37 #4
“Well that won’t be for long. The apartment will be ready in a week.”
“Yes. I have to say I’m looking forward to moving in there.” I can’t wait!
“Oh?”
“I’ll feel more independent. I haven’t lived alone before, so it’ll be a novelty,” she mumbled. And I’ll be closer to you.
“I see. Well Mama will be next door too, so if you need anything. Actually, talking of Mama, she still wasn’t home was she?”
“Er, I’m not sure. I didn’t notice whether her car was there.”
“It wasn’t.” Jerome’s lips pursed together.
“Oh, um, here, take this next turn off, then just follow the road straight up.” Dani took the turning and filtered onto the dual carriageway.
Thankfully there weren’t many cars on the road.
She suddenly felt nervous. He didn’t seem best pleased with his mother being out so late.
She wondered if he knew who Gia was with.
“It’s quarter to one,” he muttered. “You know where she is don’t you?”
Dani squirmed. Crap, he did know, then.
“She’s out with Ray Holmes,” said Jerome, answering his own question.
“You don’t like Ray?” Dani asked tentatively. He’s a great guy and your mother really likes him, can’t you see that?
“I don’t know him that well to form an opinion. He seems like a good man.”
“He is. I suppose it must be weird seeing your mum dating someone.”
“The dating I can just about handle it’s… well… er.”
“Oh. I see.” Dani bit her lip in an attempt to stop her grin. “She’s a very attractive woman.” She’s not past it yet, Jerome!
“Jeez, please don’t. I’d really prefer not to think about it. Please change the subject.” Jerome shifted in his seat. The idea of his mother and Ray in the throes of passion exploded in his head and he shuddered.
The only sound was the swishing of the wipers as they swiped the persistent drizzle off the windshield.
Silence.
Jerome looked out of the window and Dani carried on driving.
“Crap, now I can’t think of anything else!” he grumbled and Dani giggled.
“Put the radio on.” Suggested Dani
Jerome switched it on and flicked through the channels. Most of the music was slow and romantic.
“God, that just makes it worse. We could do with something loud and distracting.”
“I’m afraid I haven’t got around to putting any songs on to a flash drive yet, I’ve only my Italian language course.”
“At this point that might be the best option.” Jerome shook his head. So she was serious about learning Italian? The thought pleased him. “Mama and Ray. Who’d have thought?”
“I think it’s sweet?”
“Sweet?” snorted Jerome.
“Uh-huh. It’s nice to know that it’s never too late to find someone.”
“They’ve only been on a few dates, Dani. I hardly think that means that… I thought we were changing the subject,” he growled and Dani chuckled.
“Okay.” How could she distract him? Work, talk about work. It’s neutral ground. He was a workaholic. “How’s the fashion show coming along?”
“Good, but I’d rather not talk about work.” Christ don’t remind me about Liz, not now. Not when it’s just you and me. I’d rather think about my mother and Ray!
“Hmm, you’re making things difficult.”
“I prefer to use the word challenging.”
Dani snorted. Yeah, you have no idea how challenging this is.
“Okay, can I ask you something?” asked Dani.
“That depends.”
“On what?”
“Is it work related or anything to do with my mother?”
“No!”
“Then sure. Go ahead.” He grinned at her. This was fun, she was fun.
Dani stopped at a red light and turned her head to look at him.
“How did you get your scar?”
“You mean this one?” he gently rubbed his middle finger over the one inch line just under his right eye, which marred his otherwise perfect face.
Dani nodded.
“I tried to stop a fight in a club and the asshole caught me with his ring on his fist.”
“Oh.”
“It was thirteen years ago, on my twenty-first birthday. I was lucky he didn’t hit me an inch higher.”
“Nice memento,” huffed Dani. She turned back to look at the lights that stayed stubbornly red.
“Can I ask you something?”
Dani turned to face him again and furrowed her brows.
“It’s only fair.” Jerome arched one brow at her.
Oh shit, what was he going to ask? “Okay, but I may not answer.”
“Now who’s being difficult?”
“Challenging,” she shot back.
Jerome tilted his head back and laughed loudly. How he loved the quick fire banter he only seemed to have with her.
“I’m glad I amuse you.” Dani shook her head and Jerome stopped laughing and his brows creased.
Then pulling on his bottom lip he said, “Oh you do far more than just amuse me, Dani.”
What?
Dani stared at his face, which was half-bathed in a red glow from the traffic lights.
She felt herself suddenly heat up in the small confines of her car.
What did he mean? Jerome narrowed his eyes a little and released his lip and was about to add something when a sharp beep came from behind them.
Dani jerked her head to look at the rear view mirror and then at the now green traffic lights.
“Shit!” she pulled away and accelerated.
“Impatient bastard,” muttered Jerome. “At the next lights turn left,” he said softly, feeling uneasy at his previous unguarded comment. Dani flicked on her indicator and turned to the right.
“So, what were you going to ask me?”
“Oh, yes. I was wondering…” why you left London… if you still have feelings for the man you ran from… why did you run from him, what did he do? “… why you went into the leisure industry?”
“I thought we weren’t talking about work,” Dani replied dryly.
“So you’d rather I ask you something more personal, then?” Jerome smirked.
Crap, no way. Dani gave a conciliatory sigh.
“Well, my parents had a B and B in Brighton so I’ve always been surrounded by the business and to be honest, I just love the buzz.
People go to restaurants, bars and hotels for fun normally, and to be surrounded in that atmosphere while you work…
” Dani shrugged. “It’s the best kind of working environment.
I like the idea of pleasing people, making their time special. ”
“Like tonight?”
Dani nodded, “Yeah, like tonight.”
“And the baking?”
“I just love to bake,” Dani chuckled. “And I really like to eat cakes too, of course.”
“Of course.” Jerome laughed softly at her remark. “And you’re so good at it.”
“What, eating cake?” Dani asked with mock horror.