I turned and narrowed my eyes suspiciously. ‘Hmm... sounds ominous.’
He fell silent and I wondered if he was going to ask me after all. Eventually, he took a deep breath and began. ‘I have this friend. Tom Fielding. He manages an art gallery in the city centre. He... I... Look, I told him about you and he already knows how much of a fan I am. Anyway, he asked if you’d be interested in putting on an exhibition.’
I stopped in my tracks, horrified at the idea. ‘No! No, I don’t want to open myself up for all the crap that comes with beingknown. I’d rather just blend into the background, Fin. I don’t want the limelight.’ Panic set in, and what had been excitement turned sour.
He placed one hand on my upper arm and tilted my chin up with his finger so that I met his gaze. ‘This from the girl with pink hair and tattoos?’ Okay, so he had a point, but I didn’t like it. He tenderly ran his thumb over the tip of my chin. ‘Don’t you realise how talented you are, Star? Tom knows your work throughmylove of it, and he knows good art when he sees it. I really think you could make something of this. It could be a fantastic career opportunity for you.’
I frowned and sighed, unwilling to think about the idea further. ‘I like my career just fine. Photography is just a hobby.’ I hoped that would be an end to it.
‘But... I don’t understand. I bought some of your work so you must be happy to sell it.’
He certainly was tenacious. And again, he had made a valid point.How the hell do I explain?‘That was a long time ago, and it was a mistake. Alec convinced me to sell a few of my pieces via a couple of little craft shops, but I felt... Ifeelreally uncomfortable about it. I’mnotan artist. It’s something I do to relax and get through tough times. I... I can’t think about changing that. You go down that road and things become a chore. I don’t want that.’
He cupped my cheek and nodded as he leaned in and kissed the middle of my forehead. It was such a sweet gesture and it caught me off guard. My insides melted as he ran his nose along mine.
He smiled. ‘Okay. I’ll drop the subject. I wanted to do something nice for you, and I thought it would be something you’d like to consider. No bother though.’ He let his hand fall away from my face but kept his gaze locked on mine. ‘But... just for the record... and you may not like the fact, but youarean artist, Star. And a very good one at that.’ And with that, the subject was, thankfully, closed.
We continued to walk, but my mind was whirring with worries and paranoid thoughts of my inferiority. Was he concerned about my lack of career? Was I simply not good enough for him whilst I worked in a coffee shop? Would an artist with a fancy-pants exhibition be more befitting of him?Stop it, Star. Remember what Alec said.
I gradually relaxed as we arrived at Café Andaluz and were escorted through the brightly tiled restaurant with its brass, punched lanterns and vividly coloured cushions to a cosy table in back. Fin pulled out my chair and we were handed menus by a handsome, olive skinned waiter who had a genuine Spanish accent and informed us that his name was Matias. After making our selections, Fin ordered a bottle of Rioja and our waiter left, returning moments later with the bottle for Fin to taste.
Once Matias was satisfied that we were happy he left us alone and I tentatively asked Fin, ‘So... have you spoken to your dad at all?’ I wasn’t sure if my question was intrusive, but after how down he had been on the night I officially met him, I was concerned.
He took a long gulp of his wine and shook his head. ‘I have no desire to contact him, to be honest. I think our relationship has finally hit rock bottom. I just don’t see us getting past this.’
Poor guy. ‘It must be hard for you. I can’t imagine what it’s like.’
Our food arrived and the waiter arranged it in front of us. The smell of spiced chicken and fresh bread infiltrated my senses and my mouth began to water in readiness for the feast.
Fin stayed quiet until we were alone once more before he spoke. ‘Well, it seems you’ve always been close to your parents. They support you unconditionally. It’s how it should be. I never really had that.’ He shrugged, and the pain in his eyes made my heart ache for him.
Sadness washed over me as I watched him twisting his wine glass between his thumb and forefinger. I needed to lighten the mood. ‘So, have you been singing lately?’
He laughed and shook his head before widening his eyes briefly and huffing the air from his lungs. ‘No. No, I don’t think I’ll be doing that again any time soon.’
His reticence to perform surprised me, and I decided to dig deeper. ‘Really? But you’re so good. You should be in a band.’
His blue eyes sparkled in the dim lighting of the restaurant. ‘Hmm. I’m not so sure about that.’
Okay, so he’s happy to try and drag me kicking and screaming from my comfort zone, whilst his feet are firmly planted in his own, huh? Duly noted.
Our conversation was easy and light, and the food was sensational. So many different flavours to tantalise my taste buds and remind me of my grandmother’s cooking. I didn’t want to stop eating, but there came a point where I had visions of being wheeled home in a cart, and so I reluctantly placed down my fork.
I pushed my plate away and heaved a contented sigh. ‘Well, I can’t eat another mouthful.’
He patted his stomach. ‘Me neither. Bloody good though, eh?’
I smiled, hoping my appreciation shone through. ‘Delicious. Thank you.’
We sat in silence for a few moments, sipping the last of our second bottle of Rioja until Fin gestured to the waiter for the check. I excused myself and made my way to the ladies’ room. Once I was finished washing my hands and touching up my lip gloss, I checked out my reflection. My cheeks were flushed, and for some reason, I was getting nervous again. But this was the end of the evening, so I would be going home,right?
‘You willnotsleep with him tonight. Youwill not,’ I told my reflection. And then, ‘Pleasedon’t sleep with him tonight,’ I finished off, more realistically, before making my way back to the waiting blonde dreamboat.
17
Fin
Walking through the city of Edinburgh at night was one of my favourite experiences. Being there with Star beside me made it so much more special. The place was alive with revellers and music. Even though it was past ten, there were people still making their way into town to start their night of fun. The castle was illuminated with colourful lights that cast rainbows over the stony surface, just like the print I had bought by S.A.M. Now known to be Star.
