Page 160 of Original Sin

Wendell smoothed down his blazer and nodded more soberly. ‘Have you seen the Washington Spy?’ he asked his son, neatly changing the direction of the conversation.

Robert glanced at Liz, his expression turning guarded. ‘Yes. Let’s talk later.’

Wendell reached over to kiss Liz on the cheek. It was still flushed from the warmth of their hotel room.

‘Well, goodbye Wendell, Robert. I’ll guess I’ll see you both at the wedding.’

She walked out of the plush lobby, eyes staring directly in front of her until she was on the street. Stepping out into the road, a yellow cab beeped at her and swerved, the driver yelling from his window. Another near miss, she thought, a smirk on her lips.

CHAPTER FIFTY–FIVE

Jemma may have been small, but she certainly had a big voice. Every face in the dining room turned towards her as she stood to raise a birthday toast to her friend.

‘Thirty today, Tess Garrett may be on the shelf,’ she began to laugh, ‘but with Tess, you can be sure she built the damn thing herself: sawed the wood, drilled the holes, and everything. This woman is capable, resourceful, she is brilliant, and she knows how to use a hammer, so watch out.’

Everyone laughed and clapped. Jemma shushed them down.

‘Seriously, though, Tess Garrett has helped a lot of people round this table and many of us owe her a great deal. She is the best friend anyone could hope to have. Raise your glasses please to say “Happy Birthday Tess”!’

Tess groaned, everyone cheered, and a happy ripple of applause went round the private dining room Brooke had hired to celebrate Tess’s birthday. Upstairs from San Carlos, a lively Italian restaurant in SoHo, Tess felt happy and relaxed. She was certainly glad Brooke hadn’t picked one of the super–fashionable places that peppered this part of town. Candle–lit with low ceilings, there was a splendid earthiness about San Carlos that reminded her of her favourite pubs back home. Carafes of red wine littered the table and the remnants of a delicious gooey tiramisu scented the air. She didn’t have a big collection of friends here, just Patty, Kevin and Jack, Brooke and David, Jemma, of course, who was accompanied by her new friend, a photographer called Phil she had met on the trip to Lake Tahoe, plus her old friend ‘Bonkers’ Becky from the Oracle, here with her latest boyfriend, a pashmina–wearing banker called Ronaldo. But it was enough for Tess. Everyone seemed to be in very good spirits, the benefit–Tess always felt–of having a birthday only a few days before Christmas. She’d hated it as a child, of course, but as she grew older, when parties rather than presents were the hallmark of a great celebration, her birthday was double the fun. She sighed happily, trying to remember what she was doing this time last year. Right now, it escaped her.

‘You do know we can’t be friends any more?’ said Jack gravely.

Tess looked up, alarmed. ‘Really? How come?’

‘Twenty–somethings are cool. Thirty–somethings are old,’ he laughed, grabbing her glass of red wine and taking a cheeky sip.

‘Hey! Put that down,’ she scolded.

Jack just laughed and gave her a hug. ‘Don’t worry, we’re going,’ he said. ‘Dad says it’s past my bedtime, but what does he know? Will we see you next week? Just thought I ought to remind you that Christmas is coming and in this country we give each other presents.’

‘Presents?’ she grinned. ‘I had no idea!’

As Jack returned to his father, Patty came over and kissed Tess on the cheek.

‘I’m off, honey. It’s been such a great night and Jemma’s little speech said it all.’

‘That I’m on the shelf?’ she smiled.

‘What a good friend you’ve been. Look at Kevin. He’d have lost Jack without you.’

Tess looked over to where the father and son were putting on their thick ski jackets.

‘Maybe, who knows?’ she shrugged. ‘I somehow doubt Kevin would have given up where Jack was concerned.’

‘But how many people can afford a paparazzo or a PI?’ Her eyes flicked around the table, to Jemma, Brooke, David. ‘You sort everyone’s life out, don’t you?’

‘Except my own,’ she replied with a twisted, almost self–pitying smile. ‘Anyway, what do you mean, you’re off?’ she asked. ‘At exactly the same time as Kevin and Jack?’

For a moment, Patty looked ruffled.

‘He’s a great guy,’ she blushed.

Tess clapped her hands together. ‘What’s going on?’ she whispered. ‘Tell me! You’re so secretive.’

Patty lowered her voice. ‘We had supper together the other night. Nothing happened.’

‘And what’s tonight. Dessert?’