Page 58 of Sparring Partners
“Thanks.” Adrian held his glass out. It was his third of the evening, and would have to be his last. Even though he was staying at the cottage with Alex, he still needed to be up early to get back to the farm.
“Excellent turnout today.” Alex settled back against Ryan in one of the plush outdoor sofas that wouldn’t have looked out of place in a special luxury living edition of a country life magazine.
“Yeah, got to hand it to Jonathan for the whole foodie angle,” Ryan said. “Early indication is that the event’s made more money than the last four put together. It was just a shame he couldn’t be here today. He went to see Nan, told her he had to go to London for a few days to sort out some corporate shit storm. I don’t think they were quite his words, but that was the gist. Still, here’s to Mr. Owen-Jones.” Ryan raised his glass. Luca and Alex responded, with Adrian limping in last place.
For god’s sake…The man had been right, his insistence had made a lot of money for the village, so didn’t he deserve a toast? Yes, Jonathan did. In his absence.
The talk meandered, shifting from the festival, to village news, to the hotel. Adrian mostly listened, adding the occasional comment, content to take a backseat.
“I’m serious, Alex,” Luca said, shifting out from beneath Adrian’s arm as he leant forward. “You should consider expanding into the luxury hotel market. You already build luxury homes, so why not branch out from that?”
“Lu, the hotel’s a success because of you. You’re the only one who could have made The New House what it is, in so short a time. There was no way I was going to have anybody else sitting in the manager’s seat.” Alex tilted his glass towards Luca with a warm smile.
Lu… The use of the diminutive, familiar and intimate. Adrian shifted, and rested a hand on Luca’s back, but it was as though Luca didn’t feel the warm, light pressure, as he leant further forward; Adrian’s hand slipped away.
“I know the business inside out, of course I do, but as I’ve told you before I’m not unique.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t say that. You’re special and you always have been.” Alex held the bottle up and frowned. “It’s empty. Ry, go and get another, will you?”
“No, I’m eating my pie.” Ryan’s mouth bulged from a wedge of one of Eva’s famous pies, which sat, rustic, home made, and incongruous, next to the plates of fancy deli finger food on the patio table.
“I’ll get it. And I’m telling you, Alex Love, we are definitely having a discussion about your new venture in the luxury hotel sector very soon.” Luca laughed as he got up and made his way indoors.
“I don’t know what you did to make Luca stay in Love’s Harbour, but whatever it was, just keep it up — in a manner of speaking,” Alex said, laughing. “He’s more like the Luca I used to know, and it’s been about time. Where’s that wine?” Alex called out.
“Can’t find it.” Luca’s response, from the kitchen, was muffled.
“I’ve just remembered, it’s in the cooler in the wine cellar. I’ll get it.” Ryan wiped the pie crumbs from his mouth with the back of his hand before heading inside, leaving Adrian and Alex alone.
Alex nodded towards the house. “It’s good to see him finally leave behind that whole mess with Bruno. It kicked his legs out from under him. Ah, shit… too much wine talking. Youdoknow about Bruno, don’t you? I mean, he’d have told you, wouldn’t he?’
“Yes, he told me about it.”
“Of course he did. Well, it knocked him sideways, but in my view he made the right choice not to?—”
“As I say, he told me.” What had been confided wasn’t for discussion, even with Luca’s oldest friend.
Across the table, Alex said nothing as he stared at him. Scrutinised, was more how it felt. Weighing him up, deciding if he came up to scratch. Fuck that. Adrian met the cool eyes, which held not a hint of the glaze he’d have expected after the amount of wine Alex had drunk.
Alex huffed, and his lips tilted in a small smile. “You’re not prepared to talk about Luca in his absence. I approve of that.”
“Good, because I’m sure you wouldn’t want to talk about Ryan’s past. In his absence.”
“No, I wouldn’t. Look, I’m making a hash of this — one too many wines.” Another smile; genuine and disarming, it took Adrian aback.
“Whatever he told me, it was in confidence. That was all I meant.”
“As it should be. And don’t worry, I’m not asking you to break any. But the fact is, I’ve known Luca for years, and I witnessed the fallout first hand. It didn’t just knock him, it punched and kicked him to the ground, way, way more than he let on. Made him ask all kinds of questions of himself and where his life was going. Which is one of the reasons I wanted him to come here, because I was concerned about him. It was a pure coincidence that the fall out with Bruno happened at about the same time I needed the best in the business to manage The New House — and whatever he says, he is the best — but I was also determined to get him here so I could also make sure he was all right. I want him to stay that way.”
The coolness was back in Alex’s eyes. Cool, detached, unreadable. No wonder he was such a successful businessman. But Luca wasn’t business. Adrian leant forward.
“I get that the two of you are old friends and you care about what happens to him. That’s good and, like I say, I get it. But what I don’t get, and what I won’t put up with, is being given the third degree, no matter how well disguised — or not — it might be. Our relationship is between us. Me and Luca, and nobody else.” Adrian leant in further, his voice lowering. “Let me reassure you of something, for the sake of your friendship with him. As long as Luca and I are together, I’ll do everything in my power to ensure he’s happy and he gets what he needs, when he needs it.”
Every muscle in Adrian’s body tensed. Fight or flight, it hummed in his blood and tingled in every sinew. He’d never run from a fight in his life, and he wasn’t about to start.
Alex tilted his head to the side. “You have a reputation for straight talk. It’s something I admire, because it’s always better to cut to the chase.” Alex’s smile was back in place, once again charming and disarming. But there was a new respect there, too.
“Yes, well, straight talk is one of the more flattering ways of putting it.”
