Chapter 75
Cal
Because my ugly mate is marrying a seriously elegant woman, it’s no surprise to me that Belle has found a characteristically elegant solution to preempt any potential conflict between the Catholic extremists and the sex maniacs at their engagement party.
The wedding will be a whole other story.
Belle’s very old, very frail grandma will be in attendance, and it’s been agreed that she will turn up for the first hour or two, before Belle’s parents whisk her and other family members off for a fancy dinner at some stuffy restaurant on Jermyn Street.
This leaves the more debauched invitees to arrive fashionably late with little to no overlap.
Genius.
Aida and I do it the other way around, with a sushi supper first. By the time we rock up at the Mandarin Oriental for the party, the oldies and the more God-fearing of the invitees have moved on and Belle and Rafe’s friends are pouring in.
A glance around tells me there’s a good mix of City types and Alchemy members and friends of ours from uni, as well as glamorous twenty-somethings who are undoubtedly here for the bride-to-be.
A few weeks ago, I’d have been in my fucking element. Now, I give them the most cursory once-over before turning my attention back to my ravishing date.
We find the happy couple chatting with Zach and Maddy and some other dark-haired guy I can’t place.
It makes sense that they would have turned up early—Maddy and Belle have been friends for donkey’s years, and Zach is, unlike me, socially acceptable enough to manage any social situation with aplomb.
‘Well, don’t you look gorgeous?’ I drawl, taking Belle in. She’s radiant in a long, floaty dress of palest pink that’s tasteful and elegant while also showing off her slender figure. I kiss her on both cheeks. ‘Congratulations, darling. He’s a lucky man.’
She shoots me a wide, genuine smile. She’s so sweet. ‘Thanks for coming. And I’m so happy he brought you! You were so amazing on Gordon Kay!’ The last part she aims at Aida and accompanies it with a little squeak of excitement.
I think I was pretty amazing on Gordon Kay too, given how many times the camera panned to me in the audience, but I’m not even bothered, because my girl has earned the spotlight far more fully than I have.
I can tell I’ve been dismissed. I side-step so Belle and Maddy can swoop in and commandeer Aida’s attention and presumably gush over what each other is wearing.
‘Meet Belle’s brother, Dex,’ Rafe says, gesturing to the other guy. ‘Dex, Cal is one of my oldest friends from school, and he runs Alchemy with me and Zach.’
Of course. I see it now. His hair colour is a lot darker than Belle’s, but they share the same golden skin tone and striking eyes—green-gold, for want of a better description.
I hold out my hand. ‘Good to meet you, mate.’
We shake.
‘Good to meet you, too,’ he says, grinning.
I may be straight, but I have the unfortunate tendency to size up everyone I meet as a potential Alchemy member, and, on looks alone, this guy would be a shoe-in.
He’s broad around the shoulders and lean everywhere else—an ex-rower, maybe?
He’s also wearing a very fucking nice suit.
‘I hear you’re thinking about moving back—is that right?’ I ask him.
‘I was just talking about that with these guys,’ he says, gesturing to Rafe and Zach. ‘Goldman has offered me a promotion, running the Cash business for Equities in London in about six months’ time, when the current head retires.’
‘Wow.’ I hold up my flute and clink his, impressed. ‘That’s a big job.’
‘Yeah.’ He makes a self-deprecating moue with his mouth. ‘It is, and honestly, there are too many people ahead of me in the queue in New York. My only chance of a big break is London. It’s also the easiest way I have right now to get on track for Partner.’
I know enough from my time in banking that if an opportunity this sizeable comes up, you take it. Even if it means moving your family to the other side of the world at a moment’s notice. And, as far as I know, this guy has neither a wife nor kids, which should make his decision even easier.
‘Sounds like a no-brainer,’ I remark.
His smile is rueful. ‘I suppose so. It’s probably time I come back and keep an eye on my little sister, too.’
He shoots Rafe a mock glare, and Zach and I laugh.
‘Bit late for that, mate,’ Zach observes. ‘She’s walked right into the lion’s den.’
