Page 5

Chapter Five

“ A n espresso martini for you, Phil, and porn star martinis for me and Fletch,” said Charlie, setting the drinks down.

The three had taken residence around a high table in a cocktail bar in the smart hotel a few doors down from the networking event.

“Now,” he said, setting his face expectantly, “explain.”

Philippa hadn’t spoken since they’d left the event, letting Alex do the talking.

She and Charlie clearly knew each other well, as they fell into what looked like a comfortable routine of making fun of one another.

She’d allowed their voices to fade into the background as Charlie ushered them out, declaring the event duller than ditchwater and insisting that they find somewhere else to hang out.

In truth, Philippa suspected this was mostly because neither she nor Alex would explain what had happened while they were still in the corporate whirl of cheap wine and artificial smiles.

The sun was starting to go down and the light into the bar was red and orange.

Philippa felt her face warming, but it wasn’t from the sun.

She was still conscious of the imprint, where Alex’s lips had touched her cheek, a sense that she ought to check for lipstick or something.

Although Alex didn’t appear to be wearing any.

“What can I say?” said Alex, “Philippa was my knight in shining armour.”

Philippa rolled her eyes, the comment doing nothing for the warmth in her face. “Hardly. I just stepped in when some terrible letch looked like he was about to paw at you, and you didn’t look at all keen.”

“Well, you’ve made my day. It’s not every day a gorgeous strident lawyer comes to my rescue by declaring me her girlfriend!” Alex gave Philippa a wink.

Charlie’s eyes went wide. “Well now, that was a story worth waiting for. Although I’m tickled by the idea of Fletch needing rescuing. Generally it’s others that need rescuing from her. Ow!” Charlie clutched the ankle Alex had just kicked.

“Oh be quiet. I am a delight,” she said, raising her glass. “Here’s to confusing and confounding boorish straight men.”

“Yes,” said Philippa, clinking her glass, while wondering what Charlie meant about people needing rescuing from Alex.

“Well congratulations, darling,” he said, turning to Philippa. “As comings-out go, that was pretty spectacular. Gerry looked rather starry eyed about the whole thing.”

“Oh God, don’t,” said Philippa. “I have no idea how I’ll explain that at the next gathering. I need him to take me seriously!”

“Then don’t explain,” said Alex, laying a hand on Philippa’s forearm, causing her hairs to stand on end. “Just go with it.”

Philippa wasn’t sure what she meant. Did she mean she wanted to be with Philippa? “I mean, I don’t really know you very well,” she began, falteringly.

“Ah, all that’s overrated. I’m always available for corporate shindigs, weddings and bar mitzvahs,” shrugged Alex. “It’ll keep me out of trouble.”

Philippa’s stomach dipped slightly. Alex was talking about continuing the charade. Or was she just joking?

Charlie snorted. “Well, perhaps that will halt the endless trail of tearstained women following you around after you sleep with them and abandon them.”

“Shhh,” said Alex with mock anger. “There’s no need for my new girlfriend to know about all that. And anyway, I might be mending my ways.” She took a pensive sip from her cocktail, watched by Philippa, who was trying to keep up.

“Hmmm, I’ll believe it when I see it,” said Charlie, taking another swig from his glass. “In the meantime, we need to get Philippa out onto the scene so she can start breaking hearts herself.”

Philippa laughed, feeling slightly uncomfortable. “Well, I’m not sure about that. I’m just keen to make a few friends who are like me.”

“Oh,” said Alex, putting down her glass and looking serious for a moment. “You’re new?”

Philippa smiled warmly. “Brand new.”

“Well, bab, I’ve got to hand it to you, you didn’t strike me as someone who was in any doubt about who she was or what she wanted back there,” said Alex. She grinned. “I’m sure I can show you the ropes.”

“Oi!” said Charlie.

“I mean I’ll introduce her to a few people, you old mother hen. It would be entirely inappropriate for me to seduce her when she’s freshly laid, as it were.”

“Well, quite,” said Charlie.

“Excuse me,” said Philippa, interjecting into the two friends’ conversation, “I am here, you know. And surely it’s up to me whether or not I’m available to be seduced.” She took a mouthful of the sweet coffee-flavoured martini and tried to look more poised than she felt.

“Fair point,” said Alex, and Charlie nodded, too.

“So, how did you two meet?” asked Philippa, desperate to move the conversation away from herself and the fact that she had shivered slightly when Alex said the word ‘seduce’.

