Page 79 of Famous Last

“Bitch dumped me.”

Spencer nodded and turned his gaze away, not particularly surprised. But he did wonder if anything he’d said to Ambika had influenced her decision.

“Have you ever wondered why I stopped seeing you, Spencer?”

Spencer looked back, surprised by the question.

“Not really.”

“Sure you have. Come on, let me have it. I’m a big boy.”

Spencer didn’t want to have the conversation. When he had talked about water under the bridge, he had meant every word. Spencer had truly moved on.

“I suppose because you got bored.”

“You see? Wrong. You have things entirely the wrong way around. The real reason is because I knew you would eventually get bored with me. Even in our short time together, you kept dropping small hints about going out for meals or meeting up with your friends or family. Eventually you would have started suggesting we move in together, build a home together. Maybe even start a family. In that way, you’re not unlike Ambika.”

“And what’s so wrong with that?”

“Nothing!” said Blake, angry and miserable. “There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, not if that’s what you want, and something you’re confident and unashamed about. And you, Spencer, seem sure about everything. You hide nothing. But I can’t live like that. I don’t want to be known as the other half of a gay couple—or any couple, come to that. In three years’ time my mother will retire and I’ll become the face of the Blackmore Group. I’ll be the one in demand, getting interviewed on television and having people answer to me. I won’t just be Muriel Moresby’s son anymore, as I am right now. And when that happens, Spencer, I’ll be able to have anything or anyone I want. If and when I do decide to choose someone to stand beside me, it will be a real somebody—well-known, a good-looking face, a social equal. Everything that happens up until that moment is just time passing.”

“You can’t be serious?”

“Why not? That’s when I’ll finally get to call the shots.”

Spencer lowered his head in disbelief. In all the time they had known each other, those had been the most insightful words Blake had ever spoken. But then, Blake had rarely opened up.To hear that he only cared about himself and the power trip he would inherit from his mother fitted perfectly with the image Spencer had built up of the man. But the truth made Spencer feel sad for him, sorry that even with somebody by his side, Blake would probably live his life with nobody he cared about, and nobody who cared about him.

“Not that you need to worry. Now that you’re finally moving on from Blackmore,” said Blake, grabbing Spencer’s attention.

“Who told you?” asked Spencer, wondering who had betrayed his trust. The last thing he needed was to have Blake bleating to his mother before he’d had a chance to speak to her.

“I have my sources. And don’t worry, I’ve not breathed a word to my mother, or Ms Salvatore over there. Or anyone else, come to that. Your secret’s safe. Killian’s husband, who is a good friend of mine, told me. I’m the one who got Killian onboard to write the column forCollective. Not sure how much you know about him, but although he’s a naturally gifted, eloquent vlogger, he’s not only mildly dyslexic, but his eyesight’s failing. Cameron, his better half, who works as an editor for Tandem House publishers, helps ghostwrite his column. Cameron is the one who reads aloud your comments and suggested edits to Killian. They both adore you, by the way and, without my approval, Cameron went behind my back and recommended you to Ed Coleman at theHerald, the one who told me after the deed that you were wasted at Blackmore.”

Spencer nodded slowly. Killian’s partner, someone Spencer had never met, had seen enough in his work to recommend him to Ed. The thought left him feeling stunned but grateful for the good people in the world.

“In the meantime,” continued Blake, pushing away from the wall, “I need a refill. I won’t offer you one, because I imagine you need to get back to your nutjobs.”

“Are we going to see you in the office tomorrow?”

“Mother asked the same thing. She’ll be in. Offered me a lift. “

“And?”

“Maybe,” said Blake, his back to Spencer. “Maybe not.”

Perhaps he should despise Blake more, but all he could feel at that moment, watching him stumble unsteadily away, was pity. Spencer returned to his group, where he noted Nile several feet away ordering drinks and chatting to a bartender at the bar. Prince sat almost sullenly by Bev’s side while she spoke to someone standing over them, a stranger who had his back to Spencer. Only as he got closer did he recognise the profile of Joey Hollingbroke. Prince’s eyes landed on Spencer and widened, and he shook his head slightly. Joey, who had clearly noticed, turned around at that moment, an unpleasant smirk on his face.

“Here he is,” said Joey, giving Spencer a dismissive once-over. “The man of the moment. Your ears must be burning.”

“Joey,” said Spencer, deciding he would not be intimidated. “To what do we owe this unexpected pleasure?”

“Saw you over here earlier. Thought you’d like me to come over and say hello.”

“Hollingbroke’s been telling us all about himself,” said Prince, the disdain in his voice plain. “Even though we didn’t ask. He seems to have a very high opinion of himself.”

Of course, thought Spencer. Bev would have told Prince all about Joey’s stunt at the Bangladeshi restaurant and shown him the freebie newspaper’s news article about him. Prince would be firmly in Spencer’s corner.

“Prince, behave,” said Bev, smiling and nudging him, before addressing Joey. “Sorry. My boyfriend never watched your old show, not even the re-runs.”

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