Since You've Been Gone

‘I’d better let you get on, Frank,’ I said, reaching up to give him a hug goodbye. ‘Say hi to Annie for me?’

‘I will. Watch for that mad dog of yours.’

Another bristled cheek and Big Frank turned back towards where Dave had first found him.

Dave went back on his leash as we neared the more populated walks. The path led us through the woods, past the forest park where families were picnicking and chasing each other around on bikes, before taking us out onto the slade at the foot of the forest. All along the perimeter, iron stakes held aloft red and white tape, flickering uselessly in the breeze. Although it had quite obviously been demarked as somewhere we couldn’t go any more, it was hard to accept that so much space was suddenly off limits.

The pocket of my jacket flashed to life with the phone ringing inside it. It was Jesse’s face on the screen.

‘Hey. What’s up?’

‘All right, Hol, sorry to spoil your day off,’

‘No, you’re fine. Is everything OK?’ I asked.

‘Yeah yeah, everything’s fine. It’s just, I’ve got a lady on the shop phone asking if we can make two hundred cupcakes for Monday.’

‘Monday? This Monday coming?’ I asked. It was unusual for anyone to have a function on a Monday, and be this late for ordering.

‘Yeah, I didn’t want to say yes without checking it with you first.’

‘Thanks, Jess. Did she say what they’re for?’ Dave was trying to pull me into the slade. He’d never been bothered before, now he wasn’t allowed he wanted in. I heard Jess running my query through the other phone.

‘No, no function.’

‘Delivery or collection?’ I asked.

‘Collection.’ I couldn’t help but be suspicious. You tended to get a feel for quantities and days, that kind of thing. This sounded like a wind up.

‘OK,’ I said, ‘but they need to pay it all up front, today. Otherwise we can’t start it when we get in on Monday. And no cheques, Jess.’

‘You got it. Catch you later,’ he said

‘Bye.’

Jess clicked the phone off. It was unlikely I’d be making those cupcakes on Monday, I could near enough feel it.

Dave and I were back in the old Land Rover Mrs Hedley let me use to cart him around in, and well on our way home when my mobile started ringing again. Jesse, Martha and my folks all had the same ringtone, whoever this was I didn’t know them, I didn’t think. I ignored it and carried on for home. The sky had already started falling into that rich cerulean blue by the time I’d dropped the key round to Mrs Hedley. I needed an excuse to get out of movie night at Martha’s.

As soon as I’d let us into the cottage, Dave went straight for his spot on the floor at the back of the kitchen. I crashed too, on the window seat halfway between Dave’s bed and the bottle of wine I’d left on the breakfast bar, and lay back there looking up at the rows of books on the shelves above me. I held my phone above my face and flipped through the menu to text Martha. I know, I’m a coward, but it’s markedly easier to say anything when you don’t have to use your voice to do it.

The call I’d missed was from a number I didn’t recognise. They hadn’t left a voicemail.

Martha returned my text within seconds, checking that I was feeling OK and not having the meltdown my mother was always warning everyone to be ready for. Martha was surprisingly fine though. I should imagine it was nice for them to have a Saturday night to themselves for a change without me playing gooseberry. I didn’t fancy Rob’s chances for getting out of the grapefruit breakfast tomorrow though.

My arm started to ache from mid-air texting, so I rolled onto my side. Martha had made a long mid-grey cushion to run along the cream timber seat, and had insisted on at least six scatter cushions in soft lime and grey to finish off ‘the look’. Never mind how it looked, it was pretty damn comfortable here. Comfy enough to just slope off into a sleep. I pulled a cushion under my head. Across the kitchen, through the chunky legs of the table, I could see Dave’s hulking frame already snoozing in his bed. He had an easy life. Reluctantly, I pushed myself up.

A glass of red, and a soak in the tub were the only things that were going to get me on my feet.

Dave was already too far gone to come sit in the bathroom with me. I poured a glass of wine, grabbed one of the deli pots out of the fridge and headed up on my own. I polished off the feta chunks while I changed out of my jeans and tee shirt, and wished I’d bought more as I sunk my tired body into the hot silk of the water. There were few things more pleasurable than sliding into a deep bubble bath. Well, there were a few things, though I could vaguely remember what those things felt like. Vaguely. I resolved to start making more time for baths and showering less.

The change in temperature rippled me with gratifying goosebumps. I lay back and closed my eyes, enjoying the drip, drip, drip of the tap into the otherwise still water at my feet. The stiffness in my shoulder from Dave’s yanking gradually began to release. Through barely open eyes, I lifted a foot to the trickle of cold water, plugging the tap with my toe, and was more than shocked at how long I must have left it since last de-fuzzing my legs.

Bloody hell, Holly. You won’t need to wear trousers through the winter if that grows much more!

I spotted my razor on the tray in the shower. ‘Oh sod it, I’ll do it tomorrow,’ I said, before settling cold shoulders back into the warmth beneath the water line.

