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Alex chuckled. ‘The whole point of it is that it doesn’t matter what you can or can’t do. We’d love you to come and just watch, maybe meet a few people. Some of us might be able to do a bit more than you, and some not so much, but it’s all about valuing each other for who we are.’
‘I’d like that.’
Carys’s voice was steadier now, her manner more self-assured. Alex had given her something that Leo couldn’t, a practical way forward, and the courage to take it.
‘Okay, well, why don’t you think about it, and I’ll call you tomorrow. We can talk about what you want to do a bit more then, if you like.’
‘I can’t always talk... My mum doesn’t know I’m calling...’
‘In that case, do you want to text me? Whenever you like. I’ll call you back.’ Alex took her phone from her pocket. ‘I’ll text you now, so you’ve got my number.’
‘Yeah. Thanks.’
Carys recited her number and Alex sent the text.
‘Okay, I’ve got it. Will Leo be there? At the race meeting?’
‘The one on Saturday? I think so.’ She looked up at Leo and he nodded in confirmation.
‘Is he as good-looking as he is on TV?’
Carys apparently thought that, since he’d said nothing for a while, he wasn’t there, and Alex grinned suddenly, holding up one finger to silence him.
‘I wouldn’t like to say. You’ll have to tell me what you think.’
Was that a giggle on the other end of the line?
‘He’s nice to talk to. I’ll text you tomorrow, yeah?’
‘Yeah. I’ll be waiting to hear from you.’
They said their goodbyes, and Leo slumped back in his seat. Alex was smiling.
‘What? Don’t look so crestfallen; she said you were handsome.’
‘Right.’ Leo wondered whether Alex agreed with the assessment, and wished he had the nerve to ask her. ‘Reduced to a piece of eye candy while you do all the meaningful work.’
‘I’m not proud. If I need eye candy to get to speak to someone, I’ll take whatever opportunities I can get.’
‘Ah. And you call me a cynic.’ Leo couldn’t help smiling. It was Alex all over, not caring how she got her opportunities, but grabbing them with both hands.
‘No, I think you called yourself a cynic. And I think it was a very nice compliment. Carys obviously felt at ease with you, and that helped her talk about the things which mattered to her. You have a problem with that?’
‘No, no problem at all.’ He bent down to slip on his shoes and tie the laces. She was flushed with success and so, so beautiful. Perhaps...
Leo wondered how long it would be before he stopped hesitating over asking the simplest, most innocent things. Persuading himself not to overthink them might be a good start. ‘I don’t suppose you’d like to come along tonight? There are going to be some interesting people there.’
If she’d just stop blushing every time, it would make asking easier. ‘I don’t think I’m dressed for it.’
Alex would outshine every woman in the room, whatever she was wearing. But he had to admit that she might feel a little out of place in jeans.
‘Telling you that you’d make the whole room look overdressed isn’t going to work, is it?’ Leo took refuge in the charm that everyone expected from him, which Alex clearly didn’t take all that seriously.
‘No. That’s a bit over the top for my liking.’
‘We could swing past your place and you could slip into something suitable...’ He laughed as she pulled a face.
‘I’m not slipping into anything. Apart from my pyjamas.’
