‘But you’re a parent,’ Leila said. ‘Would you want to know or not?’
Kate chewed her bottom lip. ‘Well, I couldn’t imagine how painful it would be to have my child say she didn’t want anything to do with me. It would be devastating. But, then again, Keats will probably be screaming he hates me in a few years time anyway. How old did you say the daughter is? Eleven? Well, there you go. Maybe it’s just her age and nothing more serious than petulant rebellion. I presume they have that in Thailand too.’
‘True,’ Leila said, her eyes brightening with hope.
‘Then again, maybe she won’t change her mind at all and Lucas will arrive and she’ll refuse to see him. It’s a terrible risk.’
Leila’s expression deflated. ‘Yes.’
‘No easy answer there, I’m afraid.’
‘No.’
‘What a mess,’ Kate breathed, thinking how lucky she was not to have those sorts of romantic problems anymore. Then again, she and Mark had their own set of complications right now.
‘What are you going to do?’
‘I’ve got no idea.’
Leila’s phone vibrated again.
Kate raised an eyebrow. ‘So what’s going on there, then?’ she said, waving a finger in a circular motion around Leila’s phone.
Leila reddened and it wasn’t from the warm glow of alcohol. Kate slapped her gently on the hand.
‘Come on. Spill.’
Leila held the phone to her chest and studied Kate, as if wondering whether or not she should share her news. ‘Okay,’ she said finally. ‘I’ll tell you. But I want you to know that I would never do anything to jeopardise The Tea Chest.’
Kate’s heart knocked against her chest. ‘Wait. What?’
Leila’s eyes were bright. ‘It’s Quentin,’ she whispered.
Kate shook her head, confused. ‘Quentin? Angel investor Quentin?’
Leila nodded. ‘Please don’t be mad, Kate. I’m not mixing business with pleasure. It all happened after the deal was made.’ Leila’s eyes implored Kate to believe her.
‘Oh.’ Kate was struck dumb. A hundred thoughts raced through her mind. Was that okay if it all happened after the deal and did it really matter anyway? Leila had good business skills and she clearly loved this position, so surely she would want to make this work. Then again, it wasn’t her life on the line here. Maybe this was all just a big holiday to her. An English summer fantasy.
She’d felt something at The Tea Chest that day Quentin had visited and now she wished she’d confronted Leila about it then.
Had she done the wrong thing in hiring Leila? Could there be some sort of sexual harassment issue between Leila and Quentin if it all went wrong? Had Leila been out wining and dining on The Tea Chest’s budget while the rest of them were slogging it out in plaster and paint in the lead-up to the opening?
‘And what about Lucas?’ she said.
‘Kate, please understand I didn’t go looking for this. But Quentin and I, we just click. It all works. He’s so smart and funny and kind and we get on so well. I know it’s all terribly new and sudden but I feel I need to take this chance and see where it leads. Everything with Lucas is so up in the air and might never come to anything, regardless of what I do from here. Maybe I’m not meant to be with him. Maybe Quentin is my chance for happiness. I’m sure you can understand that.’
Kate looked at her employee’s face. Surely if Leila had anything to hide then she wouldn’t be sharing this news with her now. She took a deep breath and told herself she was just being silly. Leila was a young woman being wooed by a rich and successful man. She might be a little starry-eyed, but she wasn’t malicious. Business was business and pleasure was pleasure. As long as the two stayed separate there was nothing to worry about. Kate had gone through the contract too and it all looked fine.
‘I wish you’d told me sooner,’ was all she could manage with any sincerity.
‘I’m sorry. Everything’s been so hectic—I just didn’t want to add anything else to the mix.’
That made sense. It all made sense. Everything Leila was saying was perfectly reasonable. So why did she feel so uneasy?
They were booked into a room on the top floor of the cottage, their heads under the sloping roof and a window overlooking a rustic garden exploding with flowers. Kate had tried to phone Mark but had got the answering machine. He was normally home on a Tuesday. Where could he could be? Instead, she texted him from under the crisp white duvet in her single bed.
