Page 72 of A Secret Cornish Wish
‘Cool. What sort of art?’
‘Mostly fine art. We also have a couple of galleries with more modern stuff in too.’
‘And what do you think to the modern stuff?’ Mack asks, surprising me.
‘It’s all right, I suppose. It’s not my personal speciality.’
‘What is?’
I glance at Mack to see if he’s simply making polite conversation. But he seems genuinely interested.
‘Don’t call me dull, but I really like impressionism of the late nineteenth century.’
‘Why does that make you dull?’
‘When I was at art college, it wasn’t the done thing to like Monet, Renoir and the rest. Everyone was trying to be cool and different.’
‘And you weren’t?’
‘I tried to be to begin with, but then I realised you just have to be yourself, whether yourself is the in thing or not.’
‘Quite right.’ Mack nods. ‘What do you think to Cézanne?’
‘Love Cézanne.’
‘Cubist or post-impressionist?’ Mack asks, and again I’m surprised.
‘Post-impressionist,’ I say. ‘Cubism is Picasso to me, and I’m not really a fan.’
‘Me either. Have you ever been to the Met Museum in New York?’
‘No, sadly.’
‘If you ever get the chance, I thoroughly recommend it. You’d love it there.’
‘I’ll be sure to check it out the next time I’m in New York.’ And I can’t help smiling to myself.
Mack turns and sees me. ‘You’ve never been to New York, have you?’ he says knowingly, but not judgementally.
I shake my head. ‘No, but I’d like to one day.’
‘You should. I think you’d like it there. New Yorkers are very much themselves at all times. Whereas in LA there are a lot of people trying very hard to be someone they’re not.’
‘It sounds perfect. I much prefer to surround myself with genuine people.’
Mack smiles.
‘What does your wife do?’ I ask. ‘Sarah, isn’t it?’
‘Yes, Sarah’s a doctor. She mainly works in primary care.’
‘That’s like a GP here?’
‘Yes, only without your good old NHS. We have to pay for our healthcare over in the States.’
‘It must be difficult with your hours in the bar – I assume she works mostly days and you nights?’
‘I do afternoons too, but, yeah, it’s not ideal. How about you – any sign of Mr Right yet?’
