What could possibly go wrong?
As if in answer to my unspoken question, as we reach the bottom of the steps leading from the hotel to the street, Gerald comes shuffling around the corner, carrying a HiperDino carrier bag stuffed with bags of Lays crisps.
“‘Ello there, Summer,” he says, beaming. “Well, aren’t you looking nice? Off somewhere special, are we?”
“Who’s your friend, Summer?” asks Chloe, smirking in amusement as she takes in Gerald’s socks-and-sandals look. “And here was I thinking that Alex the Hottie was the one for you?”
“Oh, no,” says Gerald, looking pleased to be able to contribute to the conversation. “It’s not Alexander she’s after. It’s young Jamie, innit? That’s the man for Summer. Isn’t that right, love?”
Chloe’s eyebrows almost disappear into her hairline.
“Is that right?” she says coolly. “Well, fancy that.”
“Gerald’s just joking,” I say quickly, giving Gerald a meaningful look, which goes completely over his head. “What are youlike, Gerald? Such a joker! I didn’t say thatat all.”
I laugh, sounding slightly hysterical even to myself.
“Yes, you did,” says Gerald, looking confused. “You said so at the airport. ‘I’m off to find my true love,’ you said. Then you started going on about this Jamie bloke. Or was it Tim something? Rita’ll know.”
He looks around, as if Rita might be about to appear at any second to back him up. Luckily for me, she doesn’t. Much less luckily, though, Chloe’s there instead; and now she steps forward and links arms with Gerald, smiling at him sweetly.
“Why don’t you come for a drink with us,” she says, speaking the way you might speak to a very small child — or a pet. “And you can tell me all about it?”
“I don’t think Gerald wants to come out with us,” I say shrilly. “Do you, Gerald? Isn’t it almost time for dinner? You better hurry or Rita’ll have all the cocktails again!”
“Oh, there’s plenty of time for that,” replies Gerald, looking at Chloe like she’s an angel sent from heaven. “I’d be more than happy to accompany you two ladies for refreshments. I don’t expect I’m allowed to say ‘ladies’ now, though, am I? It’s offensive, innit?”
“Not at all,” says Chloe reassuringly. “Off we go. Come on, Summer.”
She raises her arm to hail an approaching taxi, and by the time it deposits us outside The Rowdy Squirrel, Chloe’s been fully brought up to date on the reasons for my being here in Tenerife, Fairy Godmother and all.
Thanks, Gerald.
“I have to say, Summer,” she hisses, as we wait for Gerald to clamber out of the passenger seat, “This isreallyout of character for you. I mean, a Fairy Godmother? Seriously?”
“She was more of a Wise Old Crone,” I begin, but that doesn’t make it sound any better, and she isn’t listening, anyway.
“And Jamie?” she goes on, her eyes flashing dangerously as she scans the tables in front of the bar. “Youliterallyjust told me you were over him.Literally. And now you’re telling me you’ve flown all the way out here to confess your undying love to him?”
“Ididn’tsay that! That was Gerald. Who’s clearly been drinking or something, because he’s talking complete nonsense.”
“Oh, don’t give me that. He sounded perfectly sober to me. It’syouI’m worried about, if everything your mate Gerry’s just told me is true.”
Her brow creases with worry; which just shows seriously she’s taking this, because Chloe never usually allows her face to move at all. She says it gives you wrinkles.
“Look, Summer,” she says, reaching out a hand to stop me in my tracks as we walk towards the bar. “I don’t think this is a good idea. You and Jamie, I mean. Not after what happened at—”
“The prom, I know,” I reply, shaking off her hand. “But, like I said, Chloe, that was years ago. It’s in the past. I’m a different person now.”
Well, I’mtryingto be, anyway. If she would just give me a chance.
“If you’d let me finish,” says Chloe, irritably, “I was about to say that I don’t think it’s a good idea, but I can tell your mind’s made up, so okay: I’ll help you.”
She says it as if I’ve somehow managed to talk her into something against her will.
I’m confused.
“You’ll help me?”