Great day in fields. Great suppliers of herbs & lavender. Thinking of u lots and how grateful I am to have you. Wish you were here. Love you xx
She was almost asleep when he replied.
Judy being difficult. I know it’s late there so call me tomorrow. And I gotta run now. Love u too xx
Kate lay frozen on her side, reading and rereading the text.
Judy was always being difficult; that was nothing new. But for Mark to say it and ask her to call him about it must mean she was involving him directly now, trying to get to Kate through him. She was upping the pressure, that was for sure. And where was Mark running to? She’d have to call him as soon as she could tomorrow.
She reached for a snippet of lavender she’d put next to her pillow and brought it to her nose to breathe in its gentle soothing tones. It would be okay, she told herself over and over. It would be okay. She just had to stay strong.
Hi Mum, things are going well with The Tea Chest and I’ve started seeing someone new. He’s an investor in the company, American and rather lovely. Maybe you CAN have a career and a man at the same time. xx
The next day, Leila was leaving Kate to head to the lavender farm while she went to meet Quentin in a nearby café.
‘He’s on his way up north to meet up with another business lead,’ Leila said, passing Kate her handbag. ‘So he’s dropping in to pick up the contract and the cheque on his way through and to give us the advertising proofs. Then he’ll be back in London in a few days time to help us push things along.’
Kate flicked through the contract once more.
‘Clive assured me it was all in good order,’ Leila said.
‘I know. It’s just such a huge moment.’
‘Here.’ Leila took out her phone. ‘Hold up the cheque and I’ll take a picture. It is a big moment. But one to celebrate.’
Kate resisted at first but Leila egged her on until she held it next to her cheek and smiled.
‘I’ll send it to you so you can forward it to Mark.’ Leila picked up her own satchel. ‘I’ll drop you at the lavender farm and meet you back there as soon as we’re done.’
Leila, do you think it’s a good idea to get involved with someone from work? Career first, men second, remember. Mum x
Quentin looked good in a fine pinstripe shirt and pressed trousers. His hair was a bit messier than usual, sticking up a bit at the front, but it suited him.
He kissed her hello, as was their way now, and she let her head fall back as his mouth covered hers.
‘Well, good morning to you too,’ she said, grinning.
‘Would you like some coffee?’
‘No, I’ve met my caffeine needs for now.’
‘Can we walk instead?’
‘Sure.’
They moseyed down a narrow street with greenery escaping between the rocks of the walls on either side, patted a couple of friendly sheep who could barely see out of the dreadlocks covering their eyes, and found a bench to sit on by a waterway, the early morning sun only just warm enough.
‘Let’s do the business bit,’ Leila said, reaching into her bag for the contract and cheque. ‘Here you are. All signed and ready to go.’
‘Oh, thanks,’ he said, with a cursory glance at the signatures. He rolled them up.
‘Have you got the ads?’ she said.
He leaned back on the bench. ‘No, I’m so sorry. I forgot to put them in the car. But I’ve rung through and had the hotel courier them over to your house so they’ll be there when
you get back.’
‘Oh.’ She was disappointed, eager to see the proofs and offer feedback. She dug deep for a smile. ‘I suppose I can wait another day.’
He reached out and took her hand.
‘So serious today,’ she said, leaning against his shoulder.
‘Sorry. I’ve got a lot on my mind. New business ahead and all.’
There was so much she wanted to say then, but feared ruining this thing they had going. Feared exposing too much of herself. She wanted to ask him where this was going. How they could make it work when she went back to Australia and he to California, or wherever his next venture took him. Maybe he was feeling it too and that was why he was quiet.
She felt . . . what? Love?
But it couldn’t be love because she already loved Lucas.
Suddenly, Quentin reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box wrapped in silver paper and ribbon. He held it tightly in one hand and ran the other through his hair as if searching there for the right words.
‘I got you this.’