‘Yeah.’ He looks down at his drink. ‘Hasn’t she just? I have to say, I’ve stayed away this long to put some distance between me and my dad’s utter fucking toxicity, but I did not see my sweet little baby sis joining a sex club and getting engaged to its owner while I was gone.’
We all look over at Belle, who’s in an excited huddle with Maddy and Aida. I’m sure when Gen shows up she’ll get stuck in, too. My sister Annabel is only twenty months younger than me, but I can imagine my horror if a guy like Rafe had turned up, popped her cherry and swept her off her feet.
A guy like how Rafe used to be, I should say, because there’s no doubt in my mind he’ll make the best husband ever.
‘Yeah, I get that,’ I say to Dex. ‘But never have I seen a man more in love than this fucker here is with Belle. She’s in good hands, seriously. I mean, he even went head to head with your dad for her.’
His face softens, he and Rafe exchanging a look that suggests they’ve discussed the issue of his father at length. ‘I’m well aware, and I’m genuinely grateful she’s got you in her corner, mate,’ he tells Rafe. ‘I know you’ll make her very happy.’
‘Not as happy as she’ll make me,’ Rafe says gruffly. A month ago, I would have ribbed him mercilessly for spouting sentimental shit like that.
Now, I get it.
‘You know you’re welcome to stop by the club one night, while you’re in town,’ Zach says. ‘Even if you just make it as far as the bar. I promise you, it’s a fun place to hang out.’
‘The fact that Zach is saying that is nothing short of a miracle,’ I tell Dex. ‘This guy is a lot more traditional than me and Rafe.’
Dex lets out a pained laugh and rubs at his temple. ‘A sex club. Hmm—not sure I’ve made my peace with it quite enough to actually go along. No offence.’
‘None taken,’ Rafe says. ‘And I get it.’
‘The offer’s there if you want it,’ I add. ‘If you’re back in London for more meetings before you make the jump, feel free to stop by. I assume you’re up to your ears in women—or men—in Manhattan?’
His laugh is easier this time. ‘Women, definitely. And let’s say I don’t get lonely. But it’s mainly Bumble dates. The dating scene is pretty fast and furious over there.’
‘High turnover?’ I suggest.
‘Something like that.’
He takes a circumspect sip of his champagne and I eye him up. Zach, Rafe and I went to St Ignatius of Loyola, one of the most hardcore Catholic boys’ schools in the country, so we all understand the endless hangover of guilt and shame a Catholic education can bestow.
I know from Rafe that Dex went to Ampleforth, which is right up there with Loyola in hardline teachings. I also know he left town and crossed an ocean to get away from his dad’s overbearing ways and religious conservatism.
So the fact that he’s seemingly fucking his way around Manhattan is actually pretty reassuring.
‘Let me guess,’ I say. ‘You’re working crazy hours, and you can’t be fucked to date endlessly and wonder if all those interminable dinners will actually result in you getting your end away, so you rely on Bumble hookups instead.’
He screws up his face. ‘Basically, yes.’
‘We’re one and the same,’ I say. ‘I mean, we were. I sold credit derivatives for years, and that was my MO, too. It’s one of the main reasons we founded Alchemy, actually. Convenient, low maintenance, high quality fucking. If you make the move over, we’ll hook you up.’
‘Jesus, mate, stop pimping him out,’ Zach says, laughing. He turns to Dex. ‘Now Cal’s madly in love, he can’t resist living vicariously. Just tell him to fuck off.’
‘In love with Aida Russell herself, no less?’ Dex asks in a low voice, his eyebrow arched in a way that tells me he’s impressed.
‘I’m as surprised as you are, mate,’ I tell him.
‘But yep. She’s been filming a documentary about female sexuality as women grow older, and she collaborated with Alchemy to do it.
I was her mentor.’ I smirk at the amusement on Dex’s face at that idea.
‘But if someone as respectable as Aida has deigned to cross Alchemy’s threshold, it might make you rethink? ’
He laughs and shakes his head. ‘Jesus, you’re relentless. Look, I’ll bear it in mind. But… it sounds like a lot. I’m a pretty straightforward guy when it comes to, you know. Sex.’
I frown. ‘You had a textbook Catholic education at the hands of Benedictine monks. There’s no way there isn’t a little kink buried in there somewhere.’