Page 62 of A Secret Cornish Wish
‘I didn’t know it was a B and B now?’
‘Yeah, Rob’s mum and dad sold it last year and moved away. It has new owners now.’
‘Oh, that’s news to me.’ It wasn’t. Rob told me at New Year, but I didn’t want to let on to the others we’d hooked up.
‘Well, it would be, wouldn’t it?’
‘Why?’ I ask casually as we leave the station and begin walking into the town.
‘Because we don’t share much news about Rob when you’re on MSN.’
‘Why on earth not?’ I ask, playing along. I know I didn’t mention Rob, for fear of letting our secret out. But I wasn’t aware that the others held back when we were all chatting.
‘Cos you’re funny about it.’
‘No, I’m not,’ I reply a little too ferociously. ‘And even if I was, how would you tell? You can’t see me.’
Eddie shrugs and drops of water fly from his mackintosh like a wet dog shaking himself. ‘We just get that vibe from you.’
‘Well, you’re wrong. I haven’t been bothered about Rob for ten years now. Besides, you know I’ve had other boyfriends since then.’
‘And how’s that going for you?’ Eddie asks calmly. ‘Erm . . . it’s Oliver at the moment, isn’t it?’
‘Oliver was way before Christmas last year. Dougie is the most recent.’
‘Dougie, sorry. I didn’t know.’
‘No need to worry about it. We just split up recently too.’
‘Blimey, Frankie, you sure get through them. Who knew the art world was such a lovefest!’
‘I can’t speak for the whole of the art world, but I do seem to meet a lot of single men via my work at the gallery.’
‘Please share some of them!’ Eddie declares dramatically. ‘Since I started running the restaurant, I barely have time to sleep, let alone for anything more exciting in bed!’
‘Most of them aren’t worth sharing,’ I say honestly. ‘Far too full of their own self-importance. There’s just the odd one or two that I might take a shine to occasionally.’
‘How’s it going at the gallery? Are you still enjoying it?’
‘Yes, I am. Especially the curator side of my job. I may not be displaying my own work, but I enjoy looking after other people’s.’
‘One day, perhaps?’ Eddie says encouragingly.
‘Nah, I think that ship has probably sailed now. Anyway, working with art rather than trying to sell your own is much more profitable. I’ve just moved into a new apartment – it’s much bigger than my last flat, so I’ve much more space to paint for my own pleasure now.’
‘Cool.’
‘How’s the restaurant game, then?’ I ask.
Eddie, much to our surprise, gave up the theatre when he was twenty-two, retrained as a chef, then managed to nab himself a very junior position in the Ritz in London. After progressing through the ranks of the hotel’s kitchen, Eddie is now managing a restaurant of his own not far from Covent Garden in London. It’s owned by two well-known pop stars, but Eddie’s in charge of the day-to-day running of the restaurant and all the menus.
‘Exhausting!’ Eddie says dramatically. ‘But fabulous at the same time. I love it!’
‘Sounds like you’ve found your niche in life,’ I tell him. ‘I never thought it would be food rather than performing, though.’
‘I don’t know. Have you seen behind the scenes in a chef’s kitchen? It’s full of drama and larger-than-life performers.’
‘I can imagine.’