I relaxed again, the noises of the water swilling around me died away to nothing. Downstairs, I could hear Dave sucking in a deep, sleepy breath through his nose, then the dull buzzing of my mobile phone vibrating on the bed.

I thought Martha had given up too easily.

Just ignore it.

But then she’ll worry.

Go answer the phone.

‘Damn it, Martha!’

The towel I grabbed had spent just long enough to warm through on the radiator. I pulled myself free of the water’s reluctant release and wrapped myself in the towel, then trod wet feet over the rug on the landing and into my room at the back of the house. This was the only room in the house with carpet, thanks to my sister, and I was glad for it as I padded across the floor to the heavy four-poster. The phone stopped buzzing before I reached it, of course. I dumped myself on the soft give of the simple ivory quilt Martha had said was to die for, and looked at the screen. The same unfamiliar mobile number sat at the top of the list of missed calls. Martha and Jesse’s names took all remaining spots.

I started towelling the ends of my dripping hair and pondered who had pulled me from the tub before I’d had a chance to wash it through. Maybe it was Annie, Big Frank’s wife. She’d tried her best to get me to go and spend some time with them; it was probably her off the back of our catch-up today.

Still no voicemail though. I wasn’t calling her back now, I’d do it tomorrow some time, right after I finally called Mum. Crap. I was going to get an earful.

I was thinking of my mother’s impending annoyance, mobile phone still nestled in the palm of my hand, when it buzzed back to life. Annie’s attempts at being friendly had always been persistent, and I hated myself for holding it against her. I just didn’t want the therapy she thought she could offer me. My thumb hovered over the reject button but it seemed a little harsh, ungrateful too, probably. And I had enjoyed seeing Frank today. Maybe I was starting to mellow. Just answer it.

‘Hello?’ I said, waiting for Annie’s buoyant voice.

‘Hello?’ came his answer.

‘Frank?’

‘No. Not Frank. Is this the correct number for Miss Jefferson?’

I didn’t know why I’d thought Frank. Only it definitely wasn’t Jess or Rob, which left me searching through a very limited list of male names.

‘Who is this?’ I asked, checking the time on the dresser clock. It was a bit late for mobile phone companies, or offers of PPI reclamation. There was something familiar though—

‘It’s Ciaran. Argyll.’

The faintest involuntary gasp of breath kicked off a sudden thumping in the side of my neck and the wash of a tingling sensation over my cheeks. My body was already starting to react to some sort of stressful situation my brain didn’t understand yet.

‘Or … occasionally I go by Bond. James Bond.’

I knew it, as soon as the name started to trip off his wistfully Scottish tongue, I knew what was coming. For some reason, I felt like I’d been caught out by him again.

Think of something to say …

‘And on occasion, Handsome S—’

‘Ah, Mr Argyll … what can I do for you?’ I asked, searching for what the hell the answer could be. Thump, thump, continued the percussion in my neck. I tried to breathe quietly and evenly, to not allow the unsteadiness to give me away.

‘I’m sorry to call you out of hours, Miss Jefferson—’ I could hear the smile still there in his voice ‘—but I’m afraid I have a few queries about my order.’

In the dresser mirror I could see the look of absolute confusion all over my daft pink face, but at least at the mention of work some part of my brain found a foothold and started to climb its way up to the light.

‘How did you get this number?’ I asked, allowing myself the first stirs of what could be annoyance, hoping that they might chase off whatever else was stirring back there.

‘Nothing’s sacred these days, Miss Jefferson. I find a little research saves time. I hope you don’t mind?’ It was one of those statements that had few answers which wouldn’t leave you open to one implication or another. I wasn’t sure exactly what a little research involved, or whether I liked being the subject of it, but whatever he wanted it must be important to call out of shop hours, and to research me enough to do so.

‘Is there a problem, Mr Argyll?’ I asked, the annoyance warming up nicely. ‘Because if there is, Jesse will be able to deal with that for you first thing on Monday.’

‘Jesse?’ he asked. ‘And will Jesse be taking care of my order throughout?’

‘That’s right. So if you have anything to discuss regarding your cake, he’ll be able to help you out with that. On Monday. During shop hours.’

The other end of the line went quiet for a few seconds.

‘I was just wondering, and I’m sorry to keep you, but you are the boss and so I think I should really run this past you.’ His voice was relaxed, and carried with enough softness that his referring to my snippiness in the shop didn’t bug me. ‘There are going to be a lot of people at the event we’ve hired you for. We don’t really want them all wandering over and helping themselves to your masterpiece, it could get messy.’ Jess’s masterpiece. ‘I was just wondering to what extent your business’s services could be utilised?’

‘I’m sorry, Mr Argyll, I’m not sure I understand the question.’

‘I was just thinking that it might be an idea to employ you to oversee the cutting and serving of the cake. After seeing the detail of your work, I don’t think the staff are going to know what to do with it.’

‘I’m sorry, are you asking if we can babysit the cake for you?’

