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He looked right at me. “I grew up, a little, just enough to know I had to get out. So I set myself up with a couple of tools, a bucket, anything I could get my hands on.Legitimatelyget my hands on.” He smiled at some distant memory. “I washed your dad’s car. He was at a junction in Gloucester one day, in his sparkling BMW, and I approached his window and asked him if I could clean his bumpers while he was waiting. He said no at first, but I was persistent, told him there was mud down there, that it would dry on and be a bitch to take off later. Told him I’d do a good job at a fair price, and then asked him again.”
“And he said yes?”
He smiled. “He said yes. He pulled his car in at the car park up the street and he waited while I cleaned it. He said to give him the whole works, no expense spared, but the car was clean apart from the bumpers, and I told him so, charged him less when he offered me the cash, because I hadn’t earned it. He asked me where I was from and where I was going, and I shrugged and told him I didn’t know where I was going but I was from a block of flats just round the corner.”
“And what? He gave you a job?”
“He gave me an opportunity in life where everyone else put the boot in. He gave me his business card and asked me to go to his office. He said he could do with people around him who are honest, and hardworking, and hungry for a chance to do better.” He looked at the ceiling. “That was me.”
I didn’t know what to say, so I didn’t say anything.
“Whatever issues you’ve had with your father, Katie, I’ve never seen anything to indicate he’s a prick. Not a single thing in twenty years, not in the way you’ve said he is.”
“He fucked my mum when she was his secretary,” I said. “Got her knocked up and fired her and ruined her life. And then hedidn’t want to know her, or me. Not until he rolled up when I was ten years old, wanting another little trophy to show off at corporate event day, most likely, a little blonde kid to tag along with hisproperchildren. Now do you get it? He ruined my mum’s whole life. Ruined her. Used her and spat her out when she got pregnant, and me along withher.” I stared at Carl and his eyes were shocked, and stern, and full of something. Pity, maybe. “What?” I said. “What’s that face for?”
He shrugged. “I’m just taken aback.”
“Why? Why taken aback? I told you already, the guy’s a prick.”
“I’m taken aback, because that isn’t the story I heard, not by a clear mile.”
“Well, he wouldn’t have wanted to tell you theactualtruth, would he?” I said. “Of course he wouldn’t!” He went to speak but changed his mind, I saw him waiver, saw him close his mouth and check himself and turn the other cheek.
He looked at his watch. “I think we should wrap this up,” he said. “Before this goes any further.”
I shrugged. “But I haven’t even filled in my form yet. When am I supposed to start?”
“My position still stands,” he said. “Your application is unsuccessful. You’re free to leave.”
I couldn’t believe it. He was actually serious.
“No!” I said. “I need to do this, for Harrison Gables. I’ll do it!”
He shook his head. “You’re not in it for the right reasons.”
“So?”
“So, it matters,” he said. “It matters to me.” And I laughed, I laughed so hard he scowled at me. “What? What’s suddenly so funny?”
“You’ll pay me for sex, but you won’t let me work with you, because I’m working with you for thewrongreasons. Have you any idea how fucking ridiculous that sounds?”
“I don’t care how ridiculous it sounds, that’s the truth of it.”
“You’ll be my sugar daddy, but not my boss?”
He nodded. “If you want to see it that way. I prefer not to.”
I couldn’t help but pull a face. “How doyouwant to see it?”
“Not here,” he said. “This isn’t a conversation for the office. I have things to do.”
He stood to leave and plastered a smile on his face, and this was over, my Harrison Gables dream was over.
“Wait,” I said. “Just wait a minute.”
But he didn’t wait. “I have to go,” he said. “I’ve got nineteen people depending on my guidance in Cheltenham.”
“And what about me?”
