s not yours.”
    Behind them the door clicked shut, and seconds later Gina’s heavy tread thumped downstairs. Was she one of many? A sensation of dizziness threatened to swamp Andi and suddenly nothing mattered so much as getting him out of her space. The money could be dealt with but right now just the sight of him was suffocating.
    “Pack your things and get out,” she said wearily.
    Tom curled his lip. “You can’t kick me out. I live here too, remember?”
    “It’s my name on the rental contract,” Andi shot back. “It had to be, remember? You have a worse credit rating than Greece.”
    Tom couldn’t argue with this. Instead he gave her a pitying look. “You’re making a big mistake. Come on, baby, we’ve been together for ages now. Don’t throw it all away.”
    Andi’s hands were on her hips. She didn’t think she’d ever felt this determined. “I didn’t throw it away: you did.”
    He rolled his eyes. “Don’t overreact. Anyone can make a mistake. It was just a shag. I’m a man. I have needs. And let’s be honest, you hardly ever show any interest. All you ever do these days is fall asleep. What else am I supposed to do?”
    Andi was working twelve hours a day to keep Tom and his Clarins habit. Of course she fell asleep when she got home. She was knackered.
    But Tom, mistaking her outraged silence for agreement, was into his stride now. “Have you any idea of the pressure I’ve been under? It isn’t easy being an actor, you know. All you do is work and all you want to talk about is bloody Safe T Net.At least Gina’s interested in what I have to say rather than going on about work or the sodding bills all the time.”
    Andi was speechless.
    “So in lots of ways this is your