‘Perfect. I’m so proud of you, Victoria.’ Ray’s voice cracked slightly.
‘I’m actually a little proud of myself.’ Vic looked up to contain her tears. Her voice lifted. ‘Anyway, I thought you were only interviewing men from now on.’ They both laughed.
‘Yes, what am I thinking? I could have said no to your proposition, then I would be one pesky girl down already,’ Ray quipped, setting them both off again. He took a mouthful of coffee. ‘But hang on, Jerico would be distraught if you were to leave me completely.’
Vic squirmed in her seat.
‘You like him, don’t you?’
Vic purposely shoved a big bit of croissant in her mouth and made the universal ‘I can’t talk, I’m eating’ sign with her finger.
‘That’s a yes, then.’ Ray raised his hands dramatically and began to recite: ‘Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs.’
‘Don’t you be going allRomeo and Julieton me now.’
‘Well, loveiselusive, and I think Jerico is a great person. You could do a whole lot worse. Smoking hot, too.’
‘Great, maybe, but he’s also slightly mad. And who said anything about love!’ But despite her declared reservations, even thinking about Jerico Flint made Vic smile and she couldn’t keep the one that had formed off her face.
‘All the best people are slightly loco.’ Ray grinned. ‘Does he make you laugh, though, Vic?’
‘He makes me unattractively snort.’
‘Well, to be honest, once the initial lust has passed, the nose hairs start growing and our hips start giving way, what do we all really want? For me, it will be enjoyable conversation, a sense of humour and my dick sucked now and then. I don’t know about you.’
Vic laughed. ‘I think you’d best leave the romantic notionsto the great bard. And being honest, I want to concentrate on my work at the moment. It’s taken me a long time to get to this point.’
‘If advice from a middle-aged homosexual who has never himself been great at love counts, I agree that’s the right decision. You’ve had some life-changing news, so just be still for a bit. See what happens. Do what makes you happy and surround yourself with people who care about you. And when you are ready for romance, don’t settle with anyone, just because you’re afraid, Vic.’ He put his hand on hers.
‘Thank you. Thank you so much.’ Vic smiled. ‘And I class you as one of those – people who care, I mean. You’ve helped me so much.’
‘You always were completely deluded.’ Maintaining a straight face, Ray popped another chunk of pastry into his mouth.
TWENTY-THREE
BRIGHTON
The Gallery
It was May the second and Victoria’s first day of freedom from Glovers. Boarding the train at Clapham Junction, she balanced her large art porfolio case in front of her legs, put her bag on the seat next to her and cosied herself in a window seat.
The previous week had been one of big changes, what with leaving Glovers as a permanent employee and giving notice on her Wandsworth flat. To her mum’s delight, she had decided she would spend more time in Windsor while still living in London until the lease expired.
Getting ready that morning, she had felt like she was going for a real interview, not just to show Danny her artwork. Her ultimate goal was for him to exhibit and sell some of her creations, but he had been really straight with her, saying that he had a business to run, so it wasn’t guaranteed he could take her work. As the train made its merry way down to the south coast, she began to feel rather nervous.
She had chosen to take a post-rush-hour train so there wasroom for her portfolio case, and also because, with her new-found freelance freedom, she could now enjoy that luxury. Feeling thankful that nobody had sat next to her yet, she stuck her earphones into her iPod and laid her head back on the seat.
She was in the habit of playing ‘Nobody Knows’ by Pink over and over, not just because she loved it, but also because it was about feelings that one can have but not show to the outside world. Pink had described it as the most vulnerable track on the album. And vulnerable was how Vic felt these days. In fact, she loved the wholeI’m Not Deadalbum because, at that moment in time, even its name was almost amusingly relevant, and many of its tracks were powerful, too. And that was what she needed in her life just now. A bit of Pink power to get her through the uncertain times ahead.
Putting her phone on the tray in front of her, she was just about to relax and listen to her album when she saw a message come in. Seeing that it was from Nate, she took a sharp intake of breath. Then, on taking in the postcard-like verbiage, she shook her head in disbelief.
Really hope you’re OK. Ace here. Job great. Nate x
She was just ruing the fact that this was the best her ex of six years could muster, after the limited contact they had had since March, when another text popped in, from Ray.
Hope you’re good. I’ve told Jerico you’re a free agent now – professionally, I mean – & have given him your number. He has another book on the bubble – do you mind? Rx
Vic shook her head at Ray’s comment and replied immediately.
