Chapter 28
Chapter Twenty-Eight
VANESSA
Vanessa wasn’t sure what to think about the kiss. She’d barely slept all night, playing it over and over in her head. It had seemed like the most natural and wonderful thing to do in the moment. Like a scene from a film. But then it had all changed so suddenly.
She’d texted Joey that evening to find out how Dani was, how her uncle was. The response had been fine, but very functional. It was as if nothing had happened. She hoped Joey wasn’t regretting the kiss, especially given she was someone who didn’t do this kind of thing very often.
Vanessa couldn’t help but think about her own plans to return to the UK. Could a long-distance relationship work between Barcelona and Birmingham? She knew she was jumping ahead, but she couldn’t help it.
Her phone rang. It was Carl.
“Hey bro,” she smiled at his face through the screen.
“Hiya, how are you?” he asked.
“Yeah, good thanks. Learning all the secrets of Catalan and Spanish baking. It’s completely changed the way I’m thinking about the cafe,” said Vanessa with a grin.
“Mmm, well, I’m glad you’re having a good time.” Carl pressed his lips together.
“Are you ok?” Vanessa frowned at his serious expression. “You don’t look like yourself.”
“Yeah, fine. I’m just worried about you. Well, to be honest, mum and dad are worried about you.” He moved into a different room in his house and propped his phone up on something.
“Is this about leaving after the funeral?” Vanessa asked, trying not to roll her eyes.
“No,” said Carl. “Well, a bit, I suppose. It’s just that you were so close to gran, and I guess we’re all a bit worried you’ve jumped into something you can’t deliver.”
“Oh, great.” Vanessa put a hand on her hip. “So basically you all think that in the madness of grief I’ve bitten off more than I can chew. Have you no faith in me?”
“No, Nessa, I promise it’s not that. I just want to make sure you’re ok, and that you’ve thought this through.” He scratched his dark curls. “And you know, you do sometimes….”
“I do sometimes, what?” snapped Vanessa.
“Look, you’ve had a lot of business ideas, that’s all I’m saying. I just want to make sure this is actually a real thing, and not just a reaction.” He put his head on one side. “How are things with Chloe?”
“Over,” said Vanessa. “I thought I told you that.” She sighed. This was not the conversation she wanted to be having. And not the person she wanted to be having it with.
“I know, I just wondered if you might have made it up. I thought she seemed good for you,” said Carl. “It can’t be exciting and romantic all the time, you know.”
“I know that,” said Vanessa. “But it just, you know, fizzled out.”
“How did you know it had fizzled?” Carl’s eyes were wide.
“I don’t know. I guess I just stopped thinking about her first thing in the morning.
I’d forget to text, or not prioritise time with her.
Honestly, I think I was a bit of a crap girlfriend in those last few weeks.
” A vision of the kiss she’d shared with Joey leapt into her head.
Even when she wasn’t thinking about her, she was thinking about her.
“Mmm,” he said again.
Vanessa furrowed her brows. “Is this still about me?”
Carl sighed and folded his arms. “Gem’s been really elusive lately. It’s like I’m somewhere on her list of important stuff, but definitely behind work, the gym and her friends.”
“Well, it’s not the done thing to dump your friends when you start seeing someone,” Vanessa pointed out.
“Yeah, I know, bros before…. well, yeah. But I don’t know. It all feels a bit different than it did. I think maybe it’s fizzled.” Carl looked down into his lap.
“Oh, Carly, I’m sorry, babe.” Vanessa only used her pet name for him when he was feeling sad.
Carl gave a reluctant smile. “I mean, maybe I’m wrong.”
“Maybe,” agreed Vanessa. “If she’s worth it, don’t give up yet.”
“Yeah. And sorry,” he said, unfolding his arms. “I didn’t mean to give you such a hard time about running away to Barcelona. You look great. Really happy. Brown, too. It suits you.”
She gave a half smile. “People keep talking to me in Spanish. I think it’s the dark hair thing. They assume I’m local.” She shrugged. “But at least now I can hold a little bit of a conversation in Spanish.”
“Oh really? Colour me impressed,” said Carl, a smile finally returning to his face.
“Yeah, Joey and Dani have been teaching me.” She blushed at the mere mention of Joey’s name.
“And who are Joey and Dani? Is there something you need to tell me? Are you part of a throuple?” Carl laughed.
“As if I’d be coordinated enough for that!” said Vanessa, once she’d stopped giggling. “No, not a throuple. But – and I’m trusting you not to be a dick about this – Joey and I did kiss last night.”
“Get in!” said Carl. “I want all the details.”
Vanessa smiled, and then proceeded to tell him everything. There was something reassuring about talking to someone she’d known pretty much her whole life.
“Do you think it could be something?” asked Carl.
“I’d like it to be,” said Vanessa. “In spite of the distance and everything. And obviously you were a tiny bit right before when you talked about my businesses and my habit of not sticking at things.”
“That’s not what I said,” said Carl.
Vanessa waved him away. “No, I know, but gran did say it to me, just before she died. And she was right. This time it’s going to work out.
And it’s going to work out because I will make it work.
I’m going to put everything I have into it.
So I’m coming back to Birmingham and I will set up that cafe.
” She looked over at her laptop. “I have a whole load of premises options to look over later.”
“Well good for you, sis,” said Carl. “I’m sure you’ll do it. You’re amazing. And, you know, if it’s meant to work out with this Joey, it will.”
“And the same to you, Carl. If it’s meant to work out with Gem.” She beamed at him through the screen.
He sighed. “We’ll see.”