Dani gave her a half smile. “You could talk to her about it.”
With that, she sashayed out of the room, leaving Joey alone with her thoughts.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
VANESSA
Vanessa wasn’t sure what to think about the kiss. She’d barely slept all night, playing it over and over in her head. It had seemed like the most natural and wonderful thing to do in the moment. Like a scene from a film. But then it had all changed so suddenly.
She’d texted Joey that evening to find out how Dani was, how her uncle was. The response had been fine, but very functional. It was as if nothing had happened. She hoped Joey wasn’t regretting the kiss, especially given she was someone who didn’t do this kind of thing very often.
Vanessa couldn’t help but think about her own plans to return to the UK. Could a long-distance relationship work between Barcelona and Birmingham? She knew she was jumping ahead, but she couldn’t help it.
Her phone rang. It was Carl.
“Hey bro,” she smiled at his face through the screen.
“Hiya, how are you?” he asked.
“Yeah, good thanks. Learning all the secrets of Catalanand Spanish baking. It’s completely changed the way I’m thinking about the cafe,” said Vanessa with a grin.
“Mmm, well, I’m glad you’re having a good time.” Carl pressed his lips together.
“Are you ok?” Vanessa frowned at his serious expression. “You don’t look like yourself.”
“Yeah, fine. I’m just worried about you. Well, to be honest, mum and dad are worried about you.” He moved into a different room in his house and propped his phone up on something.
“Is this about leaving after the funeral?” Vanessa asked, trying not to roll her eyes.
“No,” said Carl. “Well, a bit, I suppose. It’s just that you were so close to gran, and I guess we’re all a bit worried you’ve jumped into something you can’t deliver.”
“Oh, great.” Vanessa put a hand on her hip. “So basically you all think that in the madness of grief I’ve bitten off more than I can chew. Have you no faith in me?”
“No, Nessa, I promise it’s not that. I just want to make sure you’re ok, and that you’ve thought this through.” He scratched his dark curls. “And you know, you do sometimes….”
“I do sometimes, what?” snapped Vanessa.
“Look, you’ve had a lot of business ideas, that’s all I’m saying. I just want to make sure this is actually a real thing, and not just a reaction.” He put his head on one side. “How are things with Chloe?”
“Over,” said Vanessa. “I thought I told you that.” She sighed. This was not the conversation she wanted to be having. And not the person she wanted to be having it with.
“I know, I just wondered if you might have made it up. I thought she seemed good for you,” said Carl. “It can’t be exciting and romantic all the time, you know.”
“I know that,” said Vanessa. “But it just, you know, fizzled out.”
“How did you know it had fizzled?” Carl’s eyes were wide.
“I don’t know. I guess I just stopped thinking about her first thing in the morning. I’d forget to text, or not prioritise time with her. Honestly, I think I was a bit of a crap girlfriend in those last few weeks.” A vision of the kiss she’d shared with Joey leapt into her head. Even when she wasn’t thinking about her, she was thinking about her.
“Mmm,” he said again.
Vanessa furrowed her brows. “Is this still about me?”
Carl sighed and folded his arms. “Gem’s been really elusive lately. It’s like I’m somewhere on her list of important stuff, but definitely behind work, the gym and her friends.”
“Well, it’s not the done thing to dump your friends when you start seeing someone,” Vanessa pointed out.
“Yeah, I know, bros before…. well, yeah. But I don’t know. It all feels a bit different than it did. I think maybe it’s fizzled.” Carl looked down into his lap.
