I could tell he was looking at me, but I couldn’t make out his expression. He moved his head and glanced through the gap, out of the windscreen. ‘Yep. Sure. Of course you can.’ His tone had changed and I wasn’t sure what had caused it but I did know I was sorry it had. For a moment, I’d glimpsed – felt – the Hunter I’d known. And I realised I’d missed him more than I’d ever thought. But that kind of thinking was going to get me precisely nowhere. Like I’d said in my speech, it was a long time ago and we were both different people now. We’d moved on. Admittedly, Hunter had done it in a more spectacular way than I had, but it was the results that counted. Flashier wasn’t necessarily better. Slow and steady won the race. A whole bunch of other clichéd metaphors ran through my mind until I told myself to shut the hell up and asked Sandeep whereabouts the restaurant was.
‘Right here!’ said Sandy, as the car began to slow.
Small mercies.
We stepped out of the air-conditioned car into the still, warm evening. I wrapped my soft cotton pashmina around my shoulders and chest and waited as Sandy spoke to the driver for a moment. Hunter and Liv were chatting. Liv had her hand on his arm and I imagined she was apologising again for accidentally barging into our history. I saw him wrap an arm around her shoulders and give her a squeeze. Turning away again, I studied my surroundings. It was quiet and, unless I was missing something, there was no sign of a restaurant. All I could see were shops and a few alleyways.
‘OK. This way,’ Sandy said, taking Liv’s hand and heading off up one of the alleyways.
Hunter made a gesture for me to go in front of him and this time I accepted without question. Not only because he’d made such a big thing about it previously, but because, actually, it seemed like a heck of a rabbit warren around here and getting lost looked like something I’d be able to do with very little effort. We turned a couple of corners, went down a flight of stone steps, turned another corner and carried on along a little back alley, past closed-up shops and living spaces. A gap between two buildings held a narrow stone staircase and we all followed Sandeep in climbing it. At the top, hidden from the view of all around and below, like a delicious secret, was the restaurant. We were greeted and led through to the rooftop dining area, entirely lit by lanterns and candles, their light catching on the glasses, reflecting and dancing around us. Along one side was a traditional band, the female singer dressed in a sari of the most vibrant green, trimmed with silver. Her bangles and the sparkle on the sari caught the light in the same way, entrancing me before I’d even heard a note of music. The sides of the terrace were castellated stone and the whole place overlooked what appeared to be a large garden or park, a stone wall encasing it with trees running the full length, their dark shapes playing with the light that came from two small floodlights beaming up onto a sandstone ruin, the orangey artificial light enhancing the stone’s natural colour.
I took my seat and tried to be professional and calm.
‘This place is amazing!’
Oh well, so much for that idea.
‘I can’t believe all this,’ I waved my hands, ‘is here. You wouldn’t have a clue! I thought the guy had dropped us off at the wrong place when we got out.’
‘Isn’t it fabulous?’ Liv added, her eyes taking it all in as much as mine.
‘You like it then?’ Sandy asked.
‘It’s wonderful!’ we both chimed.
‘Then just wait until you try the food.’
Chapter Eight
Sandeep was right. The food added to what was already probably the best restaurant experience I’d ever had. And OK, admittedly I was definitely the less travelled and least experienced of all of us at the table, so that might not have been saying a whole lot, but I had a feeling that even when I was working as a full-time travel journalist, which I was determined I would be, this was still going to be one of my favourite experiences.
‘You look like you’re far away.’ Hunter leant over to me and spoke close to my ear. The music had started now, which meant conversation took a little more effort.
I smiled at his comment and turned, shaking my head. ‘No. I’m right here. This place is so magical! I can’t believe it. Have you been here before?’
He nodded calmly and I suddenly felt more like the newbie I clearly was.
‘Why are you wrinkling your nose? What’s up?’
I really needed to remember that Hunter knew all my ticks and quirks.
‘I suppose you think I’m kind of dopey for getting all excited over everything?’
‘No. Not at all.’
