Page 13 of All the Right Words
‘I find that hard to believe,’ she told Olivia.
Olivia looked suddenly nervous. ‘Anyway! Drinks are on the way, so let’s do this, let’s talk about you. I want to know everything.’
Harper wasn’t quite sure where to start. ‘Oh, err…’
‘Hobbies?’
‘Umm, I guess I like art?’
‘Art?’ Olivia replied.
‘Yes, modern, classic.’
‘Oh, right. Yes. Art,’ Olivia said. Harper could see there was not going to be a connection on this. ‘So, looking at it? Doing it?’
‘Both. I actually got my degree in fine art,’ she admitted.
‘So how on earth did you end up a book agent?’ Olivia asked, changing tracks.
Harper hated telling this story, but facts were facts. ‘Well, making a living as an artist is not… Well, I’m sure you can imagine. I was never that great anyway, so I called it a day. I fell into this business because of my mother. She was an agent too.’
‘Wait, Blake… Your mother is Deborah Blake?!’ Olivia goggled.
‘You didn’t know that?’ Harper said. Her mother was considered something of a legend in the business. Harper assumed everyone knew she was her progeny. It was half the reason she worked so hard. She always felt she had a lot to prove, that she wasn’t just her mother’s brat, handed the moon on a plate.
‘So, did you get her clients when she retired?’ Olivia asked.
‘Yes, but they’ve pretty much all retired. Everyone I have working now, I found them myself.’ Harper thought that probably sounded a bit defensive.
‘How was it? Servicing her old clients?’ Olivia asked, not appearing to notice the tone.
‘I felt like they looked at me and saw a six-year-old in her Mum’s high heels,’ Harper admitted. She meant it as a joke. But Olivia didn’t laugh.
‘So, that leads us to interests,’ Olivia segued.
‘Umm, I love to get into the countryside when I can,’ Harper said. ‘When I get the chance to get out of the city, I take off. And-’
Olivia picked up a menu. ‘I’m starving. Oh, wait, were you going to say something?’
‘I was just going to ask about you,’ Harper said.
‘Let’s order, and then we can do me,’ Olivia said. She caught the waitress’s eye. ‘I’m ready, are you?’ she asked.
Harper had already perused the menu whilst she’d waited for Olivia, so she was ready to go. They placed their orders, an antipasto salad for Olivia and fettuccini alfredo for Harper. Harper felt a bit funny about ordering carbs next to Olivia’s salad. Olivia was willing to sacrifice for that long, lean body. Food was a sacrifice Harper had never been able to make. She was starting to remember why she’d stopped dating. It suddenly seemed like all her insecurities, which took up such little space most of the time, suddenly flourished.
While they waited for food, Harper picked up the previous thread. ‘So, we were about to get onto you. You were Michael’s protégé right?’
Olivia’s smile faltered. ‘Yeah, I was his assistant in my twenties.’
‘I guess it’s kind of an awkward topic for you?’ Harper noted.
Olivia nodded. ‘A bit, yes.’
‘OK, then. We don’t have to talk about it. Siblings?’
‘Three brothers.’
‘Oh, what’s that like?’ Harper asked.
