Page 82 of Take My Breath Away
“So, he’s properly moved in with you. All thoughts about relocation to the coast now shelved, then?”
I nod. “We’re looking for a kitchen unit, like I said, proper business premises where he can operate from. We’ve already seen some places and I’m calling in a couple of contacts of mine for them to put their ear to the ground.”
I beckon a waiter over for a couple more drinks and when I turn back to Elliot he’s studying me with his cool blue eyes.
“You’re scrutinising me. Why?”
“Because you’ve changed and it suits you. I only hope it stays this way.”
“What do you mean?” Although I know exactly what he means. All my years of refusing to entertain any kind of commitment and even when I did, I treated it with little more than contempt.
“I’m not going to dice words with you, James, I’ve known you too long to do that.”
He leans forward, his eyes grave and steady as they lock onto mine.
“Don’t do anything stupid and risk screwing this up with him. Perry’s good for you, that’s easy to see. You feel like this now, and I hope to God that three months’, or six, or in a year’s time you still do, but if things change you have to do your level best to let him down gently and not break his heart.”
“You have that little faith in me?” I should be angry for what he’s said, but Elliot knows me as much as I know him, and if there’s any man in this world who can be honest with me, it’s the one sitting opposite me with the serious blue eyes.
“It’s not about me having or not having faith in you, it’s about you having faith in yourself. That’ll be the real test. If you want, you can throw your drink in my face and tell me to back off.”
“If anybody else had said that to me it wouldn’t just be a drink they’d be getting in their face. I have got faith in myself, just like I’ve got faith in Perry. This can work, I know it can.”
“Yes, it can, if you’re committed to making it work.” He smiles, his voice dropping a notch when he speaks. “Maybe, like me, you just had to wait for the right man to come along. Ah, just like our drinks.”
Two more G&Ts arrive, breaking up the charged atmosphere that’s spun itself around us.
“This is going to work, Elliot. I’m not going to screw this up. Surely you believe that?”
Elliot smiles, inclining his head before taking a drink.
We move to safer ground, talking of other things. It’s only when he gets up to leave, a short while after, that I realise he never answered my question.
Chapter Thirty-Six
JAMES
“It’s a contender, don’t you think?” I say, raising my voice over the music in the pub.
“It’s certainly the best place we’ve seen so far.” Perry flicks through the photos he’s taken of the kitchen unit we’ve just been to see. “A bit larger than I need, or at least for now, but it means there’s room to expand.”
I sit back in my chair and smile. He’s thinking ahead and that’s good. The unit’s more than a contender. On a small business park just a couple of miles away from the house, it’s perfect for a start-up. The costs are reasonable too, but they’re going to be even better because I’ll be negotiating on Perry’s behalf.
“Shame it’s not available until the end of January, though,” he says, putting his phone away. “But then I suppose it gives me time to get everything else set up. God, there’s going to be so much to do.”
“Yes, but I’m here to help, don’t forget.”
“I know, and I’m kind of glad I’m not doing it all myself.” A warm smile lifts his lips.
“Kindof glad?”
“Veryglad.” He leans in and lands a quick kiss on my cheek, his smile widening to a grin. “Thanks for… Well, for everything I guess.”
“Why don’t we finish these, go home, and then you can show me how glad you really are?”
Perry blushes, and it flips my heart that I can still make him do that. I hope I always will.
“Let me give it some thought.” He cocks his head to the side and makes a show of considering my suggestion. “Hmm, I might be able to do that. After we pick up a takeaway. Chinese, I think.”
