Another Glass of Champagne

by Jenny Kane

  ‘I’m not that mean!’

  ‘I know, Jack, but as I said, things aren’t going too well for Peggy and Scott right now. Logic doesn’t come into it.’

  Keeping an eye on the kitchen door, bracing himself for Peggy to spot him, Jack said, ‘Hang on, what do you mean Amy spoke to Peggy?’

  ‘Oh, don’t get on your high horse, Amy was defending you.’

  ‘OK, OK ... I know it might cause fireworks, but I am here to help. Do you think that Peggy and Scott will talk to me? I have an idea that might solve their problem and bring an end to hostilities.’

  ‘You do?’

  ‘I hope so ... let’s just say it’s worth a shot.’

  Kit was dying to ask more questions, but instead she looked behind her. ‘This place is closing in half an hour. Peggy was going to tell us all about the meeting this morning. I can go and ask her if you can come in if you like, but until then I’d wait outside. Respect for Peggy and Scott and all that.’

  ‘Absolutely. Thanks, Kit.’ Jack slid back outside and leaned against the wall of the small shop opposite. It had been a while since he’d looked properly at the café that formed the home and working life of so many of his friend’s lives.

  He was surprised how nervous he felt. Peggy didn’t frighten him, but he found he desperately wanted her forgiveness, for their friends’ sakes as much as his own. It wouldn’t be comfortable raising a glass of champagne to his future godchild if Peggy and Scott wouldn’t even speak to him at Amy and Paul’s baby’s party.

  The door to the café opened, and Scott came out. ‘Hi, Jack, how’s tricks?’

  ‘Up and down – but I suspect not as crap as they’ve been for you guys over the last twenty-four hours.’

  ‘Fair comment.’ Scott looked curiously at his visitor. ‘You have a proposal for us?’

  ‘Yes. It may not appeal, and if not, that’s fine – but if it does, then it could make everyone happy.’

  ‘You’d better come in then. I should warn you, Jack, if this turns out to be an elaborate plot to steal Megan, then Peggy may go for your balls with the kitchen scissors.’

  Jack nodded. ‘Noted.’

  Following Scott inside, he saw that Peggy was talking to the last two customers of the day, Kit was back in her writing corner, and Helena was collecting up dirty cups and saucers, which meant that Megan, presumably, had to be in the kitchen.

  Jack sat at the large table indicated by Scott and waited. He wished that Rupert would phone. Even a text telling him to get lost would be better than silence. The not knowing was in danger of driving him to distraction. His daydreams about Rupert had even extended into the quiet of his sleep.

  As the final coffee drinkers left, Peggy locked the door after them and, with an expression of uncompromising determination on her face, pulled out a seat opposite Jack. Then, without acknowledging his existence, Peggy called to her colleagues, ‘Alright, everyone, it’s explanation time. Let’s hear what Jack has to say for himself. Then Scott and I will fill you in on events.’

  Feeling decidedly uneasy as Peggy crossed her arms over her ample bosom, Jack exchanged glances with Kit, who nodded at him encouragingly.

  ‘Right then. First of all, I should underline that I am not here to poach Megan. And I should also say that I’m truly sorry that your expansion plans have fallen through.’

  ‘Get to the point, Jack,’ Peggy said.

  ‘Right. OK then. Forgive me if I’ve misunderstood the situation, but as I see it, you have been cheated out of your second premises, and –’

  ‘Not exactly cheated. The landlord was within in his rights, and –’ Scott abruptly stopped when his wife dug him in the ribs and signalled to Jack to keep talking.

  ‘And you’ve been left with a load of equipment you don’t need. So, and I should emphasise that I don’t expect an immediate answer unless you totally hate the idea, and you have no obligation or anything, and –’

  ‘Jack! Get on with it!’ Kit felt she was about to burst with the suspense.

  ‘Sorry. So, I am opening a restaurant nearby. I’m having trouble securing a front of house manager. You two are having trouble finding convenient premises, or at least you will do if you haven’t started looking yet, because I spent a few hours this afternoon hunting for you, and there’s nothing within a five-mile radius that’s worth investing in.’

