‘Me too.’ Orla bit her lip. ‘Thanks to you.’
Mandy’s brow furrowed. ‘But, Vic, what are you going to do about Nate – or this Jerico, for that matter?’
‘I know exactly what I am going to do. I’m actually taking your advice, Orla O’Malley, and I’m going to do nothing and see what comes to me, because I’ve also got some other big news, which is going to take up a lot of my time.’
‘I feel like I need to sit down for this.’ Mandy sat at the kitchen table and put her hand to her pregnancy bump.
‘Well, you know how I’m working freelance for Ray now?’
‘Yes,’ Orla and Mandy answered in unison. Mandy suddenly looked worried. ‘This will pay your rent and allow you to live, will it?’
‘I will be fine. I saved a bit of my Christmas bonus and Ray gave me a decent pay rise so I’ve saved a bit of that, too. Plus, I will have the deposit from the flat. And, well, the other news is that I’m moving to Brighton for the summer to exhibit and sellmy work at Danny’s gallery. As well as still doing any bits for Ray if he needs me, of course.’
Orla was wide-eyed. ‘Oh my God, mate. That’s what you’ve always dreamt of doing.’
‘Well, my own gallery would be my ultimate,’ Vic replied modestly.
Mandy rushed over and threw her arms around Vic. ‘Proud, so bloody proud of how far you’ve come with everything you’ve had to deal with.’
‘He says in July I can have the front display window, which is saved for the big shots, usually.’
‘He clearly thinks you are a big shot,’ Mandy enthused.
‘Maybe he feels obliged to,’ replied Vic, who, despite Danny’s reaction to her work, still felt she needed reassurance.
‘No, of course not, Vic.’ Orla was stern. ‘He has a business to run; he’s not going to do anyone any favours.’ She went to the fridge to retrieve more wine. ‘I bloody love Brighton. Are you going to be staying at his?’
‘Yes, in the two-bed apartment above the gallery where it all happened that fateful night.’
‘Maybe you can just have wild unattached sex with him – then you’re sorted. New job, new knob, all in one go.’ Orla refilled her glass then topped up Vic’s.
Mandy shook her head. ‘Is that even an option?’
Vic smiled. ‘Me and Danny work far better as friends, and he’s seeing someone now anyway.’
‘See, he’s done it,’ Orla said knowingly. ‘Found somebody pretty quickly too.’
Mandy stood up. ‘Let’s get these pizzas in. I’m starving, but before that, a toast to our gorgeous girl, Victoria Sharpe.’ Mandy put a thimble of wine into a glass and lifted it into the air. ‘Here’s to Victoria having the best time and selling all her paintings in Brighton.’
‘To Victoria,’ Mandy and Orla said in unison.
‘One for all and all for one,’ added a now-tipsy Orla.
‘One for all and all for one,’ they all repeated.
TWENTY-EIGHT
BRIGHTON
The Gallery
July 2006
‘Vic? Vic! Are you awake?’
Vic turned over in bed and groaned at the voice coming through her bedroom door. ‘What time is it?’ she answered sleepily.
‘Just after eight thirty. I’m going out to meet a potential new artist shortly, so if you could open up the gallery today, that would be really helpful.’
