“What about you? What’s your plan?” he asks, still holding me tight to his chest.
“Well, obviously, part of it was to grow the image and awareness of the brand. Make The Starr Agency the real go-to musical event organiser. Find new revenue streams and more but I guess…” I pause, biting my lip.
“What?”
“My vision sort of planned on you being there. Despite you being the worst person in the office, you’re also pretty good at your job. The hospitality sales are nearly always on budget and you’re brilliant at finding new revenue streams.”
“I know.”
I laugh and roll my eyes. James grunts as I accidentally move a leg. “Always so,sohumble, Gloatman.”
“It’s one of my strengths,” he says. “What about you?”
“What do you mean?”
“Where do you see yourself in ten years?”
“Hmm…” I consider telling him about my happy place since he told me his. And yet, I decide not to. It feels like we’ve healed some long-weeping wounds between us in the past twenty-four hours, but that doesn’t mean I’m ready to getthatvulnerable. It’s bad enough I’ve divulged as much as I have – this ispreciselywhy I’m not a heavy drinker. “That’s easy. I’m going to be a director at Starr.”
James, once again, says nothing about the promotion, letting the conversation run dry. I suspect he doesn’t think I’ve got it in me to be a director. Either that or he dreads the thought of me becoming his boss. But the silence I’ve been met with since he told me not to set my hopes on it the other day seems to be getting louder in my head. Is he hiding something from me? Does he know something I don’t? I’m about to ask him. I’m about to push him for his opinion and demand to know what it is he doesn’t like about my plan, when he shivers beneath me. The remaining ounce of empathy I have for him and our situation overrides my ability to fight with him. Instead, I lift myself up and put on a brave face.
“Come on,” I say. “Let’s work out how we’re going to get you back to the tent.”
Chapter Thirteen
It took us a long and gruelling time to get James back into the tent. Initially, he managed to use me as a leaning post to guide his feet back up the slope, wincing and groaning the whole way. I pointed out, helpfully, that he wouldn’t be able to stand if it was a broken back, so respectfully, he was probably being a big baby. He slithered to the ground outside the tent, hissing like a snake. Then, wiggling as a half-squished worm might, he somehow managed to get himself inside the tent and in his sleeping bag, where he promptly fell back to sleep.
I wake first, the promise of morning light pushing through the thin material. I yawn, and then I realise James has both hands on me, his fingers twisted into my baggy t-shirt. If I didn’t know it was James, I’d find it very endearing. Boyish, even. The need to hold onto something in his sleep, like I’m his teddy bear. I forcefully push away any of the feelings this is trying to stir up in me. I blink across at his sleeping face, relieved he can’t see how I’m reacting. He is so relaxed in slumber, his hair sticking out at hundreds of different angles. I stifle a laugh, biting my lip. His eyelashes are offensively long. Always something I’ve found rude in men – they don’tneedlong lashes, it’s such a waste. In the morning light, I can’t help but admire how beautiful his features are.
God, am I really suggesting James is beautiful? I mean, I have always liked the little bump on his nose. It suits him. He’s this perfectly smart, suited man, but he’sclearlynot perfect. Just like his nose.
I sigh. I need some fresh air. My “end of the world” horniness is going to get me in serious trouble if I don’t escape the confines of this tent.
Cool down, lady.
I unravel myself from James’ grip carefully, trying not to wake him. He grunts, turning himself slowly away from me. I take that as a good sign. His back can’t be too injured if he’s rolling over in his sleep.
Pulling on my trousers, socks and trainers, which at this point are working up all sorts of aromas, I unzip the tent and emerge under a glorious morning sky. Long strips of fluffy white clouds smear the rich blue landscape as if they’ve been painted there with a fat brush. I stretch my arms upwards, sensing that familiar post-drinking body ache. It could also be from all the walking and the fact I was dragged down water rapids yesterday, but, in an attempt to start the day positively, I push that from my mind. It’s impossible not to notice the foreign feeling in my shin though. I can’t bring myself to check on my wound just yet. Hopefully it hasn’t got infected overnight.
I take our bottles down to the little lake and fill them, remembering how we washed my bloody knee into the same water the day before. However it is clear to the bottom now, and I noticed the lake is fed by downhill streams, so I assume it’s ok since this must be fresh hill water. I think about it for another minute, scrunch my face and decide if we die out here from water poisoning, at least this whole stupid journey is over and my parents can sue the bejesus out of Michael.
When I get back, I take a seat on the floor beside the almost completely burnt-out fire, and start returning the ground to how it was before we arrived. I’ve seen on adventure shows likeBear Gryllsthat you should leave it all the way you found it. I aspire to be a non-destructive human being to the best of my ability.
James makes a wailing sound from inside the tent. When he finally emerges a few minutes later, he looks adorably awful. His face is scrunched, one eye still struggling to open against the bright morning light. He doesn’t sit down, slowly pacing around the spot we’ve claimed as our own, doing strange stretches with slow movements.
“I’d offer you a coffee if I had one. Except if I had one, I’d drink it myself,” I say helpfully.
James grunts in response.
The silence is dragging, it’s making me sweat. I need to get a response out of him before I start to squirm. “At least you haven’t broken your back?”
More grunting.
“Hopefully the castle isn’t much further now?”
He gives me a look, squinting down at my seated position. “Are you trying to fill the silence?”
“All you have to do is reply with actual words and it soothes me.”
