‘True, but I thought you might want to be prepared all the same.’
Alicia appreciated Sunni’s concern. It was anyone’s guess what Chad would say in the interview. Often, he was frankly and brutally honest in the name of ‘letting the real me be free’. It was trash talk to keep his profile fresh in the public’s mind and to ensure he was forgiven for his latest misdemeanour. What on earth was it that kept the public running back to Chad? Alicia had no idea, but she sure as hell wasn’t falling for any of his propaganda.
After saying goodbye to Sunni, Alicia set up her easel and canvas facing Ben Corrin. The visibility had cleared since the storm, and there was a good view of the mountain. Each brush stroke was meditation, like painting with lavender oil, the scent infusing into her and soothing her soul. There was a distinct contrast to sketching Jamie where every score or flick of the pencil had been like skin on skin. Her desire spiking as the graphite skimmed across the paper.
For around an hour, Alicia painted, the dabbing motions of the brush in the paint and the gentle strokes of earthen brown, Snow White and pure azure across the canvas lulling her into a sea of calm. This type of therapy was exactly why she’d come here.
But it was around this time that a now familiar scene played out. Small flakes of white startedto spin across her vision, at first so few that she rubbed her eyes and wondered if the jet lag was playing tricks on her brain. But it wasn’t long until crystalline dervishes were whirling in front of her once more. Another snowstorm.
‘Damn!’ Alicia put down her paintbrush. Visibility was back to zero. It had been good while it lasted.
At a loose end, she leaned over to the coffee table and picked up the copy ofShowing Shame the Door.The title was kind of ridiculous, but if Sunni recommended it, she would give it a shot. Sinking down onto the couch, Alicia opened the book and pretended she was reading something relaxing and escapist. But this was no bodice ripper and the only thing that happened as she read was that the wordshamejumped out from all angles like a school bully. The book was hard work already, and this was a vacation. Back it went onto the coffee table.
Alicia got up to make another cup of tea and stood at the French doors drinking it. Despite the poor visibility, she could see the general outline of Jamie’s lodge. What was he doing in there? Thinking? Drinking? Showering? She would watch all three, preferably at once.
Driven by a sudden urge to see the man again, and without thinking too much about what she was doing, or the snowstorm, Alicia yanked on her boots, powered out the door – cup of tea in hand – and down the path to Jamie’s accommodation. As she waited for him to respond to her knocking, she mildly regretted not putting on a jacket or bringing an umbrella.
But neither of those would have prepared her for what hit her when Jamie opened the door. What on earth?! He was hastily tying up a robe, but not quickly enough for Alicia to miss that under the robe he appeared only to be wearing… What were those? She only got a glance – swim shorts? She tried her best to keep her gaze at eye level, although it was difficult.
‘Oh, hey!’ Jamie tied the robe up. Alicia was tempted to tell him to please not bother on her account. ‘Sorry,’ he continued. ‘I thought it was… I don’t know, actually. I think I thought it was the wind, although that makes me a sound weird for opening the door to it. Anyway, come in, come in.’ He stepped aside to let Alicia pass. ‘You alright? You not painting.’
‘I was, but it’s been a bit hindered by the weather.’
‘Ah, of course. It’s gien it laldy again.’
‘Pardon?’
’It’s snowing a lot.’
‘Yes. Um, nice lodge you’ve got here.’ If Alicia could focus on the dwelling as if it were a piece of real estate she might be able to make her eyes do the polite thing and not gawp at Jamie in that robe.
‘Thanks. Much the same as yours I’d imagine. Anyway, sorry about my get up here. I was going to the pool. So, what’s your plan now?’
‘I don’t have one. I was just––’ Suddenly, embarrassment crawled up Alicia’s neck. Why had she come here? Jamie was busy doing his own thing and at the first sign of boredom, she had turned to him. She readied herself to apologise and make up some rubbish about borrowing a tea bag, but he spoke first.
‘I know why you’re here. You don’t have to explain.’
‘You do?’ God, was she that obvious? Was her attraction to him scrawled all over her face? What an embarrassment. How pathetic. But whether it was or not, that wasn’t the angle he was heading in.
‘You want me to pose for you, again, don’t you?’
Alicia laughed. This was the perfect response. Shewasn’t ready for Jamie saying something like,I know you can’t stop thinking about meand backing her up against the kitchen units mumbling that he’d been thinking about her non-stop too and needed her to undress for him. That was the stuff of fantasies that could run rampant in the safety of her mind. In real life, the best thing was humour and deflection, until she knew this man better.
‘Yep. You got me,’ she said.
‘Obviously, you’re joking, but I did enjoy being sketched yesterday. My one chance to feel like a supermodel.’
‘Well…’ Alicia took a casual swig of her tea, hampered because it was unexpectedly cold. ‘I can’t paint the mountain because of the snow, so if you want to discover your inner supermodel again... Unless you have other plans? Like the pool.’
‘Ach, pool, schmool. This sounds like way more fun.’ Jamie swung his robe tie round like a lasso. ‘So, what’s the protocol?’
‘I’ll need to get a few bits and pieces. ‘It might take a bit of negotiating to make sure my sketch book doesn’t get wet.’
‘I’ll give you a hand. Give me two secs to put on some clothes.’
‘That’s really not necessary.’ Alicia spoke far too quickly and her heat flushed up her neck. ‘I mean, put the clothes on, but I can manage the rest.’ She cringed at her verbal clumsiness, but Jamie just smiled.
‘Whatever the artist wants,’ he said. Thank God he was able to see the light side of things.
