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In a gravelly voice, one that made the hairs on her arms tingle, Joe broke the ice. ‘Ah, so she’s here at last… the young lady we’ve heard so much about. Nice to meet you, love. Hang on while I put this one down. Bugger off, Riva, stop bloody yapping. Give her a stroke will you, love, otherwise she’ll be at it all bloody day.’ The kitchen had descended into mayhem mainly due to the dogs who were overexcited about having a new visitor, but it helped break the ice and gave Edie something to do with her hands while she stroked, patted and spoke in a voice that seemed disembodied, forced.
‘Nice to meet you too and thank you for letting me stay.’ She was interrupted mid-sentence when Riva sprang onto her knee, beating Luna to the prize and claiming a new friend, first.
‘Oh, oh, now there’ll be trouble. Look at Luna, she’s not happy about that. Come here, girl, you’re going to have to share Edie with all of us.’ Ace bent and picked up the Spaniel who appeared to be mollified.
Her heart rate was just about getting back to normal when she saw Joe moving towards her. This wasn’t how she imagined it. He was going to hug her, touch her. Why had she not thought of this?
He’d reached her side. ‘Come on then, we’d best do the Frenchie thing otherwise Nanou will bollock me for being impolite. She’s big on manners and telling me off.’ He opened his arms, giving Edie no option other than to stand and allow him to give her a quick hug that trapped Riva in between their bodies.
‘There, job done. I can’t be arsed with all the kissing, sacked that off years ago, takes too bloody long, especially at a big do. Right, are we having a brew or is it beer o’clock, yet? And is dinner nearly ready? I’m starving. What we having, Nanou?’
As Joe turned to check the wall clock that said it was 12.05pm, Edie told herself to get a grip and prayed the answer would be beer because apart from squeezing poor Riva to death, she needed alcohol to steady her nerves. She had touched him, felt his body against hers, this was real and not a stupid fantasy. It was happening, it was actually happening.
Nanou, who had been busy rummaging in the fridge, spun around and flicked Joe with a tea towel. ‘Lunch is at one, like always and I have made boeuf bourguignon. And yes, it is beer o’clock. I will find some snacks, so you do not fade away in the next hour, now shoo, all of you. Go outside and sit in the sun. You are disturbing me.’
Edie had picked up that Joe still referred to lunch as dinner, a northernism she’d got used to during her time at uni, and also that Nanou’s word was law so while Joe scurried off to fetch the beer from another giant chiller in the corner, she and Ace and a troupe of dogs made their way outside. As she passed Nanou, the fiery redhead placed her hand on Edie’s arm.
‘I am so glad you are here, chérie, and you are not disturbing me, but I have to keep these naughty boys and bloody animals in order. Now go, I will fetch you some nice tapas. Enjoy le soleil but do not burn, the rays are still quite strong, and you have peau claire.’ She touched Edie’s cheek to indicate her fair skin and then after a quick rub of Edie’s arm, Nanou bustled off, muttering to herself in French as she flung open the cupboard doors.
The cobbled patio at the back of the house had the benefit of being partly shaded, while one section of the oak table and chair set remained bathed in midday sunlight but protected by a large parasol and it was here that Edie perched herself. It was a lovely spot, with vines crawling up the long kitchen wall intertwined with creeping passion flowers, still hanging on to summer and straining their faces to the sky.
The urge to pinch herself or give her cheek a good old slap was immense but thankfully common sense reigned and she didn’t look like a face-whacking nutter. She did, however, down two very cold and extremely strong beers rather quickly and then to counteract the woozy feeling, began scoffing a full bowl of crisps and the saucisson that Ace very politely kept slicing for her.
Joe was relaxed, leaning back in his chair, legs crossed at the ankle and a beer in hand, cigarette in the other. Edie took him in, trying hard not to stare. His chestnut locks that once went down to his shoulder blades were now swept off his face and streaked white and grey, wavy, and tousled by the breeze. He’d pushed his sunglasses, the trademark Aviators, onto his forehead so she could see his eyes, clear and blue. Every now and then he’d scratch his whiskery cheek or neck and she thought it suited him, the fine layer of peppery grey that she surmised was more him being him than going with a trend. He wore leather bracelets on both wrists, some had beads, others were plain silver and she suspected one had some kind of moonstone attached. Beneath his creased white shirt that had what looked like a jam splodge near the pocket, she could see the shape of his biceps, the ones she’d seen on so many videos as he’d stomped topless across the stage. Yes, Joe Jarrett was still a handsome man.
For the most part, their conversation had been about their plans for the next few weeks, nothing heavy or intrusive and Ace answered the bulk of them due to her having a mouth stuffed full of food. Then Joe asked an awkward question which made her almost choke on the crisps.
‘So, Edie. Ace tells me you hail from the Cambridge area. Can’t say I’ve spent much time there but then again I might have done in the early days, when we were gigging, but that’s all a bit of a fog… the old brain’s gone a bit mushy, too much partying I s’pose.’ Joe tapped his temple and gave her a wry smile. ‘I didn’t even know Ely was a city until Ace told me about it and showed me some photos. It looks like a nice place to grow up. So, what made you pick God’s own city of Manchester to study? It’s a long way from home.’