Alex and Charlie gamely took up the story, explaining that Alex had done some freelance work for an organisation Charlie worked for years ago and how they had struck up a friendship.

The conversation flowed freely between the three of them. Charlie went off to the gents and for a moment Alex and Philippa were alone. “Well done,” said Alex, her voice low.

“Well done?” Philippa furrowed her brow.

“Yes. People imagine that coming out is easy and quick and straightforward these days. But everyone has their own story, as I am sure you do. There are always hurdles to cross, and we all do it in our own way. Well done for getting this far and knowing yourself well enough to be who you are.” Alex’s gaze travelled across the bar.

Her words were warm, but she was obviously thinking about more than just Philippa.

“Well, thank you. I guess it all came to a bit of a head when my husband – my ex-husband now – retired. I figured it was never too late to make a change. And so I did,” said Philippa.

“I guess in your industry there’ll be a few raised eyebrows,” said Alex, turning a softer gaze onto Philippa than she had seen earlier that evening.

“Maybe a little, but I’m sure it’ll all be fine.” Philippa gave a small smile.

“Well, I’d like to apologise for coming on quite so strong during our theatrics.” Alex put her hands up. “If I’d known you were so new, I’d have toned it down a bit. You just seemed so confident.”

“Oh, don’t apologise. It was nice,” smiled Philippa, before amending herself, “amusing, even.” She remembered the words Charlie had spoken about a trail of broken hearts. Even so, she was curious to know more about this woman, who seemed to say so much while giving almost nothing away.

“Well, good. I hoped I hadn’t scandalised you.” Alex drained her glass. “And I meant what I said, by the way. If it’s useful to have me as a bit of a foil at corporate events, then I’m always willing. It might even be useful.”

“Useful?” queried Philippa.

“Well, Charlie might have overstated it, but he’s not entirely wrong.

I’ve been a bit lacking in judgement recently.

I don’t actually have a trail of tearful women weeping behind me, but it’s true that I’ve broken a couple of hearts by prioritising hedonism over maturity.

Perhaps you can help me with that.” Alex sighed. “You seem like a proper grown-up.”

Philippa laughed. “A proper grown-up? What’s one of those?”

“Fair point,” said Alex with a laugh. “But anyway, the offer is there, should you need it.”

“Noted,” said Philippa, as Charlie returned to the table.

“Ooh, what are you noting?” he asked. “Is she giving you sapphic lady-loving tips?”

“No, Charles,” said Philippa, side-eyeing her friend. “She and I were discussing what a proper grown-up really is.”

“Oh my goodness,” said Charlie. “Well, you are definitely one,” he said, pointing at Philippa. “You, not so much,” he added, as he elbowed Alex.

“Charming,” she said, smiling. “But perhaps being a grown-up is overrated.”

“I quite agree,” said Charlie. “So, Philippa, we need to know what your type is.”

“Oh, I see, back to the freshly laid lesbian,” said Philippa, curling her lip. “I don’t know, really. I mean, I thought men were my type for more time than might be considered realistic.”

“Fair,” said Alex. “But what about celebrities you’ve had a crush on? Who makes you weak at the knees?” She grinned and raised an eyebrow, causing Philippa to forget her train of thought.

Philippa played for time by taking a sip of her drink. “Hmm, ok, well, I would definitely say Gillian Anderson.”

“Good choice,” said Alex, “and she’s definitely on my list.”

“You are sooo predictable, you two,” said Charlie. “Gillian Anderson’s the obvious answer. I’ve never met a lesbian who didn’t love her.”

“Because we all have exceptional taste,” said Alex.

“I beg to differ, but let’s not digress,” said Charlie.

“Ok, I always had a thing for Janet Ellis when she presented Blue Peter in the eighties.” Philippa braced herself for hoots of laughter.

“Oh, niche,” said Alex, “I like it. I mean, there is a rich vein of Blue Peter presenters we could examine. I always had a rather odd thing for Anthea Turner.”

Philippa’s jaw dropped, and she turned to Charlie to see a similar reaction. “Anthea Turner!” he exclaimed.

“Yes,” said Alex. “And I will not be crush shamed!”

“Tell me why,” said Philippa, intrigued.

“Well, she was always so wholesome, so organised and clean. I always sensed that behind the facade she could be a bit bossy and, I don’t know, sexy.” Alex looked away from Philippa and Charlie, clearly conjuring some less than family-friendly vision of the blonde children’s presenter.

“I refer you to my original comment about taste,” said Charlie.

They all laughed.