‘Says Mr Unimpressed, Seen-It-All-Before…’ I gave a head tilt. ‘OK. Look, I do know it’s probably not the right way to act or anything. And I will calm down. I promise. Just give me a couple of days.’ I’d had a glass of wine with my meal and, although the fabulous food was doing a fairly good job of soaking it up, it was definitely adding to the buzz I already had going on.
‘Mia, listen to me.’ He was close again, his breath warm on my skin and… ‘Are you listening?’ He dipped his head round to see my face. I nodded enthusiastically and thought I saw a twitch in his lips but it could well have been the light playing tricks.
‘Don’t let anyone ever tell you there’s a right or wrong way to do your job. You’re doing just fine from what I’ve seen so far.’
‘We’ve only been here a day!’
‘I’ve learned to make assessments pretty quickly.’
‘And your assessment is?’ My chin was in my hands now, watching the light from the candles on our table highlight the hollows under his cheekbones and a scar along his jawline I didn’t remember.
‘My assessment is that you did a great job when we were out today, and that your enthusiasm is something you most definitely don’t want to lose or feel you need to cover. It’s part of you, and it will come across in your writing and your voice when you write about places. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you need to be all cool and act as though none of this excites you.’
I blinked a couple of times. I really was pretty rubbish at dealing with wine. It would have been so much easier if I didn’t actually like it. I turned Hunter’s words over in my head.
‘Are you saying I’m not cool?’
He pulled his head back and laughed, a big burst of chest-rumbling laugher ‘Really? That’s the only thing you took from all that?’
‘Well no, obviously. I got the other stuff too. And thank you. I do appreciate that you wanted someone else on this trip, and not me. And I’m sure she is totally “cool”…’ My finger emphasising coaxed raised eyebrows out of him. ‘But—’
He gently took my hands down from where they were still up ready for more bunny ears emphasis. ‘But nothing, Mia. It’s all good. Just keep doing what you’re doing.’ He frowned. ‘Except maybe drinking that wine. You’re still really shit at holding your drink.’
‘I know,’ I said, a little sadly.
He smiled and poured me a glass of water. ‘Drink this. There’s no time for a doze, and if you fall asleep I’m not carrying you out. I’ll have absolutely no qualms about leaving you here.’
I took the glass he held out to me. ‘You’re meaner than I remember.’
He gave me a look I couldn’t quite work out and I knew it wasn’t because of the wine, or the flickering lights. ‘I’m a lot of things different from what you remember.’
I didn’t have a reply to that.
***
The next day was spent exploring the city again, this time with Olivia and Sandeep. Having already experienced much of what we were seeing the day prior with Hunter, I was far more able to concentrate on the story I was there to cover that day – that of Sandeep and Olivia – and it was fun to approach things from yet another perspective.
For lunch, we sat in rattan chairs in an airy, palm-strewn courtyard where fans moved the warm air around us and crockery gleamed. Quite a contrast to the tin trays and wonky plastic furniture Hunter and I had experienced the day before. It was, o
f course, perfect. But I knew my lunch the day before would be the one I’d remember the longest.
***
After an early breakfast together in the dining room, we headed out to meet the car that would take us, in air-conditioned comfort, of course, to our next destination – Agra, home of the Taj Mahal. Although the plan was to see it this evening, at sunset, and the journey was in theory a little under four hours, taking the Yamuna Expressway south, this being India it had been deemed sensible to leave with oodles of time to spare. Just in case. I’d only been in the country a short time but I’d already learned plenty and allowing extra time for things (unless those things involved service at a top hotel) was definitely something to figure into the equation. Especially if it involved traffic.
‘Have a good day yesterday?’ Hunter asked as we settled into the car and pulled away from one luxurious hotel, bound for another. We’d had the luxury of a day to ourselves the day before. Liv and Sandy had wanted to savour things, and not just go straight from one thing to another without taking the time to enjoy what we’d just experienced. I loved this idea, not only because it gave me the chance to do exactly that, but because it meant I could get plenty of work done on those days too while everything was still fresh in my mind.
