Page 94 of Just Do It
‘Isn’t it?’
‘No! Nobody turned their nose up and walked away to find someone more worthy of their hifalutin conversation at the restaurant.’
I remained silent for a moment, processing what he’d said.
‘When did that happen?’
‘It doesn’t matter now.’
‘It does to me,’ I pressed.
‘Well, it doesn’t to me. I’ve moved on.’
‘Apparently not.’
‘Enough. I’m bloody good at what I do and I live in the real world unlike some people.’
I straightened my back. ‘Am I included in that particular sweeping statement?’
‘No, of course not. I just meant…’ The sentence drifted off and we were left in the silence of the night, broken only by the sound of the ocean and the occasional haunting call of an owl.
I heard Finn shift his weight. ‘Look. I’m sorry if you or your parents felt uncomfortable tonight. That wasn’t my intention.’
‘Thank you. I appreciate that you didn’t do it on purpose. I do think Mel needs to work on the welcome there though.’
Finn’s tone took on a tenseness once more. ‘I didn’t say there was anything wrong with the restaurant or its atmosphere. I’m just saying I’m sorry that none of you enjoyed it as much I had anticipated.’
‘That’s because everyone acted like we weren’t good enough to eat their tiny bloody portions or squat on those ridiculously uncomfortable chairs!’
‘Anything else you’d like to add while you’re ripping apart my friend’s restaurant, which, for your information, I helped her design!’
‘Yes, actually.’ Finn had pushed all my buttons tonight. I don’t know why or how it had come to this but he’d asked and I was going to tell him. ‘The maître d’ is a dick. Did she audition applicants on the basis of just how small they could make people feel who didn’t fit their particular idea of who should eat in such a hallowed place?’
‘Now you’re just being spiteful.’
‘No, Finn. I’m not. I didn’t appreciate the attitude and I certainly didn’t appreciate my parents being subjected to it. I’d have thought you might have made more of an effort to choose somewhere where we could all feel comfortable but then I guess you wouldn’t have got to show off your Michelin star friend and bask in how much they fawned over you.’
‘Oh, for God’s sake.’
‘Yes, the design of the place is great and very aesthetically pleasing but I wouldn’t expect anything less if you were involved in it. It’s just the people in it that need work.’
‘And that includes Mel, I suppose?’
‘I didn’t get time to form enough of an opinion to comment. She was too busy being excited about your new project together in Dubai.’
‘A project I’m thinking more and more that I might just take!’
‘You know what, Finn?’ My voice was raised against the now howling wind and crashing seas. A storm had been forecast for the morning and all signs were that it had been right. ‘Why don’t you do that?’
‘Great! Decision made. I thought it might be difficult to choose, which is why I hadn’t mentioned it yet but you’ve made it really easy. Thanks, Elizabeth. I may as well get a head start on familiarising myself with the project so I’ll grab my stuff now and head back to London tonight.’
We stood there, the storm building, the atmosphere between us thicker than the clouds smothering the moon above us.
‘Right,’ I replied quietly and turned towards the path.
‘I’ll arrange a train ticket for you, of course.’
I was at the front door now, the step lit in a puddle of soft, pale yellow light from the outside lamp. ‘That won’t be necessary, thank you. I’m quite capable of taking care of that myself.’
