Chapter 40
40
JESSE
Now
The entrance to Bondiga’s Books opened into the book section, the middle third of Alistair Bondiga’s cultural empire. Records were to the left, cafe to the right, a cornucopia of books were piled in front of him. Jesse picked up a copy of Yellowface from a table by the till so it would look like he had something to read, whether Minnie was or wasn’t there. It was a lovely bookshop. He wondered if his father knew it. Lars had done the circuit of all the slick indies in London: Goldsboro, Daunt’s, Libreria, Word on the Water, plus he’d always draw a crowd at Foyles and Waterstones when he did signings or talks. Jesse wanted so desperately to talk to his dad right now. Tell him about Remy. Ask him about Bondiga’s. Something significant had happened to him in this bookshop. Could lightning strike a third time?
He’d been back once since the day Minnie fled France. He met his friend Kenji there before they went to a gig at Camden Stables. He said there was a cool bookshop cafe where they sold craft beers and didn’t tell Kenji about the subtext. That he’d hoped to bump into Minnie again. Kenji was so charming and affable, Jesse thought that if they did see Minnie, he would be a good buffer. She wasn’t there that day, and he didn’t recognise any of the staff. Today, as he walked through to the right, to the open coffee shop with the large windows looking out onto the street, he did recognise the barista with the green hair. Minnie had spoken to him the day they’d met, used his name perhaps, although Jesse couldn’t remember it.
Jesse went up to the counter, book and phone in hand – ready to order a coffee but realising it was 4p.m. and he should be celebrating.
‘A can of Neck Oil please, mate,’ Jesse said, nodding to the fridge behind the counter.
The guy served him politely and efficiently, asked him if there was anything else he wanted, but clearly had no idea how life changing today was for Jesse; how life changing that day had been in May. Fucking Orson .
Jesse paid and was just about to take his beer and book to a window seat – the one Minnie had been sitting in the day she’d approached him – when he paused and turned back.
‘Hey, mate, Kip isn’t it?’
Kip smiled. ‘Yes?’
‘You haven’t seen Minnie in here lately have you? Minnie… Byrne?’
He saw a softness wash over Kip’s neat features.
‘Ahhh Minnie.’ He said her name like it were a blessing.
Jesse looked at him eagerly. Kip shook himself into action and swiftly picked up some cups.
‘Not for ages,’ he replied, slightly offhand, as if he might not tell Jesse even if he had. Kip checked himself and softened. ‘I think she’s been busy; she’s in a new TV show or something.’
‘Yeah I know. Starting next month. Or something…’
There was a pause.
‘So she’s not been in then?’
‘No,’ Kip said. ‘But Steph, who works here, Steph saw her in the West End the other day. Back with that creep she was seeing.’
‘What?’
‘Yeah sausage fingers, the one who dumped her in here. During my fucking shift.’ Kip gritted his teeth.
Jesse shook his head, totally dejected, marvelling at how JP had done it.
‘Sorry, dude – she got to you too?’ Kip gave a rueful look. ‘At least you got to have a coffee with her.’