31
Unexpected
Graham looked down at his phone as it vibrated on his desk and scowled. Jeez, he really didn’t feel like getting another interrogation from Jerome, especially first thing in the morning. He picked up his phone and pressed the answer key.
“Good morning Jerome, how are you?”
“I’m well thank you. You?”
“I’m good, what can I do for you?”
“It’s about the fashion show…”
“Look, Jerome, I really can’t tell you anymore than I already have…”
“That’s not why I’m calling. I was wondering if you were in direct contact with the organisers. I was going to suggest they use Sky for the venue.”
“Oh, I see. Er, well… that’s actually quite a good idea,” Graham stuttered, thrown off guard with the unexpected suggestion.
“Yes, I thought so too. Do you think you could get in touch with them and I can have my team at Sky set up a meeting, if they agree that is?”
“Sure, I’ll see what I can do. Thank you.”
“I’m happy to help Graham, though I have to admit it wasn’t my idea. One of my staff members came up with it. I just hope the organisers go for it, for Liz’s sake.”
“Me too. We’ve all put a lot of hard work into this fashion show and it really was disappointing for all of us when it got cancelled.”
“So, I’ll wait to hear from you then? I haven’t mentioned it to Liz, simply because I didn’t want to build up her hopes.”
“Wise move. I’ll keep quiet until we have some solid news.”
After saying their goodbyes, Jerome headed into his bathroom to shower off after his workout.
Dressing quickly he exited his office feeling a lot calmer.
He’d noticed that in the last few days his mood had most definitely been more upbeat and at some times, even relaxed.
It had been a while for him to feel like that.
He’d spent most of the weekend at home with his children and yesterday had been hectic, catching up with work and fitting in the Lodge and the school play.
But he hadn’t felt under pressure or the usual tension that had been shrouding over him of late.
He paused outside his mother’s office seeing the door was slightly ajar and he popped his head around the door.
Gia was sitting at her desk working on her computer. Jerome’s eyebrows rose in surprise.
“Buongiorno, Mama.”
“Buongiorno.”
“You’re down early, what are you working on?” Jerome stepped closer to her.
“I’m trying out this program for the seating plans and reservations. I think I’m getting the hang of it now.”
“That’s great.”
“Mmm.” Gia clicked on to her mouse and moved it around. “It would seem that I obviously needed a better teacher.” She arched her brow at Jerome and he grinned. “Speaking of which have you organised the flat yet?”
Jerome shifted awkwardly and sighed. “No, I haven’t. I’ve just been too busy, what with Liz away and…”
“Fine. I’ll do it, then. Give me the numbers of the decorators and the maintenance company.” She interrupted him and beckoned with her hand.
“No, I’ll do it. In fact I’ll go and organise it now.”
“Good, because I bet they won’t be able to finish before Christmas and it’ll be the New Year before we can offer Dani the flat.
” She shooed him out. “Go on.” Jerome nodded and paced towards the door.
“Oh, and it’s Rico’s birthday today, so try and make it for lunch,” she added, her eyes back to focusing on the computer screen.
“Of course.”
Jerome walked back to his office and sat down at his desk.
There was no way around it, now that his mother had forged a close relationship with Dani, he couldn’t purposely avoid organising the flat anymore.
She’d just badger him about it or demand to take over.
Well, he’d just have to bite the bullet and get on with it.
“YOU REMEMBER THAT THE limit is twenty-five pounds don’t you?” Silvanna reminded Dani as they stepped in through the doors of Reiss. Dani walked through the smart shop heading towards the men’s department.
“I remembered,” Dani answered. They’d headed into Leeds on their afternoon break to buy Jerome’s secret Santa gift as Dani had promised. “Here, look at these.” Dani indicated to a display of pocket squares in an array of colours and designs.
“A hanky?”
“No, they’re pocket squares. See? Look at the mannequin. Jerome often wears them.”
Silvanna looked to where Dani was pointing. “Oh, right,” she nodded. “Okay, then, which one do you think?”
“I think this one.” Dani pulled out a silk woven pocket square that was predominantly blue with black detail.
“It will go with his dark blue suit and the black. He can also pair it with his dark brown one if he wears that dark blue tie, you know the one that’s knitted.
” She smoothed over the fabric with her fingers. “And it’s on sale.”
Silvanna’s eyebrows shot up, clearly surprised at how much thought Dani had put into her choice. “Sure, whatever you say. That was easy. Thanks.”