He handed it to her and shuffled his feet.
She took it, wondering what it could be. Adrenaline spiked. Was it jewellery? Had they jumped to the jewellery stage?
‘Thanks,’ she said. ‘You didn’t have to do that.’
‘It won’t bite,’ he said, and she was relieved to see some of the stiffness had left him and his disarming smile had returned.
She relaxed and began to tug at the ribbon, noticing as she did that the gift rattled in her palm. Beneath the paper was a clear box filled with a hundred paperclips, all in different colours and shapes. Some were in the shape of hearts, others were ducks, flowers and cats.
‘I love them,’ she said.
‘I know how much you like stationery and I wanted to get you something and then I saw these. They seemed perfect for you.’
‘They’re fantastic. Thank you.’ She flung her arms around him and kissed him hard.
Eighteen years earlier
Judy stomped across the enclosed pedestrian bridge between the multi-storey car park and the Royal Brisbane Hospital, her eyes fixed straight ahead rather than taking in the sights of the Ferris wheel, pirate ship, chairlift and thousands of people enjoying the Ekka below. Although she and Graham avoided the show each year, she usually took pleasure in seeing the Ferris wheel fill the skyline and felt stirrings of nostalgia as the lights came on at dusk.
But not today. Today she was furious. And relieved.
She found Simone’s ward and deliberately eased her pace as she entered the six-bed room, avoiding the eyes of other patients. Her sister’s bed was near the window overlooking the traffic on the street below and, beyond that, wild rides flinging screaming patrons around.
Judy stopped at the foot of the bed.
‘You didn’t have to come,’ Simone said, turning her head to the window to stare at the view outside. Her hair was wet. They’d obviously given her a shower.
‘What was I supposed to do?’ Judy hissed, trying to maintain a reasonable volume in the echoing room. ‘They phoned me. Again.’ She gritted her teeth. ‘I’m practically on a first-name basis with most of the nurses here.’
Simone rolled her eyes in an infuriatingly juvenile gesture.
Judy felt herself shake with rage. She’d spent the past three days searching for Simone. She’d even phoned the police, thinking she’d been kidnapped, or worse. And all the while she’d been out on a bender somewhere, completely oblivious of how much worry she’d caused when she hadn’t bothered to show for their business meeting on Tuesday.
‘Was he really worth all this?’ Judy said.
Simone’s hazel eyes flashed as she spun her head to face her stepsister.
Marco had been Simone’s longest relationship. Two years. Relationships weren’t normally Simone’s thing, though whether it was entirely by choice Judy wasn’t sure. The more the pieces fell into place about Simone’s drinking, the more it was clear she was simply incapable of maintaining a healthy relationship.
It was a shame. Marco had been good for Simone for so long.
Judy took a deep breath and moved to the side of the bed and pulled a plastic chair towards the metal rails. She considered placing her hand on top of Simone’s but it was both an unnatural gesture and one blocked by the IV needle and drip taped to her.
‘What did the lender say?’ Simone’s voice quivered.
‘I think it’s safe to say he lost interest after your no-show.’
Simone nodded.
Judy had offered to help Simone find financial support from other sources, rather than relying solely on herself. She’d enjoyed her time in business with Simone, mostly. But she wanted her to be independent. And she knew it meant a lot to Simone to feel she’d made it on her own, without the help of her stepmother’s money channelled her way through Judy. Judy had felt confident that Simone was capable of going it alone. But now, seeing how exhausted and fragile Simone looked, she wasn’t so sure.
‘I’m glad you’re okay,’ she said finally.
Simone shrugged.
They sat in silence for some time and Judy tried to think about how she could best help her sister. She’d offered to go to counselling with her, AA meetings, to see the doctor. She’d tried tough love. She’d tried to be supportive. She’d tried to be a friend. She’d tried to be a sister. But nothing worked. Simone didn’t want to feel vulnerable. Didn’t want to admit defeat.
