Chapter 41
CHAPTER 41
Sophie and Beau were in the kitchen when there was a knock at the door. Beau went to answer it and came back holding a large brown package. Looking at the address label, he beamed at Sophie before putting it on the kitchen island and bolting back out to the bottom of the stairs.
‘Tames!’ he yelled. ‘Come down, quick! Your proof pages are here!’
Tamar came clattering down and burst into the kitchen, her hair wrapped up in a bright green towel and her face pretty much the same colour.
Her hands splayed on the package, she looked up at them, the green gunge cracking as she frowned with confusion. ‘I so want to open them, but I’ve just put all this gunge on my face.’
Beau already had his phone out. ‘Stay exactly as you are,’ he said. ‘I think your followers will love the reveal in Kermit mode. It really adds another element. Start opening, I’ll record it.’
Tamar unwrapped the package and looked at the spreads, holding them up for Beau to film, beaming with delight.
She had tears in her eyes as she looked at Sophie. ‘Thank you so much,’ she said. ‘It’s beyond my wildest dreams.’
‘You did it, Tamar,’ said Sophie. ‘Your food, your pictures, your concept. I just provided the space for you to work in and moved a few pomegranate seeds to optimum positions. You should be very, very proud.’
Beau went round to the other side of the island and leafed through the pages, nodding his head in admiration. ‘This is a seriously class piece of work, Tames. If I had cookbook fatigue, this would snap me out of it.’
Tamar looked down, suddenly shy.
‘Come here, you little superstar,’ he said, wrapping his arms around her – in what he felt was a brotherly way – picking her up and spinning her round. ‘Get used to feeling giddy, because this is going to go off like a rocket when it comes out.’
When he put her down, he had bright green smeared all over his t-shirt.
‘Thanks, Beausie,’ she said. ‘Sorry about your shirt. I better go and wash this stuff off, it’s starting to get itchy.’ She put her hand on the proofs again and squealed with excitement before running off and up the stairs.
‘It really is good, isn’t it?’ said Beau, leafing through the pages again.
‘The best book I’ve been involved with for a long time,’ said Sophie, standing next to him. ‘I think Olive’s bowls actually set the food off better than the original ones. There’s just a little touch of modernity to them that cuts out any of that “ethnic food” feeling that Tamar so wanted to avoid.’
Beau put an arm round her. ‘And all your brilliant idea, my lovely Mumpty,’ he said, kissing the top of her head. ‘We should do something to celebrate. Shall we take Tamar out for a slap-up lunch?’
Sophie was silent for a moment. ‘You two go. Take the car and have an expedition. It’s a really nice day for November – you could go over to Dungeness or somewhere. Tamar has spent so much time here with me, head down in the studio, then hours on the screen, working on the words, she needs to get out.’
‘Are you sure? It’s your book too.’
‘I want her to really feel the special joy of seeing the pages laid out for her first book and not have to defer to me on it. We can do that when we have to check every word and every colour tone on every page. And while you’re out,’ said Sophie, from the doorway heading towards her study, ‘scout some locations for the next book we’re talking about doing together, all about cooking food from local suppliers. Make sure Tamar takes her camera.’
‘But if you’re doing it together, shouldn’t you be in on that?’
‘I’ve seen a lot of it already. I want Tamar’s fresh take. And I’ve got stuff I need to do here.’
‘Okay,’ said Beau, feeling a kind of tickly excitement somewhere in his chest, or was it his belly? Definitely not any lower. He wondered what it was. The prospect of spending time with someone he knew would make him laugh and want to do the same stuff as him? Was that it? Interesting.