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“Did you hear the story about how Stallone wrote the script himself? Insisted on playing the leadrole and the movie company said no?”
She sat forward, angled her to face me. “Yeah, I heard about that. He was offered quarter of a million or something, but not the lead. He said no way and turned down all that money, and had to sell his dog, just to buy food.”
I nodded, smiling. “And then it came good, and he sold the script and got the part.”
“And went straight and bought his dog back, paid a fortune for it.”
“Yes.”
“Amazing story,” she said.
“One of my favourites.”
I felt her eyes on me. “Slick subject change.”
“Thanks.”
“Are you going to tell me what you really wanted?”
“Yes,” I said. “One day. When it’s time.”
Part of me wanted her to push it, insist that I stop the car and tell her what the fuck was going on with me, what was so important that I’d throw a few hundred grand at her, what the hell I wanted so badly that I’d veer the car off the road and stare at her like a wolf after prey.
But she didn’t. She let it go.
I pulled into the business park, and Katie sighed.
“I feel stupid,” she said. “Dressed like this.”
“Treat it as a lesson.” I pulled into my space, and a wall of glass reflected our car back at us. Our car? Katie peered up at the building. Five storeys of corporate hustle. “This is us,” I said. “At least for the next six months.”
She slipped from the Range and met me at the doors. I felt the strangest urge to take her hand, grip her dainty fingers in mine and parade her through the place. Parade her as mine. I put my hand in my pocket instead.
A sea of greetings. Afternoon, Mr Brooks. Afternoon, Carl. Hey, Carl, how’s it going?
She waited until we were in the lift heading up before she spoke. “So, you’re like the head honcho around here?”
“You could say that.”
“Neat.”
“Most of the time. Sometimes it’s stressful, busy, frustrating.” I smiled. “Sometimes it’s incredible. Often it sits around the middle.”
“I don’t believe you,” she said. “You love it all the time. It’s written all over you.”
“Tell me that when I’m having a bad day.”
She nodded, and her smile was beautiful. “I will. Don’t worry.”
And I wasn’t worried. I was strangely invigorated in her presence, her gentle manner both soothing and enlivening. Katie Serena was a strange and delicate little creature. A real beauty.
She took a breath as the lift pulled to a stop.
“Nervous?”
She nodded. “Yeah. Very.”
“Don’t be,” I said. “You’ll be fine. No pressure, just relax.”
