Chapter 74
SEVENTY-FOUR
Two months seemed to pass in a blur for Gracie. She’d been so busy that she’d not sat down with Noms properly for a catch-up for what seemed like an age. It was easier to find quiet time together now Jack was back at school, so they had arranged a relaxing lunch at the local Italian.
Gracie sat back in the restaurant seat with a dramatic sigh.
‘This is just what I needed. I’m bloody knackered.’
Noms smiled. ‘Yes, agree. It’s so good to do this. Jack can be a handful during the holidays.’
‘Bless him.’ Gracie laughed. ‘I do love that kid and always ask me to do more, if I can, I will.’
‘You’ve been crazy busy, it’s fine.’
A waiter appeared to take their food and drinks order.
‘Yes, the business couldn’t have gone any better. It makes me so happy to have a focus, that I can call my own,’ Gracie enthused. ‘Kate’s both delightful and delighted, too. We’re making far more money out of it than we ever imagined and, now word is spreading, I can only see it getting busier.’
‘I’m so proud of you, too. Of how far you’ve come, you know.’ Noms put her hand across to her sister’s.
‘Thank you. Time has definitely been a healer. I don’t wake up every day and think about the twins like I used to. More like, how on earth am I going to fit everything into the day? Anyway, more importantly, how’s it going with Ali?’ Gracie raised her eyebrows.
Noms smirked. ‘Great, actually. It’s so weird that I am officially in a relationship with a woman. She just does it for me, though. I get on so well with her, it is like having an amazing girlfriend with benefits, who just seems to get me.’
‘I’m so pleased for you, Noms. You deserve every happiness. I don’t suppose you’ve heard from Mr Film Star, have you?’ Gracie asked tentatively.
Noms screwed up her nose. ‘He emailed last week just to check up on Jack but that was it.’
‘No mention of me, then?’
‘Said to say hi to you, but no more than that. Sorry, I forgot to tell you. Have you thought much about him and what happened in Barcelona?’
‘Yes, of course, but the more I think of it the more I have to be realistic. Did you see him in Hola magazine last week with that young brunette on his arm? She’s the daughter of someone in a heavy metal band, apparently.’ Gracie waved her hand dismissively.
‘No, I didn’t see it. It’s funny, when I first had Jack, I used to stalk him online, but I don’t care what he gets up to now. Although, if it involved him hurting you, of course I would.’
‘The Hola article was on the gossip-column page so who knows the context, but I don’t think I could live with that every day. I was jealous for a second and then had a word with myself. I’m so glad I didn’t sleep with him before he left. He was adamant that he wouldn’t let me down and would contact me when he got back from Vegas, but I won’t hold my breath.’
Noms took a sip of her fizzy water. ‘I’m impressed you’re being so measured about it all, Grace.’
‘I think I have to be with him. He did seem to be so into me. He even slipped in that he’d take me to a chapel in Vegas and we’d get married, but I know what it is – it’s the fact that I didn’t put it on a plate for him. Don’t get me wrong, Leo boosted me no end. He gave me two amazing nights, but…’
‘But what?’
‘He hasn’t contacted me once: no text, no mail, no nothing. If he had cared just a little bit, then he could have made some sort of effort.’
‘He’s like that though, Grace. On set, it’s full on. And if you had chosen to be with him, it would always have been like that.’
Gracie shrugged. ‘Out of sight, out of mind, more like. If he really liked me, he would still be keeping me interested.’
‘Hmm.’ Noms cocked her head. ‘He isn’t a bad person, just a busy person.’
‘Yes, but it takes two seconds to send a message, so I’m more peeved than hurt. My gut told me it would never be right, and hurrah, I listened to it, for once.’
‘Bless you.’ Noms took another drink.
‘And I don’t think he could give up that lifestyle,’ Gracie added, ‘much as he professes he wants a quiet life.’
‘I agree, it’s in his DNA.’ Noms sighed. ‘I’m waiting to see if it’s nature or nurture for Jack. He could be the next Leo Woodall, who knows.’
Gracie fanned herself with the menu. ‘Now he is another film star called Leo, I would entertain.’
Noms laughed. ‘What are you like!’
Two big plates of spaghetti bolognese arrived at the table.
‘Wow, that looks amazing.’ Gracie picked up her napkin and put it on her lap.
‘Good to see you tucking in to something decent, Grace. I was worried you might be getting too skinny.’
Gracie laughed. ‘As if. I’ve just cut out all the crap and although I’ve ditched the running club, walking Boris on the common allows me to have my wine and the odd flapjack at the weekend.’
‘Well, you look great for it. In fact, this is the best I’ve seen you looking in a long while. No men and hard work must be the answer. Talking of no men, any word from Lewis?’
‘Not for over a month… it’s weird. He was so full-on and now nothing. Last time I saw him, he was bringing the twins’ stuff to the hut so that other ladies might make use of it.’ Gracie’s voice wobbled.
Noms put her hand on top of her sister’s. ‘Oh, Grace.’
Gracie pulled away. ‘I’m fine, it had to be done and it allowed us to leave each other on amicable terms.’ Gracie spun a big swirl of spaghetti around her fork. ‘But if I’m honest, I don’t like not having him at the end of a phone. I hate to say it out loud, but I am missing him. Even when we were rowing, I knew he still loved me. The fact that he’s got over me, thinking that he might be moving ahead with someone else, well… it kills me, actually. The worst thing will be if I find out he is having a baby. I don’t think I would ever want to know. It would destroy me.’
‘Contact him, Grace,’ Noms said boldly.
‘Oh, I don’t know.’
‘If he truly loves you, whatever situation he is in, he will come back to you.’
‘Do you think so?’
‘I know so. From my past experiences, men are like bloody rubber bands. They always ping back and sting you when you least expect it.’
‘He hasn’t replied to two of my texts and that’s so unlike him. He must be seeing someone.’
‘Well, you won’t know if you don’t ask, is all I can say.’ Noms scraped her plate of the last morsel of her lunch.
Gracie did the same. ‘I told you that seeing Annalize helped me to move on from everything, didn’t I? He never would have ended up with her, I know that. She even told me just how much he loved me!’
‘This life lark is a funny old game, Grace. Those cards keep getting dealt, whether it be an ace or a joker, everything usually does work out for the best in time. Pudding?’
‘God, no, I’m stuffed. I am happy, though, Noms, so don’t worry about me. And I promise to get out from under your feet soon, now I’ve got some decent money coming in.’
‘You could live with me forever, sister, if you wanted, you know that? Right, I’d best get down the school and pick the little terror up.’
Outside, Noms looked at Gracie and screwed her face up.
‘Gracie Davies, is that a nose stud!?’
In that minute the diamond had caught the light.
‘Yes. Isn’t it cute?’
‘So when is the tattoo coming?’
It was Gracie’s turn to laugh. ‘I’m not having a midlife crisis, don’t worry. I’ve always wanted a nose stud and just never had the balls to do it. This is the new me. Taking control of my life.’
‘Well, I like the new you, but make sure the old one still pops up sometimes, because I liked her too.’ Noms hugged her sister in the street. ‘I love you, Grace.’
‘Back at ya, sister. Right, gotta run, I’ve got some balloons being delivered at four.’