Chapter 32
‘I’ve given it some thought, and I’ve decided to sue the shit out of Gabriel,’ Priya announces angrily after we’ve picked over the story for what feels like the thousandth time over brunch the following weekend.
Although I’ve successfully placed a couple of candidates this week, earning a substantial commission from each one, I’ve not been able to take the pleasure in my work that I usually do, as all I’ve been able to think about is Gabriel.
‘What for, exactly?’ Rosie asks. ‘I mean, the way he dumped Tori was horrible, but I don’t think there’s anything lawsuit-worthy in there, is there?’
‘Oh, I don’t know. Something under trades descriptions maybe, for not being the man he appeared to be? Or maybe just being an absolute wanker.’
I laugh grimly. ‘Priya, I’m pretty sure you can’t sue someone for being an absolute wanker, tempting as it is.’
She sighs. ‘I think the law has let me down there. I want to see him pay for what he did to you.’
‘I appreciate your passion, but maybe this is for the best,’ I tell her.
‘It doesn’t feel like it’s for the best. It feels like you’ve been royally fucked over. So, what now?’
‘I don’t know,’ I tell her. ‘I feel very bruised. I think I just need to lick my wounds for a while.’
‘Mm. Make sure you stay away from Flipper.’
‘Flipper is probably busy with his own truckload of shit but, even if Amy dumps him, you can rest assured I’m not going anywhere near him again.’
‘You say that, but you’re vulnerable. Who knows what you might do?’
‘I may be vulnerable, but I’m not insane.’
‘What about that other guy, the one you shared a room with?’ Rosie suggests. ‘You were quite pally by the end of the holiday, weren’t you? I know you said there wasn’t a spark, but are you sure?’
‘We’re friends, no more,’ I tell her firmly. I’m going to need something to focus on over the next few weeks, to stop me going over and over what might have been, or what I could have said and done differently. Project Ro-Ro, as Priya and I have nicknamed it, is exactly the thing.
‘But it could become more,’ she persists.
‘I don’t want it to, and I’m pretty sure he doesn’t either. Let it go, Rosie.’
‘OK.’ She looks a little hurt. ‘I was just trying to help.’
‘I know you were,’ I tell her, softening my tone. ‘And I didn’t mean to bite your head off. I’m just feeling a bit raw at the moment.’
‘I still vote we sue the shit out of Gabriel,’ Priya says.
‘Imagine the scene. He’s sitting at the piano stool, basking in rapturous applause for whatever wanky piece he’s just played.
And then a runner comes onto the stage with a letter informing him of pending legal action against him.
That would wipe the smile off the fucker’s face, don’t you think? ’
I smile, despite myself. ‘It is a nice mental image,’ I admit.
‘Do you know what I think we need?’ Rosie asks. ‘I think we need to drown your sorrows.’
‘Uh-oh,’ Priya says. ‘I think I can tell where this is going.’
‘Yup. I’m thinking carb and fruit overload, with a film to go with.’
‘I assume the fruit is going to be grapes?’ Priya remarks.
‘Fermented grapes, yes,’ Rosie tells her. ‘Mainly of the Pinot Grigio variety. And huge pizzas from the takeaway down the road. We could watch Pretty Woman. We haven’t seen that in ages.’
‘Not Pretty Woman,’ I tell her firmly. ‘I think Gabriel has probably ruined that film forever. No, I need something where someone spends the whole film blowing shit up and beating the crap out of the bad guys. I can imagine at least one of them as Harvey, another as Gabriel, and that will undoubtedly help. What’s that Liam Neeson one where he threatens the kidnappers? ’
‘Taken.’ Priya grins. ‘If we can’t sue Gabriel, maybe we could pull a Liam Neeson on him. “If you get down on your knees and beg for forgiveness, Gabriel, I will not look for you, I will not pursue you. But if you don’t, I will find you and I will kill you.”’
I laugh. ‘That won’t get me into trouble at all. Anyway, maybe not that one, but something similar.’
‘Your wish is my command,’ Rosie says happily. ‘Actually, it’s Netflix’s command, but you know what I mean. Are you in, Priya?’
‘Wild horses wouldn’t keep me away.’
‘That was perfect, thank you,’ I say to Rosie as we’re tipsily clearing up late that night.
I’m not quite sure how much I’ve had to drink as my glass seemed to magically refill itself every time I put it down.
I am, however, fairly sure that Rosie and Priya must have matched my intake, as Rosie is definitely on the wobbly side and Priya pretty much fell into her Uber.
‘I suspect I’ll regret it in the morning though. ’
‘Nah,’ Rosie assures me with a lopsided grin. ‘The pizza will soak up all the alcohol. That’s a thing, right?’
‘I’m not sure it is, but I like your thinking.’
‘Good choice of film, by the way. Who can fail to be cheered up by Keanu Reeves?’
After a lot of debate, we’d eventually settled on John Wick 4, which had successfully pushed both Gabriel and Harvey out of my head for a couple of hours, and I’m doing my best to keep them out, although my alcohol-sozzled brain isn’t doing a terribly good job.
As I start to get ready for bed, I glance at my watch to see that it’s just gone midnight.
Boston is five hours behind London – I know because I looked it up earlier – which means it will be just after 7 p.m. there.
Gabriel will be in his dressing room, I expect, sipping on his sparkling water.
Is he thinking of me, I wonder? Does he have any remorse for the way he treated me?
He ought to, given that he’s supposedly a man of faith.
It’s just so confusing. I really want to hate him and move on, but I can’t hate the person he was before Harvey turned up.
Is he really so compartmentalised that he can simply turn off the charming Gabriel that I was falling for when his career comes knocking?
The tears start to fall as I’m brushing my teeth. Shit. I really thought I was doing better after a week, but the truth is that I still miss Gabriel terribly and I just can’t understand why he would have behaved the way he did.
‘Come on, Tori,’ I tell my reflection sternly. ‘Let him go. It wasn’t meant to be.’
The problem is that he’s done far more than get under my skin now and, despite my best efforts, I still don’t really believe we didn’t have a future.
The wine that buoyed me up earlier has now turned against me, as my mood is now plummeting towards rock bottom.
I turn off the light and crawl into bed, burying my head in the pillow so Rosie can’t hear me sobbing.