‘Yes. I used a different colour pen for each question, and I expect thorough answers.’
‘I’ll do my best.’ I paused, as we neared the mooring with Georgina’s boat. ‘My persona at work is…me, but professional I suppose, like most people at work. I’m still getting to know a lot of my work colleagues, so I can’t help you much there. In fact, your discerning eye would be really useful, so feel free to observe and judge.’
‘Oh, I always do.’
‘Great. And, with regards to how long we have to stay…as soon as we can escape, we will.’
‘Okay,’ she said casually, but the sideways look she slanted me was full of mischief and told me she was just as eager for that prospect as I was.
The yacht was impossible to miss. It was a hundred feet long, pristine white, with fairy lights strung all around it, navy blue water sloshing gently against its sides. There was a gangplank leading down to the lowest of three decks where people were already gathered, modern dance music pumping from somewhere and the sound of laughter and animated conversation echoing over the water.
‘Are you okay? I didn’t think to ask if you were all right on the water?’ Stephen asked when he felt my hesitation.
‘I’m fine. It’s just a fancier than the boats I’m used to. Like the Staten Island Ferry.’ I forced a smile. ‘We’ll have to do that one day over the summer.’
‘Maybe you could make another list? Of all the places in New York you’d like to show me before I go back to London.’
Oof, those words at the end of the sentence hit me like a brick. I knew he was going back to London – it was where he lived – but there were less than two months of summer left. If he was always this busy with work, it was no time at all.
I tried to shake the feeling off. There was no sense getting upset about him leaving now. By the time the end of August rolled around, I could well have had enough of him myself.
It was just hard to imagine giving up kisses like the one he’d laid on me at the pier though. I’d almost passed out. His lips should carry a health warning.
Any plans we had for sneaking away early were scuppered by the fact that once the guest of honour arrived, the yacht took to the river. I hadn’t realised we were going to be sailing anywhere – which I suppose was a bit stupid considering that was the point of a boat – but Stephen’s eyes immediately met mine, and I realised he hadn’t known either.
I tried to enjoy the beautiful view as we got further down the river. The yacht was smooth and fast, a wind whipping at us. The sky was darkening quicker than usual, as clouds gathered, but it allowed the lights of the city to shine brighter in contrast. There were delicious little canapés being delivered by waiting staff on trays alongside champagne. Really,reallygood champagne, which was the only thing that was going to get me through being held captive with Stephen’s really,reallyboring colleagues.
I should have known with all this money and ambition, the topics of conversation would fall outside my interests. Skiing, holiday homes and the property index. They’re not uninteresting topics in and of themselves, but when your holiday home is usually a bed and breakfast, the only time you’ve been skiing was on a school trip and you couldn’t even afford to buy the tiny cramped apartment you lived in, it was hard to contribute meaningfully.
Stephenwashimself but on his best behaviour. He oozed charm at a level that bordered on insincerity. Not that I thought he was lying exactly. He could genuinely mean the things he was saying, but was he really interested in that man’s log cabin enterprise scheme, which meant he could bear listening to him talk about it for thirty minutes straight? I managed to down two more glasses of champagne in that time just trying to survive it myself and everything went a bit wobbly.
Then his boss joined us. She was gorgeous; not much taller than me but poised in four-inch stilettos that probably cost more than a month’s rent, and her one-shouldered sleek white dress showed her perfectly toned arms off perfectly. I glanced at Stephen and his smile was still the same one he’d been using all night, politely dazzling but not the full spectacle. Even so, I felt an uncomfortable rub of worry. I looked like an idiotic child next to this woman, dressed up in my mother’s clothing, like Minnie Mouse gone wrong. And this washeryacht. She owned the damn thing I’d come to realise during a conversation I’d been subjected to about sailing clubs.
‘Who’s your lovely lady friend, Sir Stephen?’ She was all assessing eyes and drawling voice.
‘This is Noelle Kingston,’ Stephen introduced me, but he didn’t add any additional titles like girlfriend. Just like he’d called me his ‘friend’ when introducing me to his father. Did he not want her to know we were dating? Or maybe he was just respecting the fact that I was a person in my own right, not his accessory. Figuring out these dating issues was hard these days. Particularly when you’d drunk too much champagne. Particularly when you’d drunk too much champagne and the object of your affection didn’t want to make you any promises.
‘Why is that name familiar?’ She tilted her head.
‘Perhaps you’ve read some of her books. Noelle’s a best-selling crime writer.’ He looked down at me and there it was, the silver-screen smile that lit up behind his eyes too. I felt it tingle down to my toes. ‘They’re really popular.’
‘Maybe that’s it. Although I don’t read popular fiction.’
Ah-ha, she was one ofthem. A woman who’d got to the top by distancing herself from ‘other women’. The kind that read frivolous fiction. Or, y’know, maybe she just really liked biographies. She was welcome to her opinion.
That champagne was really starting to get to me.
‘No? I find fiction relaxing. And Noelle’s books are great fun and very clever – just like her.’
My eyes widened. ‘You’ve read my books?’
‘One or two. That’s not weird is it?’
‘No.’ I shook my head and then felt a little tumble in my tummy. He’d read them and was recommending them? That wasn’t weird – it was wonderful.
‘We’ll have to watch what we say around you, Noelle. In case you decide to immortalise us.’ Georgina laughed and I obliged her with the fake laugh I’d developed for comments like that or when people reacted like I was a serial killer just because I wrote about murders. ‘I must go. The weather is turning so I think we’ll need to head back to the pier for the rest of the party. Lovely to meet you.’ She made to leave and then stopped, placing her perfectly manicured hand on Stephen’s arm. ‘I’m going to arrange that meeting for the week after next. It looks like Wednesday will be the best day. Does that work for you?’
‘Yes, I think that Wednesday is clear. Any time that suits you.’
