Page 66 of You Belong With Me

‘Maybe it’s Jess being married. She can understandably empathise only with the horror had her wedding day been similarly detonated, not with one of the detonators. Which is fair enough.’

‘Jess and Wes have split up, actually. You didn’t know?’

‘Ah. No. They’d not tell me.’

She got up to inspect whether a plant needed watering and peered out of the window as an afterthought.

‘He’s still there!’

‘Lenny the Lens, you mean?’

‘Yep. Must be waiting until I go home now, I guess?’ Edie said.

Declan chewed his pen. ‘I dunno how you deal with it – it’s so strange.’

‘I’ve never dealt with it before. This is the first time.’

‘Really?’ Declan said.

‘Fuck it,’ Edie said. ‘I’m going down there to talk to him.’

‘Is that wise?’

‘What’s the worst he can do? Take a photo?’

Declan grinned. ‘Have at it. You have what they callmoxie.’

Edie bounded down the stairs, out the door, and strode towards the man. He was having a cigarette and couldn’t pick his camera up in time even if he wanted to.

‘Edie,’ she said, extending her hand.

He wiped his free palm on his fleece and took it. ‘Alan.’

‘Where are you from?’

‘I’m a freelancer. Sent by a picture agency.’ He paused. ‘Because you’re the girlfriend of that actor,’ he added, as if Edie might otherwise think it was her work on the hummus-flavoured crisps account.

‘Then you sell the pictures to anyone who’ll have them?’

‘Pretty much.’

‘Are you waiting for me to leave work now? Didn’t you get photos before?’

‘Nah, they’re a bit crap. Only took a few from behind, and your pal up there ruined the rest.’

‘If you get a decent one, you can go? Better for both of us?’

‘Definitely.’ He dropped the fag and screwed it underfoot.

Edie checked her watch. ‘It’s five to three – how about if I get a coffee at three and you get a picture then?’

‘That’d be great. Will you be carrying it back?’

‘The coffee? I can do, I guess? Does that matter?’

‘If you’ve got the drink in your hand and maybe your pal with you, it’ll look more natural.’

‘I see. I’ll ask him. See you in a minute.’

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