  Studying the suddenly rapt expressions of his quiet audience, he ploughed on. ‘I’m going to have my work cut out cooking for the evenings, let alone the afternoons, but as I believe Amy told you, I’m not playing at being a restaurant owner. This has to be a viable business.

  ‘How about you, Peggy and Scott, run my bistro in the afternoons? There’s a different clientele from your Pickwicks regulars to be targeted, and if you do lose some of your customers to me for a while, fifty per cent of the takings from that would be yours to keep anyway.’

  Scott and Megan exchanged glances, before looking at Peggy, who said, ‘Keep talking.’

  ‘My proposition is that we should jointly run my place between the hours of three and six o’clock, from Monday to Saturday. After six, the bistro would take over. That way the opening times between the bistro and this place would only overlap by a couple of hours. Let’s face it: we’d have a different client base at my place than at Pickwicks, which mostly has morning and lunch diners. I’m going for the post-work crowd. If it worked, and we wanted to extend the hours to cover lunch later on, then so be it.

  ‘So, to simplify things: Peggy and Scott could run the late afternoon coffee business until six, and then the business would revert to me. I know it sounds complicated, but it’s possible. What do you think?’

  Scott and Peggy stared at each other in shock, before Scott asked, ‘Are you serious, Jack? You’d share your premises just so we don’t lose the money on the equipment we’ve purchased?’

  ‘Yes. I haven’t ordered as much stuff as I need yet, as I was saving on costs where I could, but I always envisaged different sets of crockery for the day and night customers.’

  ‘And would you expect any financial investment?’

  ‘Not at first, Scott. If it worked well, then in a year we might have a rethink, but in the first instance I would simply require half the takings. I know half sounds a lot, but I’d be paying half the wages as well during that time, and providing all of the electricity, water, and so on.’

  Megan stared at her hands. She didn’t want Peggy or Scott to see her expression, in case they saw the fervent hope that they’d say yes written all over her face. This was too important a decision for her to influence just because she could see a way of getting the job she’d wanted all along.

  ‘There are a great deal of things to discuss, Jack, but right now,’ Scott held out his hand, ‘Peggy and I need to have a talk on our own.’

  ‘Totally understandable.’ Jack got to his feet. ‘I’ll leave you all in peace. You have my number. Call me when you’re ready.’

  Leaving a tableful of thoughtful faces behind him, Jack had reached the café door when a figure appeared on the other side. ‘Oh, for God’s sake! What the hell do you want, Gareth? This is bordering on stalking now!’

  Gareth gave him an infuriating grin. ‘No need to get your knickers in a twist, Jack. I tried the bistro, but you weren’t there.’

  Jack was aware of all the eyes in the café boring into his back, trying to get a good look at the man he was talking to. ‘I said what do you want? And, more to the point, when are you going home again?’

  ‘I told you, I’m in London looking for new art for Kennedy’s. I’m sure your inflated ego would like to think that I’m after your body, but trust me, it isn’t worth the train fare.’

  Not rising to the taunt, Jack locked eyes with Gareth, and echoed Peggy’s earlier demand. ‘Get to the point.’

  ‘I want you to tell me who did those paintings for you. They are the best pieces I’ve seen since I arrived in the city.’

  Chapter Thirty

  Thur
sday 21st July

  Jack couldn’t decide if he’d done Megan a favour, or made her life more difficult, by introducing her to Gareth. He was sure he’d hear soon enough though. Knowing Gareth, at that very moment he’d be telling the assembled masses at Pickwicks all about Jack’s time at Kennedy’s.

  In spite of his ex-employer’s unexpected arrival, Jack felt pleased. Even if Peggy and Scott didn’t go for his plan, they hadn’t thrown him out, nor had they turned his idea down flat. The more he thought about it, the more Jack was sure it would help them out, at least in the short term.

  The sound of his mobile phone buzzing into life, alerting Jack to the arrival of a text message as he reached the bistro, sent a shot of excited anxiety down his spine. Assuming it would either be Megan asking him about Gareth or Peggy asking him about the café share scheme, he was surprised to see that it was Rupert’s number flashing on the small screen before him.

  Your place, seven o’clock tonight? Tell me the whole story. The truth please.