There was no way she could expect Ace to answer for her, so Edie replied as honestly as she could, or was prepared to. ‘Ely is beautiful, but I didn’t live right in the centre. My gran’s house is in a village called Witchford about three miles out and it’s very ordinary really. I picked Manchester because the course ticked the right boxes and after living in the sticks all my life I fancied experiencing life in a big city.’
‘Well, you picked the best one in the world, that’s a fact… we played some great gigs at the student union on Oxford Street, and at The Apollo… those were the days. I’ll show you my photos later, of what the city used to look like. You might recognise some of the places. I had an old Canon camera and took it everywhere, reckon that’s where our Ace gets his talent from, his old dad.’
The irony of Joe’s comment wasn’t lost on Edie, and at the same time touched her deeply, that Joe overstepped the fact that he and Ace weren’t genetically related, but to him they were a regular father and son. ‘I’d love to look at your photos, and Ace told me all about how you’d bought him his first camera. I love his work. You are both very talented.’
What else could she say? Oh, I’ve already seen loads of photos of you online, taken when you were gigging. I’ve memorised them all… even the stuff you don’t know exists.
Pushing that thought away, in the lull while Joe dug around in the cool box he’d brought outside and then placed three more bottles on the table, Edie eyed some olives. Eager to soak up the alcohol that was swimming around her veins she wondered if they’d think she’d never been fed, the way she was gobbling up the food. No way could she drink more beer, otherwise she’d be really merry, or nod off and she was just about to stab a green olive stuffed with pepper, when movement to her left distracted her.
Lance. Of course, she knew who he was: she had two pages of notes and photos dedicated to him, had even watched his shows online. Joe had his back to the kitchen door; however, Ace had spotted him and immediately there was a shift in the atmosphere. Casually sliding her hand across the table Edie laid it over his and listened to what Joe was saying.
‘Ace says you and your gran are close, that’s nice is that. Family is everything. It’s a shame you missed our Margaret and her lot…’ His flow was interrupted when Lance appeared at Joe’s side, his body casting a shadow across the table and while Ace kept his eyes on his beer and picked at the label, Joe made the introductions.
‘Edie, this is our Lance. Lance, this is Edie, our Ace’s young lady.’ When both Lance and Ace burst into laughter, it took Edie by surprise and Joe too. ‘What? What did I say?’
It was Lance who answered. ‘Seriously Dad, how old are you? Young lady… Jeez, you’ll be getting us to bow and curtsey next.’
Joe rolled his eyes and grinned. ‘Okay, okay… I was just being polite that’s all, and there’s nowt wrong with a bit of old-fashioned manners. My old mam swore by them.’
Clearly making fun of Joe, Lance extended his hand to Edie then bowed graciously and in a rather good English accent, greeted her formally. ‘May I say that I am most pleased to make your acquaintance. I hope you journeyed well and are not too fatigued after such an arduous voyage.’
Smiling, Edie took his proffered hand and in her very best Jane Austen inspired voice, replied, ‘Likewise, good sir, and you do indeed find me well. The voyage was most pleasant, so thank you kindly.’
At this Joe snorted. ‘Right, that’s the last time I’m being polite in front of Edie. From now I’m back to breaking wind and telling inappropriate jokes! So, Lance, sit your smart arse down and grab a beer.’
When Lance declined, saying he’d already had a few drinks in the bar in the village, even Ace seemed to relax and graciously passed his brother a bottle of water which they clinked together, and while Edie declined another beer, she casually pulled the bowl of olives closer and tucked in, less nervous but still in awe of Joe. Being around him was going to take some getting used to and over the next weeks she could focus on watching him and working out when, and if, she should make her move.
The horrendous sound of clanging metal coming from the kitchen door startled Edie and her hand flung to her chest as she turned to see Nanou banging the base of a pan, before waving and going back inside.
Ace laughed. ‘You’ll get used to that. It’s how Nanou lets everyone know lunch is ready because sometimes Silvestre doesn’t turn his phone on and Dad’s just as bad. Believe me, you can hear that racket in the village.’ He stood. ‘And she goes mad if we’re late, once she’s given us the three-minute pan warning so come on, let’s go.’
Ace began clearing the table of dishes, so Edie helped, while Joe and Lance gathered the empty bottles and as they all wandered towards the kitchen, Ace gave her a nudge. ‘Are you okay now? I sensed you were nervous but there’s no need to be. I can tell Dad likes you and even Lance didn’t bite, but that’s because he’s drunk, so it’s all good.’
‘I’m fine, I promise and yes I was nervous, but everyone has been really kind so don’t worry. And I’m sorry for eating all the snacks. I had to, that beer was strong… it went straight to my head.’
‘Well, you’d better pace yourself because Nanou’s lunches are epic, especially when we have visitors so you’d best tuck in. You don’t want to get on the wrong side of the boss, like Lance.’ Ace winked as he pushed open the door.
Following him inside, Edie took his words on board as she definitely didn’t want to upset Nanou, and was glad that Lance had been civil, although after Ace, the person she really wanted to impress was Joe. It was his approval she sought, whose attention she craved, and her desperation was suddenly completely overwhelming now she was in his presence.
So far, though, everything was going okay, not exactly to plan because there wasn’t a proper one. All of this; Ace, falling for him, being invited there, meeting Joe, was more a case of things falling into place. Destiny written in the stars.