‘Yes, thanks. You?’
‘Good, thanks.’
‘Do anything nice?’
‘Some work. Went for a walk. Looked up a friend.’
‘Oh. Right. That sounds… nice.’
Talk about blood out of a stone. I’d begun to think Hunter was softening a little towards me – not in that way, of course, but just that he didn’t seem to hate me quite so much as he had when he’d first come to my boss’ office. But this morning he seemed cooler again. Of course, if he’d met up with a friend, he could just be hungover… or something else if it had been a female.
‘It must be nice to have friends all over the place you can catch up with when you travel?’
He nodded. And yawned.
‘Looks like you could do with a nap.’
‘Yeah. Probably.’ He yawned again.
I gave up on the conversation and looked out of the window, watching the assortment of life beyond the glass, from those who had everything as we passed luxury apartments set back from the road in carefully manicured and maintained grounds, their gated entrances jealously guarding the supercars parked beneath the buildings, straight across the spectrum to those who had practically nothing as they made their homes right there on the dusty, cacophonous streets.
‘Land of contrasts, eh?’
I glanced at Hunter, assuming he would already have nodded off, but he was watching the same little girl I was, running around, her face shining with the most wonderful smile as she played with an incredibly raggedy doll that looked fit to fall to pieces at any moment in her tiny hands.
‘It is. It seems so unfair that some have so much and others barely anything.’ I turned my head away from the little girl and her play.
He rubbed his chin, dark stubble shadowing his face. ‘It’s the same the world over. It’s just more obvious in some places than others.’ His eyes were shadowed from lack of sleep and, although his gaze still focused on the child, his expression seemed much further away.
‘I suppose you’re right.’ At my comment, he pulled his gaze away and it landed back on me.
‘You really do look ever so tired. Why don’t you try and get some sleep?’
He shook his head, reaching into his rucksack and pulling out an energy drink instead.
‘You know that stuff’s terrible for you, don’t you?’
He rolled his eyes at me and popped the can’s ring. I tilted my head and gave him an eye-roll back before Olivia leant across the spacious car to speak to me. As she did so, she caught sight of Hunter.
‘Oh Hunter! You know that stuff’s terrible for you, don’t you?’
‘There’s a bloody echo in this car,’ he grumbled.
Liv looked at him, then me. ‘I sort of just said the same thing.’
‘Oh. Well. Then perhaps you should start listening?’ Liv fixed him with a look.
‘Don’t give me that snooty look.’ He shook his head, glancing past her to where Sandeep was chuckling at the interchange. Something out of the window caught Hunter’s eye. ‘I’m seriously considering that bit of space on top of that bus. I bet they wouldn’t give me grief about my choice of beverage.’
‘Shall I get the driver to stop?’ Liv asked, her eyes innocent.
Hunter gave her a tight smile but we could all see the shine of amusement in his eyes.
‘Smart arse.’
‘Grumpy arse. You shouldn’t stay out all night if you can’t handle the next morning. Should he, darling?’
Sandeep held up his hands. ‘I’d prefer not to get drawn into this, thanks all the same.’
‘Oh, typical. All boys together.’
Hunter did a comical, double thumbs-up to Sandeep and dropped him in it further. Sandy, grinning, shook his head at Hunter then wrapped his arm around Olivia and cuddled her into him, whispering something as he did so that brought a smile to her face.
I sat back in the soft leather of the limo and watched as the city gradually grew smaller and the landscape changed as we finally left it behind entirely. Hunter’s energy drink seemed to have kicked in and he was soon busy doing something on his laptop. I turned back to the window, not wanting to miss a thing.
Traffic, which included mechanical, human and animal, had delayed us somewhat on the journey, although I dreaded to think how long Hunter would have taken if he really had got on that bus. As it was, we arrived just in time for an early afternoon tea. An excited ‘Ooh’ slipped out of me as we were informed of this.
‘Yeah. Don’t want to miss that,’ Hunter teased.
‘Oh, be quiet. I’m pretty sure that was your stomach I heard grumbling about half an hour ago and, unless your entire personality has changed, you’ve never met a cake you didn’t like.’