  Jack showered fast, changed, and waited apprehensively, torn between cooking and offering to take Rupert out for dinner, if he showed signs of staying for more than a ten-minute chat. Trying to distract himself from the worst-case scenario – Rupert not believing a word he said about Gareth – and debating if he should mention his recent one-night stand or not, Jack stood in the doorway of Megan’s studio. How would it feel if she worked on a commission for Gareth here?

  His pondering was interrupted by a loud knock on the front door. Glancing at his watch, he saw it was only half past six. Either Rupert was early, or he was about to run the gauntlet with Gareth again.

  He was wrong on both fronts.

  Jack opened the door to a glowing Megan, who threw her arms around him. ‘Thank you so much, Jack! I can’t believe what you’ve done for me. Especially as you obviously can’t stand Mr Kennedy.’

  Hugging Megan back, Jack asked, ‘Did he offer you a commission then?’

  ‘He did! I’ve just been talking to Nick on the phone. He was virtually dancing down the line!’

  ‘Gareth offered you a big commission then?’

  ‘Huge! Four small canvases and two giant ones. I honestly thought my days of working on six-foot canvases were over.’

  Smiling in the face of his friend’s excitement, Jack said, ‘Well, I hope you’re extracting a super-huge pay cheque from him. Charge him London rates.’

  ‘I will!’ Megan felt her excitement die down. ‘Umm, Jack, I know you don’t like him. I must admit, I didn’t like to the way he spoke about you.’

  ‘My time with Gareth wasn’t my finest hour. I probably deserved it. ‘

  ‘The thing is ... can I still use your room as a studio if I’m working for him? I’d be able to pay rent for it now, of course.’

  ‘Of course you can!’ Jack smiled, ‘But I’m not sure you’ll get the big canvases up and down the stairs too easily.’

  ‘I wondered about that. I might even have to do them in situ. I’m going to do the smaller pieces first. Mr Kennedy is sending me close-up photographs of details from the restaurant to interpret.’

  Jack beamed. ‘I’m pleased for you, Megan. That’s great. Umm, do you mind me asking – and I don’t want to put you on the spot or anything – but has Peggy said anything about my café idea?’

  ‘Not a word. She and Scott disappeared upstairs while I spoke to Mr Kennedy.’ She shuffled her feet. ‘I hope they say yes. If they do, do you think that...’

  ‘You’ll get the manager post? I hope so, Megan. I really do. If you could leave Pickwicks and work here from three in the afternoon until ten in the evening, then you’ll be able to paint in the mornings. Although we’ll have to fit an air filter or something in up there so the paint fumes don’t reach downstairs!’

  Megan held up her hands, showing Jack that her fingers were well and truly crossed.

  ‘You’ll have to set up a website or something to advertise your art now. My friend Rupert was only talking about setting up a site for his photography the other day, and maybe collaborating with you, to make it a joint venture. He’ll be here soon, if you’d like me to ask him about it?’

  Megan noticed for the first time that Jack was dressed up for a date. ‘Yes, please. That would be awesome, but I’d better go. You look like you have plans, and I want to go and tell Nick everything all over again in person.’

  ‘Will you be able to put down a rental deposit on a house with Gareth’s money?’

  ‘Absolutely; in fact with that and the money you’ve paid us, we have enough for the first few months’ rent as well! I can’t quite get my head around the last forty-eight hours. It’s been one hell of a rollercoaster ride.’

  ‘Tell me about it.’ Jack smiled, ‘Well, you know how the song goes. “Life is a Rollercoaster”!’

  Megan groaned. ‘You didn’t really quote Ronan Keating at me, did you, Jack?’

  ‘Um ... I might have done. But for goodness’ sake, don’t tell Kit!’

  Rupert hooked his laptop bag higher onto his shoulder. He was determined that his meeting with Jack wasn’t going to be interpreted as a date on any level. This was merely a convenient opportunity for Jack to set the record straight. If that went well, then Rupert would show him the three photographs he found himself unable to choose between for the forthcoming photo competition.

  Swallowing his misgivings, he knocked on the bistro door.

  Jack, looking inconveniently attractive in a crisp white shirt and grey denims, offered his hand in welcome as Rupert walked in, ‘Thanks for getting in touch. I am so sorry.’

