‘Oh, my good God… Why has the recording cut out? What’s happened to his number?’ Alicia gaped at the phone, dumbstruck, then at David. ‘All I can hear is your voice saying sorry, some rustling and then it stops. And I’ve deleted his number.’
‘That was the bad news.’ David’s voice hollowed out with genuine regret. ‘I’m sorry, babe. Floella Moss came into the gallery and I couldn’t leave my phone with some random stranger. Or slasher, as he put it. But I’m sure we can find him, somehow. Could you get his number from your phone records?’
Alicia sorely wished that David had trusted Jamie with his phone for a few moments longer. Slashers didn’t leave voice notes. Jamie had poured all his vulnerability into that recording. What he said made so much sense. Alicia’s eyes stung.
‘I guess,’ she said. ‘I could go through my bills.’
‘Yes. And one other thing,’ said David. ‘He also said that he had mocked up your art on a bottle and wondered your thoughts.’
‘Oh, my God! What? Where’s the bottle?’
‘Um…’ Again, David’s face took on a sheepish pallor. ‘It could have been laced with anthrax or something. I wanted to protect you.’
‘Oh. okay…’ Alicia inhaled deep belly breaths and tried to stay calm, but fate was working against her on this one. She had toseeJamie. Talking to him on the phone was one thing but seeing him in the flesh was imperative. There was no time to mess about with phone records. Alicia noticed David’s eyes cast downwards, as if he was recalling what else Jamie had said. ‘What?’ she asked. ‘What is it, David? Give me something. Anything?’
David’s head shot up and he clicked his fingers at Alicia. ‘He said he was staying at the Beverly Wilshire. If that’s any use.’
‘Yes! Yes, that’s of use. We have to go there.’ Jamie hadcome all the way to LA to talk to her about the reflecting he’d done, to try to win her back. Thank God she’d only had a sip or two, so she could drive.
Luckily, David and Sunni were as keen for Alicia to reunite with Jamie, so they all bundled into Alicia’s car.
‘Be careful with your speed,’ warned David. ‘Actually, who am I kidding? Step on it. This is so romantic.’
Alicia drove as fast as she could to Wilshire Boulevard. Christmas traffic made things far slower than the usual turtle pace. Eventually, they screeched up outside the hotel. ‘What do I do now?’ she asked.
‘You run in,’ said Sunni. ‘And you puff breathily to the receptionist that you’re looking for Mr… Mr…’
‘Mr Butler.’ Alicia smiled at how much this felt like a movie although she was terrified that she might miss Jamie.
‘You’re looking for Mr Butler,’ Sunni continued, ‘and it’s vital you and he are reunited. Make it obvious that this is a romantic emergency. Cry, if you have to – but not too much.’
‘Okay, okay.’ Alicia loved how her friends made this situation humorous, even though she was wracked with anxiety. What if Jamiewasat the hotel? What if she told him all the things she wanted to: told him she was sorry for not having faith in his feelings for her. What if she told him she loved him. Because, my God, she loved this mountain-tall Scotsman with his heart as deep as Loch Ness. If she thought she hadn’t before, she’d been lying to herself in the biggest possible way.
The receptionist in the hotel recognised Alicia, so it wasn’t difficult to ekeinformation from him.
‘I’m sorry, Ms Jansen, but Mr Butler checked out already. He only stayed one night.’
‘Oh.’ Alicia surveyed the hotel lobby as if Jamie might still be here, nursing a coffee and waiting for her to appear.What a silly idea.
‘Do you…? Did he…?’ This couldn’t be the end of the line, but what should she ask? Was there was some detail the receptionist could give her that would indicate where Jamie had gone, although the answer was obviously no. She’d already been given more detail than a regular person would be.
The receptionist tuned into Alicia’s desperation. ‘He left no further information,’ he said without prompting. Sometimes it helped to be well known.
‘Thank you, so much. I appreciate your help.’ Alicia turned, gazed up at the giant Christmas tree in front of her and wished it would imbue her with some of the festive magic it was meant to deliver.
‘I missed him,’ she told Sunni and David as she sunk back into the driver’s seat.
‘Oh, that sucks,’ David said. ‘I’m so sorry.’
‘Why don’t you call his company in Scotland,’ Sunni suggested, ‘and ask for his cell, or to pass on a message?’
‘They’re not going to hand that out.’ Alicia shook her head. ‘He’s a big deal. I could say I was the president of the USA and they wouldn’t give it to me. And honestly, I want toseehim not leave a message.’
‘He’s that much of a big deal?’
‘I don’t know,’ Alicia admitted. ‘He’s a big deal to me.’ He was. How had she been so idiotic to let Jamie go? She hadn’t even stuck around to discuss things or try to makethem better. She’d made a fleeting decision that he was hung up on his ex and being driven by his ego, forgetting all the wonderful times they had shared.
‘Well, there’s only one thing for it then,’ said David. ‘We have to go to the airport.’
