Sunday lunch at the village restaurant was lovely, but as soon as they got back to the cottage, Ben disappeared into his study again. Tina hadn’t answered her phone before lunch and Jodie really wanted to check with her about staying in the apartment before saying anything to Ben.
It was early evening before Tina finally answered her phone.
‘Hi, Jodie. How’s things? Not long before the Book Fair. Do you know which hotel Ben’s booked you into yet?’
‘He’s not coming,’ Jodie said. ‘Says he’s too busy. I’m thinking of coming on my own. Stay in the flat with you, if that’s all right?’
Tina didn’t respond straight away and in the silence Jodie could hear another voice whispering something.
‘Sorry, have you got someone there? Shall I call back later?’
‘No, it’s fine. Maisie was just asking about having another shower.’
‘Maisie?’
‘My new flatmate. Well, for a month anyway, then we’ll see what happens.’
Belatedly Jodie remembered Tina telling her about someone looking at the room last night.
‘Didn’t turn out to be a weirdo then?’ she said. ‘If she’s moved in already.’
‘She’d been sleeping rough and she’s far too young and vulnerable to be doing that. I had to help.’
‘Hang on – sleeping rough?’
‘Yes. Left home in Scotland to follow her boyfriend down here. Only to find she’d been dumped.’
‘Rent? References?’ Jodie asked, knowing what the answers would be.
‘She’s staying as a friend,’ Tina answered defensively. ‘Once she’s got herself sorted we’ll talk about rent. Jodie, she’s just a kid who needs a helping hand. You know how frightening the city can be when you first arrive here. There’s always someone unscrupulous enough to take advantage, particularly a young girl like Maisie.’
‘Oh, Tina, I do hope you’re not being taken for a ride,’ Jodie said.
‘I know I’m not,’ Tina said. ‘Anyway, Maisie’s got the spare room now but the sofabed’s still free if you want. Do come. I was looking forward to seeing you. I can’t take a day off during Book Fair week but I’ll organise you a ticket for the fair and we can maybe hit the town one evening.’
‘OK,’ Jodie said, coming to a decision. ‘I’ll look into flights and let you know which day. I can check out this Maisie for you then too. I know what a big softie you are.’
Ben, when she told him her plans in bed that night, hugged her. ‘I’ll miss you but I’m glad you’re going. I know you miss your friends. I can lock myself away and, who knows, by the time you get back, my book might be finished and we can spend more time together. Might even have the time to start house-hunting.’
Jodie spent the next few days beginning to organise things for the time she’d be away. It was unbelievable how much there was to do for such a short time. Shopping for food so Ben wouldn’t starve. Dog food. Washing and ironing up-to-date. She couldn’t help remembering how, in her previous, single life, she’d just thrown things into a suitcase and taken off, not worrying about the chaos she left behind in her bedroom.
Organising how to get down to the airport proved a major stumbling block. Leave the house at five and catch an early morning flight? Or book a mid-morning one? Both of which would mean Ben losing hours of his writing day taking her down.
Annette offered to solve her problem. ‘Thierry and I can drive you down at a sensible hour. I’d quite like the opportunity to do some shopping in Nice,’ Annette said. ‘And Thierry has wanted to treat me to lunch at the Negresco for weeks now, so he’ll be happy.’
Thierry might have been happy at the prospect but Ben definitely wasn’t.
‘There was no need to ask him. I would have driven you down,’ he said when she told him the plan.
Jodie gazed at him exasperated. ‘It’s a two-hour drive there and back and you’ve got a book to edit! Besides, I didn’t ask – Annette offered.’
‘Well, I’ll pick you up, OK?’
‘I’ll book an evening return flight so as not to disturb your day,’ Jodie said, smiling.
But picking up the phone to book her flights, something inside made Jodie hesitate. Tina would never tell her she was in the way but London Book Fair week was one of the busiest of the year for her. She didn’t really need extra hassle from Jodie putting in an unexpected appearance and camping out in the flat.
Besides, Jodie herself had always held the opinion that people sleeping on the put-u-up were invariably in the way, so how could she inflict herself on Tina?
She began to seriously question why she was going on her own in the first place. What would she gain from going? Some indulgent retail therapy, and a couple of dinners with Tina and possibly a few other friends.
Spending time at the Book Fair would be interesting, but she was so out of the loop now, was there any real point in her networking, trying to keep her name out there? Although there was always the chance of picking up some freelance work.
Jodie sighed. It was beginning to feel more and more like she was really going just to make the point to Ben that she could still do things independently. Instead of looking forward to it she was almost beginning to feel as if she was running away from her new life – before it had begun properly.
Deep in thought, her fingers fiddled with the pendant’s gold chain. What would her mum say? Would she encourage her to go and do her own thing? Or would she say ‘Sort yourself out, Jodie. Get your priorities in the right order.’ Well, she didn’t really have to think about the answer to that, did she?