Many but they’re mainly to do with family conspiracies. ‘Ah – not about you.’
He laughs. ‘Is there anyone else I should be worried about?’
I pause; now is my chance to tell him about the whole fake-dating scheme Gran signed me up for.
‘Your silence isn’t exactly making me feel secure …’
Oh! He means is there anotherman. Alove interest. I almost guffaw at the thought. ‘No, no nothing to worry about in that respect.’
‘Phew.’ He gives me a slow smile. ‘It struck me yesterday that getting fired led me here, and even though love wasn’t on the cards, I found you. It’s true things happen for a reason.’
Love? Oh boy. This is the part where I reciprocate, share my feelings for him. ‘I’ve had the best summer of my life …’Tell him, Evie!‘… with you. Do you think we’d have dated in the real world?’
‘Isn’t this real?’ He steps closer to me, dogs snoozing peacefully in our arms.
I want to tell him. I swallow a lump in my throat. ‘Not really. Nothing is real here. Not even us. This version of us is …fake. Isn’t it?’ A look I can’t quite decipher flashes across his face, part alarm, part concern maybe?
‘Fake?’
I will him to pull the answer from the ether so I don’t need to voice it. ‘There’s a lot you don’t know about me. I’m worried if I did tell you it would change your opinion of me.’
He surveys me for the longest time as if debating whether to question me on this. I hope he does. I hope he insists on it. Then I’ll have to tell him straight.
‘It’s still early days, Evie. We’ve got a lot to learn about each other. There’s nothing you can tell me that would make me change my mind about you. Unless you’re a serial killer, then I’d have to draw the line there.’
‘Do you have secrets?’ I ask, wishing his would eclipse mine and then we’d be square.
‘Doesn’t everyone? We’ll get there, Evie. Let’s enjoy each other for as long as we’ve got.’
What does that mean?
Chapter 31
Summer is in full swing. The long languorous days stretch into balmy nights. I’m out with Roxy at the Squashed Olive when my phone rings.
I’m about to set it to silent when she says, ‘Answer it. It could be important.’
I shoot her a grateful look and check the display. ‘Ooh, it’s Gene!’
‘Hollywood Gene! Quick, don’t let it ring out!’
I accept the call and dash outside past the busy tables of diners, eating under string lights.
‘Evie, hi! Sorry I was so abrupt the other day.’ I love Gene’s voice. It’s mellifluous, honeyed like a man from the golden age. He’s the type of guy who could sell you any dream because he sounds sosafe. ‘Betsy is really hammering the point home that I’m not to work. She feels that one call will lead to two and next minute I’ll be opening a new studio called Florida Films, which isn’t a half-bad name.’
I laugh as I find an empty table and plonk myself on a rattan chair. ‘She’s probably right to be concerned. Are you enjoying your retirement over there in sunny Florida?’
He chortles. ‘Couldn’t hate anything more. The first few weeks were bliss. Now I’m bored out of my mind. If someone suggests another game of pinochle I’ll scream. And don’t get me started on the silver sneakers program …’
I try to picture Gene being a joiner and just cannot imagine such a thing. He’s more of a leader, but in that old-school respectful way. ‘What about Betsy, I bet she’s loving having you back full-time?’
‘The commandant told me I was making the place untidy with all my moping about and then promptly left for a Bahama cruise with her book club gals.’ I can almost hear the grin.
‘Wow, living the dream.’
‘One of us is.’ His tone turns wistful. ‘You know, I thought I was ready to leave the movie biz, but it becomes part of you. I feel like I’ve lost a limb. Life is so dull without all that action. But I’ll get the hang of this retirement business eventually. Maybe I’ll take up golf.’
‘Couplesgolf! You could wear matching outfits.’
