Page 57 of Wish You Knew
With the amount of charity work Vivian got involved in, I admired her. I remembered doing a catwalk show for one of the homeless charities she supported, which ended up raising thousands of pounds from the auction of the clothes afterwards. Not to mention the dinner for domestic abuse survivors. She was an eminent woman, quietly supporting a number of worthy causes without getting too much attention herself. I wondered how influential she’d been in Scott’s upbringing.
Ugh. Scott. I’d been doing a pretty good job of not thinking about him recently. Saff kept going on at me to go on a proper date with Andy, but I couldn’t. I didn’t want to lead the poor guy on when I knew it wouldn’t go anywhere.
I needed a friend with benefits.
Perhaps it was time to move on.
The little French cafe was quietly buzzing when I arrived, and I scanned the tables for Vivian. She waved at me from a table in the back and I made my way over to her.
Vivian stood as I got to the table and air kissed me on both cheeks. “You look lovely,” she cooed.
Grateful I’d taken some time in choosing my outfit, I’d finally settled on a mid-length pleated leopard print skirt, biker boots, a black polo neck and leather biker’s jacket. It appeared the right mix of casual and smart.
“You too.” I stepped back and admired her Pucci print shift dress and navy kitten heels. Classic, timeless, elegant. Gah. I think I wanted to be Vivian Woods when I grew up.
“How are you doing?” Vivian asked when we’d sat down.
I pretended to study the menu. “I’m okay.”
She reached across the table and rested her hand on mine. “If it’s any consolation, I’m fairly sure Scott feels the same.”
“He’s not even tried to contact me. I doubt that very much,” I snorted.
“The two of you would make a great couple.” A smile tugged at her lips. “Beautiful babies.”
Before I could respond, the maitre’d appeared to take our order. Vivian had promised afternoon tea, and ordered the works, including a bottle of champagne as well as tea. After what she’d just suggested, I definitely needed a drink.
“Sebastian said you were wondering why I’d asked to meet you.” Vivian took a sip of her champagne, while I downed half a glass.
“Well, yes. I’m sorry if that sounds weird.”
“Not at all, I appreciate we don’t really know each other that well, and the invitation must have come out of the blue.” She smoothed a hand over her perfectly styled grey hair. “I wasn’t joking about you and Scott, although that wasn’t the reason for wanting to see you.”
The cake stand with its tiny, precisely cut sandwiches, the macarons, and the scones arrived. I hadn’t been eating a great deal recently, but now I was starving. Somehow, stuffing my face with small but perfectly formed food seemed the right thing to do. It also got the subject away from Scott.
“I’m hosting a charity dinner next Tuesday, and I’d be delighted if you would be able to come along.” Vivian took her time in selecting a few things from the stand, while my stomach growled in anticipation. “It’s for a good cause.”
I didn’t doubt that. Anything Vivian got involved with would be a worthy enterprise. “Of course, I’d be happy to come. Which charity are you supporting?”
“It’s for homeless and missing persons. After my first marriage ended, Sebastian and I spent a little time sofa surfing, as it’s called these days. After I’d exhausted the hospitality of my friends and family, we didn’t have a place of our own to live for months. Now I’m in a position to do so, I want to be able to give back and help people who are in a similar situation.”
Her confession floored me. I remembered Scott telling me the country house was the product of a divorce settlement, but I hadn’t realised how much she’d struggled previously. To have come out of something like that with such grace and poise impressed me even more.
“Wow, that’s incredible.” I blinked. “I had no idea.”
“It’s not something I tell everyone, Rosie. But I thought it might help you to understand a little more about me.” The corner of her mouth curled up. “It’s not all glamour and parties for the sake of it, you know.”
A laugh escaped my lips. “Oh, I know. Sometimes putting up a front helps.”
“Talking of which, have you told Scott how you really feel about him?” Vivian took a bite from a macaron.
“How I…?” My voice trailed off. Of course I hadn’t. I tried to force down those emotions and had ignored the way he’d been so protective of me, scooped me up and taken me away from it all. It all seemed like a distant memory now. Those two days of unadulterated bliss, being together, away from all the stress and pressure now seemed like a different life. A different world. I gulped down more champagne, trying to deflect the question. But this was Vivian, it wasn’t Saff, or Ellie I felt I owed it to her to be honest.
Taking a deep breath, I answered. “I can’t, Vivian. He’s made it blatantly clear he’s not interested. Why would I put myself through that?”
Vivian sipped her tea, a thoughtful expression crossing her face. “Don’t be too sure, my dear. And if you do have feelings for him, don’t leave it until it’s too late to tell him.”
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