Dani shrugged and led Silvanna to the cash desk.
JONATHAN STRETCHED OVER TO Liz’s side of the bed and searched for her with his hand.
All he could feel were cool sheets. He levered up on his elbows and looked around their room for her.
It was empty. A gentle splashing sound alerted him to the patio.
He slipped on his underwear and headed over to the French doors, yawning.
The sun was just coming up, it’s watery light illuminating the garden and private pool.
Liz was powerfully swimming around the edge of the pool, oblivious that she had company.
Jonathan furrowed his brow and lowered himself into the rattan chair, waiting for her to slow down and stop.
She was behaving erratically. Hardly sleeping and eating very little.
It was time for her to stop those tablets, Jonathan thought to himself.
He kicked himself for getting them in the first place.
The problem was, he knew Liz could get hold of them without him, at least this way he was aware of how many she was taking and the quality of them.
It took Liz a good ten minutes to realise Jonathan was watching her. She slowed down and came to the edge.
“Couldn’t sleep?” Jonathan tried to hide the concern in his voice.
“I just needed to burn off some energy.” Liz pulled herself out of the water and stood a few feet away from him.
His eyes travelled over her naked wet body.
The shadows under her pale blue eyes and the accentuated protruding of her hip bone, were the only things that marred her perfect form. Jonathan reached out his hand to her.
“I’m wet.”
“That’s just how I like you.” He winked at her and she smiled taking his hand.
He gently pulled her onto his lap and kissed her fiercely.
No one saw this side of her, the vulnerable side.
The side that thought she wasn’t good enough, pretty enough, sexy enough.
She put up an icy barrier and shut people out, but Jonathan knew better.
The young, working class girl from Birmingham had made good, but it was never enough for her.
She wanted everything her abandoned mother could never provide for her, always struggling to make ends meet, everything she’d dreamed of, and Jerome had provided her with that.
But it was still not enough. Liz wanted to be adored, to be put first, she was selfish and self-centred and Jonathan didn’t mind one bit.
He was happy to fulfil that role because he did adore her and would do anything to keep her happy.
He wanted to protect and take care of her, something she craved so badly.
She needed to be the centre of someone’s world and to Jonathan that was exactly what she was.
“Liz I think it’s time to stop the pills. You’re too agitated and you’re losing too much weight.”
Liz tensed, “I said I’d stop once I got the I-Gea contract.”
“I know you did, but you look tired and…”
“I said I’d stop Jonathan. It’s just a few more days.”
“Exactly. It won’t matter, if it’s just a few more days.”
Liz pulled away from him and stood up but Jonathan held onto her slim hips. “If I stopped I’ll crash hard and I can’t while I’m working. As soon as we rap up here I’ll stop.”
“Promise?” Jonathan knew she was right, but that didn’t mean he was happy about it.
“I promise. Anyway I’ve some relaxants that I can take to sleep. I don’t need to be up for the shoot until twelve, so I’ve roughly five hours.”
Jonathan furrowed his brow. He’d seen too many women become addicted to stimulants and then downers and the end result meant they headed into a dangerous, downward spiralling path.
He’d dabbled in the odd recreational drug and used steroids but he was always in control, he’d never let them take over.
Liz’s behaviour worried him. He was going to have to wean her off slowly.
“Don’t take anything else, Liz. If you need to relax, then you come to me. I’ll massage you, make love to you, we can have a drink but don’t take anything else. Trust me you don’t want to get into that cycle.”
Liz stepped closer to him, her eyes blinked slowly. “I could do with a massage,” she breathed. “All that swimming has made my muscles tense.”
Jonathan’s lips curled in to smile. “Just a massage, then?”
Liz shook her head slowly and Jonathan’s grip on her hips tightened. She ran her hand around the back of Jonathan’s head and pulled him closer, his hot breath gusting over her bare lower abdomen causing goose bumps to appear over her damp skin.
“I need you. I need you to relax me. You’re the only one who knows what I need, what I want and how I want it.”
Jonathan groaned. In one swift move he was on his feet and lifting her, striding back through the French doors and into the villa. He was going to wear her out until she collapsed, one way or another she was going to sleep.
“SCOTT. I HOPE YOU’VE got some good news.” Arsenio lowered himself into his chair after shaking Scott’s hand. Arsenio had been waiting all day for his visit but his work schedule had meant that the earliest he could see Scott was late on Wednesday.