Judy didn’t know what the answer was, but she knew she could never live with herself if she didn’t keep trying, no matter how frustrating Simone’s behaviour was. At the end of the day, she was still the seventeen-year-old responsible for her younger stepsister.
She had no family of her own left. Simone was it.
18
‘Where have you been?’ Kate said. She’d just waved goodbye to the lavender farmers, a calico bag of cuttings swinging beside her, and was crunching her way across the gravel car park when Leila pulled up in the red Volkswagen.
‘I’m so sorry,’ Leila said. ‘I just totally lost track of time.’
Kate looked cross and Leila felt unprofessional but also a bit harshly judged too. Kate had been a bit cool since she’d told her about Quentin and Leila had the impression she was watching her through a new lens, probably thinking she was slacking off. Her mother’s text message didn’t help. Everyone seemed to be down on her new romance. Why couldn’t they just be happy for her?
‘Did you get the proofs?’ Kate said.
‘He forgot to put them in the car but he’s couriered them to our house so they’ll be there when we get home.’
Kate studied her and Leila squirmed. She changed the topic quickly. ‘So how did everything go?’ she said with steely brightness.
Kate’s face relaxed. ‘Good. Everything’s great. That’s two from two. We just need the berry farm now.’
It was almost five hours from the Cotswolds to Newcastle upon Tyne, and they stretched it out longer than necessary by stopping to take photos of flower fields and stone ruins dating from centuries before. It was a bright, crisp day, perfect for photos. They stopped for hot chocolate and hamburgers, eating in the car, taking it in turns to drive.
On reaching their destination, they checked into a beautiful Georgian mansion for the night. Kate said things had been going so well that she’d decided to treat each of them to their own room so they could indulge in a four-poster bed, but Leila suspected she really wanted some time alone. Away from her.
It was probably a good thing. Ever since Quentin had given her those paperclips, a huge weight had settled on her shoulders. What did it mean for her and Quentin and what did it mean for her and Lucas?
What she needed was a good walk around the grounds to clear her head. She ambled in the woodland area with the sounds of trickling water and the occasional frog her only music. She surprised a rabbit as well as a pheasant that had been well hidden in the long grass.
In the time she’d been dating Quentin she’d of c
ourse thought about moving forward with him. And today, after his gift, she should have been feeling a lovely warm flush of new beginnings. But she wasn’t feeling that. Instead, she was missing Lucas.
She missed their daily coffee, which he invariably bought for her despite her feeble protestations. She missed his witty observations about life. She missed the smell of his aftershave and peppermint gum.
But Quentin was here; Lucas was not.
It was ridiculous to go on wanting someone who’d made it clear they had no future together.
Suddenly, the fresh air had done its job and it was all very obvious. The only way she was going to be able to move on with Quentin was to force Lucas’s hand once and for all.
When she returned to her room, she sent Lucas a text message with the number of the hotel and her room number and asked him to call. Strahan Engineering was an international company and people in Lucas’s position made overseas calls all the time. It wouldn’t be a problem. She sat down on her white and gold bedspread and waited for the phone to ring, which it did, twenty minutes later.
Lucas’s voice smiled down the phone. ‘How’re you going?’
‘Great,’ she lied. ‘And you?’
‘Crazy as usual. But you don’t need to hear about that. I want to know what you’ve been doing.’
She told him about the opening of the shop, the farm visits and the deal she’d brokered with Quentin, though she carefully edited out any hint of the romance between them.
Lucas whistled. ‘Yee-ha. Sounds like you’re making your mark on the world. You sound like you’re having too much fun, though. Are you sure you’ll be coming back?’ The tone of his voice was joking.
‘Well, actually, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about. I’m thinking of staying here for a bit and travelling. Picking up work here and there.’
‘Really?’
‘My mother will probably keel over but now that I’ve seen this whole other world I realise the possibilities are just endless. I’m still young. I could be doing anything.’
They were silent for a moment. ‘Lucas? What do you think?’
The Tea Chest Page 19