He considered me for a moment. ‘You know, you can be quite annoying at times. Especially when you’re right.’
‘Thanks.’
‘It wasn’t really a compliment.’
I shrugged. ‘Don’t care. See you at afternoon tea!’ I winked, and smiled my thanks at the doorman as he swung open the gold-edged glass door for me to enter the cool interior of the hotel.
Having checked in and been shown to our rooms, we each took the time to have a quick shower and change to revive ourselves from the journey and be ready to head out to the Taj later. We then met downstairs again, ready for the promised afternoon tea. Hunter was last in and had changed into a pale-blue shirt, which showed up his tan and contrasted with his dark hair, and a pair of smart but still very Hunter-ish sand-coloured cargo trousers. He was hard not to notice, and in turn it was hard not to notice that. Several female heads swivelled and watched his entrance, following him all the way to our table. He certainly looked more awake than he had earlier – which was surprising bearing in mind I’d been waiting for his caffeine crash – and he’d also now had a shave. I got a waft of aftershave as he took his seat next to me. It wasn’t the one he used to wear, but it was kind of delicious. I pulled my concentration away and focused on something else delicious – that being the two cake stands now placed in between us on the table, each one full of perfect finger sandwiches, and exquisite miniature pastries and cakes. Silver teapots were brought and we were then each poured the perfect Assam tea.
‘Wait!’ Hunter called as three sets of hands reached out to dive in. We all froze. ‘I need to get a shot of this.’ He got up, moved a couple of times and fired off a series of shots. ‘OK. Go ahead.’ He flapped his hand and we resumed our positions.
‘So good!’ I said, my eyes closing as I finished a pistachio macaroon that melted perfectly in my mouth.
‘Aren’t they delicious?’ Liv said, snagging another.
‘Mmmm.’ My eyes flew open as I heard a camera shutter trip.
Hunt
er was grinning.
‘What did you just do?’
He gave an innocent shake of his head, and I narrowed my eyes at him. Liv and Sandeep were laughing.
‘Let me see that.’
Hunter glanced down at the screen. ‘Ummm… probably not.’
‘Give it to me.’ I leant over but he held the camera out and away from me.
‘Fine. Have it your way.’
‘I will,’ he grinned, showing the picture to Liv and Sandy instead. ‘What do you think? All sorts of market possibilities, I’m sure.’
Liv pulled a face, and I could see her trying not to laugh. Sandy had no such qualms and laughed heartily.
‘Oh ha bloody ha. Blimey. A girl can’t even enjoy a cake in peace without you shoving a camera up her nose.’
Hunter, still grinning, looked at the screen on his camera again. ‘You certainly look like you’re enjoying something.’
I glared at him for a moment then grabbed another cake. ‘Anyway, I know for a fact you can’t use it as I would have to sign a release form, which I’m pretty sure I’m not going to do judging by all of your reactions.’ I realised I was using my angel cake slice as a pointer and put it down before I took someone’s eye out.
‘That would indeed be an excellent point, assuming you hadn’t already signed said release before you left. Jeremy sent me a copy.’
I stopped mid chew and looked directly at Hunter, my brain shuffling thoughts madly. Had I? Or was he just winding me up? The whole decision to add Hunter and me to the party had all been fairly last-minute and there had been a bunch of paperwork to sign and things to get ready before I left. Was one of those things the model-release form he was talking about?
‘I can get it for you if you want. I wanted to make sure that if Liv and Sandy – or I – ever wanted to use any of the photos for commercial reasons, everything was already in place.’
I had an awful feeling this was true. Hunter had always been super-organised on the whole legality side of things and would only have got even more professional as he climbed the ladder. He knew others would be looking to him for guidance, just as he looked up to certain photographers himself, and his moral code – something I didn’t think would have changed too much – would have told him that if people were looking for a mentor, then that mentor ought to be doing things right. Absolutely none of which helped me right now. I swallowed my cake.
The Christmas Holiday Page 9