  ‘So you said.’

  Noting the businesslike tone of Rupert’s voice, Jack felt the tiny amount of hope he’d harboured die down. ‘Would you like a drink while I explain?’

  ‘I think that would be a very good idea.’

  With two glasses of white wine sitting between them on one of the restaurant’s virgin tables, Jack started from the beginning.

  ‘I’ve told you about my initial relationships with Kit and Amy. I’m far from proud of how I treated them, but I am also overwhelmingly glad I had them in my lives back then – and more miraculously, that they still are now.’

  Rupert said nothing as he listened, playing the stem of his wine glass between his fingertips as he waited for Jack to go on.

  ‘Anyway, more recently, although it’s also ancient history now, I met a man called Toby. He was a waiter in a café I stumbled across by accident, on the other side of London. I fell for him big time. He helped me come out to my father. However, my trust was misplaced. Not that long after I’d confessed to my family I discovered that Toby wasn’t so much interested in me as my inheritance. I also found out he wasn’t the monogamous type. I may not be the most stable bet, but I was always loyal to the one I was with – even if I wasn’t with them for long.

  ‘I haven’t really talked about Toby much since we split up. I was with him for nearly three years; longer than I’ve ever been with anyone.’

  Jack was aware that every now and again he was repeating himself; that he was fast losing track of what he’d told Rupert the last time they’d met. Carrying on in the face of his silent companion, he said, ‘That’s when I decided enough was enough. No more relationships, no more one-night stands; no more hurt for me and no more hurting other people. Something I held firm on until, as you are aware, I buckled prior to leaving Kent.’

  ‘Gareth?’

  ‘Gareth.’ Jack risked making eye contact for a split second, and his heart began to thump faster in this chest. ‘He was my boss. I never particularly liked him as a person, but I have a great deal of respect for his culinary expertise. He took a gamble taking me straight from college when I was a good twenty years older than my fellow trainee chefs. He taught me a lot.’

  ‘So you slept with him because you thought you owed him?’

  Trying not to hear the disapproval in Rupert’s voice, Jack took a long sip of the chilled wine. ‘No. We had a one-off shared incid
ent of insanity after a very heated exchange. Things got physical in anger before they got ... well ... To say I was ashamed of myself doesn’t cover it.’

  ‘You saw it as a one-off, he didn’t. Is that what you’re telling me?’

  ‘Pretty much. I had no idea he liked me in that way. I always suspected he liked all the sweets in the shop, as it were, but as he’d only just started dating a particularly hot blonde with the correct girlie bumps in all the right places, I was caught somewhat off-guard when he declared his undying devotion.’

  ‘He did?’

  ‘Sadly, yes.’ Jack took another gulp of wine. ‘I had to leave. I’d dreamt about opening my place one day, but events hurried things a little.’

  ‘Why is he here, Jack?’

  ‘Art.’

  ‘I’m sorry?’

  ‘Gareth is in London to buy new decor for Kennedy’s.’

  ‘Then why come here?’

  ‘To annoy me? To make himself feel better? To check out the restaurant? I honestly don’t know. Either way, his visit has done some unexpected good.’

  ‘It has?’

  ‘He saw Megan’s paintings.’ Jack pointed to the nearest canvas. ‘He loved them, and has commissioned her to do six for his place. She’s going to charge him a mint, I’m pleased to say.’

  Rupert, who had been struggling to keep the impassive expression on his face, gave up the fight. ‘That’s fantastic! I love these.’ He stood up and re-examined the pictures he’d seen on his last visit. Without turning to face Jack, he said, ‘You aren’t interested in seeing Gareth again then?’

  ‘No. No I’m not.’ Jack held his breath.

  ‘And is there anything else I should know?’

  ‘Yes.’

  Rupert, who had expected the answer to be no, twisted around at the waist, ‘Go on then. Tell me the worst. Might as well get all the skeletons out of the cupboard in one go.’

  ‘I’m not sure I want to.’

  ‘Why not?’

  ‘Because I don’t want you to walk out of that door again. I want to take you out to dinner and get to know you better. If I tell you, then you’ll leave; and I wouldn’t blame you one bit.’