Ladies Who Launch Read Online Free

‘It’s done. I’ve had enough—’
    ‘Had enough what?’ he interrupted her with a brittle laugh. ‘Had enough cruises? Had enough luxury? Had enough big houses?’
    ‘Yes,’ she replied. ‘I think we’re living proof that money doesn’t make you happy.’ His finger came out and lifted up her chin, none too gently until she
smacked it away.
    ‘You’ll find out then, won’t you? If you think I’m going to play fair in a divorce, think again, my love.’
    Just for a moment, Selina would have let him have everything in exchange for a clean break. But having him stand over her, attempting to intimidate her, she found that she was stronger than she
had imagined. Like hell he would take everything that she had worked so hard for from her. She was prepared to fight for her fair share. She had money of her own these days, not enough to buy
business-class tickets everywhere they travelled or suites on cruise liners, but she was sure she would cope. To Zander, luxury meant opulence and the best champagnes on the menu; to Selina luxury
was waking up to a day completely free of a vain, lying, cold, miserable, spirit-destroying knob.
    ‘Zander,’ she said, her eyes boring even harder into his than his were boring into hers: ‘Bring it on.’
    Then she turned from him and walked away to a round of inner applause.
    She didn’t see him again for the remaining three days which were spent at sea. She took up Gil and Angie’s offer to drive her up from Southampton to Barnsley where she intended to
catch a train to her flat in Harrogate above the school, but Gil had insisted taking her right to her door. First thing the next morning she contacted her solicitor and started divorce
proceedings.
    Zander, as expected, had fought her every step of the way and employed a cobra of a divorce lawyer. Selina’s solicitor, however, was a tenacious mongoose who took a particular delight in
plunging her teeth into the jugular of the obdurate defendant. The divorce cost Selina a fortune in fees but it was worth every penny. Her decree absolute was framed and hung in her study along with
all the certificates of her other finest achievements.
    A loud voice from the café brought her back into the here and now. ‘When you said I should put some chicken fillets in my bra, I thought you meant real chicken fillets. They stunk
bloody awful when I got home. I were nearly sick. And so was our Dave when he copped a feel of ’em.’
    Selina laughed to herself. She’d been without friends – real friends that is – for too long. She would miss a ship every year and bear the cost and indignity if it meant she
could keep Angie in her life to share stories, gossip, moans and cake with. Especially in this sweet tea room filled with sunflowers.
    ‘Ooh, that’s better,’ said Angie, returning to her seat and flopping heavily down as if she’d just run a marathon. ‘You can hear all the conversation in the loo.
It’s so funny. Have you been listening?’
    ‘No, I’ve been sitting here thinking actually,’ replied Selina.
    ‘It’s a good place for doing that, isn’t it?’ smiled Angie. ‘I could stay here for hours. It’s as if it’s a place that likes people. As if it
doesn’t care what you look like or what your job is or how big your bum is, it just wants you to sit down and forget the world outside for a bit. Does that sound daft?’
    ‘Yes, it does,’ replied Selina. ‘Now do you and my budding godson want that last chicken and celery sandwich or can I have it?’
    ‘Be my guest.’
    In the meeting next door Hilda was calling order.
    ‘Now, I thought we’d have a whip-round for Ava and buy her a bouquet to lift her spirits a bit. She’s gutted over her shoe. Is that all right with everyone?’ There
followed a rustle of bags, snaps of purse clips, clank of coins.
    ‘Isn’t friendship bloody marvellous, Ange,’ grinned Selina.

Read on for a sneak peek of Milly’s new novel.
Afternoon Tea at the Sunflower