“It’ll happen, Vic. It’s really early days.” I’d never had any experience of this, but friends and acquaintances had. My industry was predominantly female – this issue came up a lot. “Doctors won’t look at it as being a problem until you’ve been trying twelve months.”
“I know. I’ve never known Max being so sad about something. It’s awful. Sex seems like he’s trying to prove something.”
“Tell him you’ve changed your mind until after the wedding. It might make you both relax.” My phone vibrated. I picked it up a little too quickly and saw Liam’s response.
If you’re sure it’s okay, I’ll come over. Need to get out for a bit. What’s the address?
I sent him the address and waited, looking in awe at the pile of food that was starting to fill up the table.
“I don’t think I’ll need to eat for a week.” Liam looked beat. An empty plate sat in front of him, every morsel that had been on it destroyed.
I sipped at my third glass of fizz. I’d eaten well, not over-drank and avoided Seph, which meant I felt pretty sober. I also hadn’t said anything embarrassing, or made any cock jokes which was an achievement.
“Vic and Max will be living off leftovers for the next few days.” I glanced round the room. Several people were having a snooze. Payton and Ava – who had arrived with her boyfriend Eli about an hour ago – were curled up in a corner with Lainey discussing Lainey’s ex and Payton’s plan to give him a lesson on how to be a normal human being.
Shay leaned over. “They’ll have help. I eat when I’m bored.” He looked over at Liam. “You serious about not doing any more albums or gigs?”
Liam shook his head. “Not for the foreseeable. Time to give it a rest before it makes me take a rest for good. When do you start your new job?”
“Three weeks. Should get my keys to my new place this week or next and I can get some sort of normality going here. I’ll probably end up with one of my sisters living with me for a bit too. That’s what usually happens.” Shay opened another beer. “Then they’ll complain I’m never home.”
“Sounds about right. My foster sister used to whine that I was always away touring or recording somewhere.”
They carried on talking. My phone had started to vibrate next to me, the call coming from one of my managers.
I stepped away from everyone and went into the hallway, taking the call.
“Sophie, I’m really sorry to disturb you. The alarm’s going off at the Southwark spa and I can’t get there to turn it off – I’m in Leeds for the weekend.” Carly sounded worried.
“What about Hannah or Laurence?” I mentioned the assistant manager and our security guy.
“Hannah’s with me and Laurence is at A&E. Guy can go, but he’ll be over an hour and the alarm seems to have a fault. It keeps stopping and starting. I wouldn’t call but I wondered if you knew anyone else who could see to it.” I heard a whoop in the background. Most of the spas were closed on Mondays, so Sunday nights would be party nights for some of the therapists.
“I’ll go round. I’m fifteen minutes away. Don’t worry. Have a good time. What’s up with Laurence?”
“He’s knackered his ankle running.” I heard a ton of thanks being given and laughed, half glad I wasn’t there with them.
Liam looked up at me when I returned and he came straight over.
“You okay?”
For a moment, he looked like a genuine boyfriend, concerned. And it didn’t seem like an act.
I explained the phone call. “I need to go, but I should be back in half an hour or so.”
“I’ll come with you.”
“You don’t need to.”
He shrugged. “I’d like to see one of your spas. Now might be a good time.”
* * *
We were there in under ten minutes, picking up a cab easily. The Southwark spa was set a few streets back from the most popular part, in a large building that was old enough to be historic but wasn’t listed, meaning I had been able to revamp it as I’d wanted.
Its name was hung simply and stylishly over the door and that was it. For someone to get an appointment they had to know of us already and that meant there was an element of exclusivity from the outset.
I had the keys on me; experience had taught me early on that as the owner, you were the last point of call.