He laughed then, an effortless press of breath against the phone. ‘I suppose I am. Of course, you’d also get to spend the evening at the Gold Rooms. I think you’d enjoy it.’

Across in the mirror, the redness had definitely started to leave my cheeks, but I looked even more confused now. Why would I want to stay there? Why would he think I would?

‘Ah, we don’t offer that kind of service, Mr Argyll.’

‘Call me Ciaran.’

The faintest prickle rode over my neck. I reached up to rub it away.

It was hard to decide if that gentle edge to his voice had come from a childhood left behind, or his father’s intonation influencing his own through the years.

‘We don’t cake-sit, Ciaran. The venue’s banqueting team will be able to accommodate you.’

‘You’re right. They should do for what they charge. Have you ever been there?’ Were we chit-chatting?

‘No,’ I answered, more than bemused. ‘But Jesse’s told me all about it,’ I said in a voice that must have shown my disinterest.

I felt a large droplet of cold water fall from my hair onto my thigh.

‘Then he’s told you how exclusive the venue is?’ What was he getting at?

‘He mentioned it.’

‘That it’s notoriously difficult to get into?’ This was getting weirder. The place was seriously swanky, I got it.

I was about to disappoint him. ‘As Jess explained it to me, it’s not difficult to get in there. You just have to pay your way in.’

‘At an eye-watering price,’ he added.

‘I heard that too.’

‘And you wouldn’t take the chance to enjoy an evening there? Without having to pay your way in?’

‘The cost of entry isn’t what puts me off, Mr Argyll. Well, it would, but places like that just …’ I remembered to choose my words carefully. I might be sat on my bed, for some bizarre reason talking about frivolous haunts, but I was still talking to a customer.

‘Not your thing?’ he offered. Exactly.

‘Nope. Not really,’ I said, wondering how to round this chat off before I did offend him.

‘And is it Jesse’s thing?’

I gave a small laugh myself then, his question had surprised me. ‘Anything with gold, music or overindulgence is Jesse’s thing.’

‘Then the Gold Rooms must score highly on places he’d like to visit?’

Jesse had already made it perfectly clear how much he’d like to visit. It would be mean to head off a chance for him.

‘You’re welcome to ask him if he wants to cake-sit. But your best chance of catching him will be on Monday … when we’re open.’

The line went quiet again for a few moments. Maybe I’d gone in too hard. ‘Sorry, I’ve kept you. I’ll deal with Jesse then from now on?’

‘Jesse’s your man.’

‘Thank you for your help, Miss Jefferson. I’m sorry to have disturbed you. Enjoy the rest of your evening.’ He clicked the phone off before I had chance to say bye.

CHAPTER 8

Jesse was grinning like the cat who had the cream. I ignored him; this hadn’t been my idea. And he looked like Liberace in that tux.

Above us, great swathes of twinkling fabric pitched away like the insides of a circus tent, and gathered at the point an enormous chandelier, fashioned in sweeping strands of golden chain mail, hung regally over us all. It was dizzying looking up at all that glitz, but down here there was even more going on.

Jesse had my hand, and was pulling me deeper into the bodies, dancing furiously around us. I didn’t want to dance but Jess wasn’t listening. I wobbled on my shoes as he pulled me further into the heaving mass. At least if I fell here, I’d be swallowed up by a pit of legs and shaking booty.

These were beautiful people all right. The men all looking every bit as tweezed and polished as the women, the women all dressed like each other in gold evening gowns, sparkling cocktail dresses and—was she dressed as an ancient Greek?—the odd historical fashion, apparently.

Some five or more bodies into the crowd behind Jesse, a large chap was throwing crazy shapes to the music pulsing around us. The people immediately next to him had all moved back to give the big guy some space. Smart move, somebody was really enjoying themselves. Suddenly I didn’t feel so self-conscious about falling off the heels I was stupidly wearing, or drawing attention to my limited knowledge of dance.

I wasn’t really dancing anyway, more swaying with the motion of the sea of people around me. Jess hadn’t noticed my lacklustre efforts, demanding that I get more into the party spirit, so I was good for now. Besides, I was busy people-watching. It was hard not to stare at the big guy through the other dancers, he was way too interesting not to. I’d only caught him from behind, arms flailing wildly to the music and head of perfectly coiffed deep red hair swaying and bobbing to the beat reverberating through my feet.

As is so often the case when you’re rubber-necking though, Twinkletoes started to turn that hairdo this way. Big Frank? What the hell is Frank doing in the Gold Rooms? And what has he done to his hair! Frank was lost in the music, and turned back before I could catch his attention.

‘Jess?’ I shouted. I caught his eye for a second. ‘Is that Frank over there? You remember he worked with Charlie?’

Jess frowned like he couldn’t understand me. I looked for a way through the crowd to get closer to the person I was sure was Frank. The crowd wasn’t budging though, we were packed in. I turned to look out across the rest of the partygoers in various shades of golds and creams.

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