The One Before The One

The One Before The One
Katy Regan

A contemporary love story told with Katy's inimitable laugh-out-loud humour, poignancy and heart.TO DO LISTMake something with QuinoaPluck eyebrowsDo something 'cultural' every weekDump married boyfriendCaroline's life was meant to be sorted when she made the decision to end her engagement, 3 months before the big day. With her to-do list tasks getting crossed off and her career going great guns, Caroline is sure she's now a fully functioning adult. So when her 17 year old half-sister Lexi, arrives unexpectedly at her door, it doesn't quite fit with her image that she's drunk and wearing her wedding dress!Lexi has come to stay for the summer but their relationship is strained, as Lexi is the result of their father's infidelity. An affair that led to the divorce that destroyed Caroline's mother and ruined her own childhood. Needless to say, Caroline is in no hurry to confess her relationship with her married lover Toby.As the summer wears on, Caroline has decisions to make, and a life to reconsider, but surely a 17 year old can't teach her anything about how to live well?

KATY REGAN

The One Before the One

For my parents

Contents

Cover (#u1949e674-83cb-5779-9869-4ceb2f362fb8)

Title Page (#ue267fd58-fb8a-5bbf-92de-516389383db8)

Prologue (#u28961a1b-146a-541f-8598-cc0ecad4f455)

Chapter One (#u39d7b660-adee-56b2-ba52-cc16e1652f98)

Chapter Two (#u6ec325ef-381c-56e4-bd36-208d5bff068a)

Chapter Three (#u8d329d85-5e64-50e9-8016-e95130cea937)

Chapter Four (#u4bd81a50-a743-55f0-8020-93ba8ccbe9e3)

Chapter Five (#uf8e69f5b-b620-511b-a365-c9a9ee98e92f)

Chapter Six (#u75b4d79d-a064-55d4-a432-7048c2a62f65)

Chapter Seven (#u8af900ae-c189-51d2-9bfe-69b0a3c83e22)

Chapter Eight (#u35939053-deee-5851-81de-e2d0a426ebf5)

Chapter Nine (#u43ae6844-defd-5f78-bd38-4370ce65556d)

Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Sixteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seventeen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eighteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nineteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty-One (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty-Two (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty-Three (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty-Four (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty-Five (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty-Six (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty-Seven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty-Eight (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty-Nine (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Thirty (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Thirty-One (#litres_trial_promo)

Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)

Acknowledgements (#litres_trial_promo)

By the same author (#litres_trial_promo)

About the Author (#litres_trial_promo)

Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)

About the Publisher (#litres_trial_promo)

Prologue (#ulink_794b9065-9af2-5d02-9fe9-079a360d3fa2)

September 2008

I knew this would be the day the minute I opened my eyes that morning, the sun pouring through our slatted blinds throwing stripes onto Martin’s face. I turned over and examined him, his face slack with sleep, head half turned into the pillow, mouth ajar.

That was it, I decided, tears already threatening. I’d come to the end of the road.