“Sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll. Wonderful. That’s just what we need.”
Brenda giggled. “Not any more. These days, as far as Argon Fire are concerned, a cup of tea is as exciting as it gets.”
“How do you know?” Flick asked. Although with most of the rooms still in need of refurbishment, even if her mother was wrong Flick supposed it didn’t matter. They couldn’t do much damage anyway.
“Because I like to keep myself abreast of these things. Unlike some, I read the papers.”
“Gossip pages, more like.”
“Those too.”
“But why? When nothing they print is true anyway?”
“Why not?”
Flick shook her head and smiled. Her mother had no shame.
“So, what did Dee say?” Brenda asked, coming over all serious as she too began eating her lunch.
“Dee?”
“When you turned down the offer?”
Flick picked up the second half of her sandwich, but thanks to the change in subject put it down again, her appetite starting to fade.
“You have phoned her, haven’t you?”
“Nope.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’m not turning it down.”
“What do you mean?”
Flick pushed her plate away, her desire for food all but gone. “We don’t know how this video shoot is going to pan out, do we? What if it’s more hassle than it’s worth? It could take months before another buyer comes along, so what’s the point in burning our bridges just yet?”
“You worry too much.”
“So you keep telling me.”
Flick pushed the crumbs on her plate into a neat little pile. She knew her mother was right. But as much as she was prepared to enjoy the moment, as much as she wanted to believe this was a golden opportunity, it all seemed a little too easy; as if it were only a matter of time before something went wrong. She was being daft, of course. Her fears, no doubt, a legacy left behind by Matthew when he vanished. However, even though Rob had insisted the chateau was perfect, that little voice of experience insisted he could also change his mind and decide to use a different location. Just like on her wedding day, her dreams could shatter in front of her very eyes.
All at once Brenda rose to her feet. “Where’s your phone? I’d say use mine but I don’t have the number.”
Flick looked up. “Whose number?”
“Dee’s, of course. You need to at least tell her what’s going on. It’s only fair you keep her in the loop.”
Flick sighed. As usual her mother was right.
“Then we need to have a talk.”
“About what?”
“About the call I had from Linda the other day.”
Having known her mum would open up when she was good and ready, Flick had almost forgotten about the phone call she’d tried and failed to listen in on. Her stomach churned as she took in her mother’s seriousness, recalling the last time the woman had suggested they needed to talk. On that occasion she’d ended up the proud owner of a chateau and Flick dreaded to think what she was about to hear next.
