Public Property (8 page)

‘
I think if you
’
re considering building one of those hotel mons
trosities on this land then you’
re going to have a lot of local opposition
.
I
n fact
I
will start the protest
.
’

She’d heard enough and her stomach was protesting. S
he began to walk back to the car.

‘
And what if I was going to create a purpose
-
built village with houses for the homeless, shops and business
es
to create jobs for them and a school for their children?
’
he called
.

That got her attention. She
turned back around to face him. She saw his expression was serious, not a hint of
humour
on his face.

‘
I think your cause i
s really something the
government should be providing
.
B
ut, seeing as there
’
s a void there, I think your charity is exactly what
’
s needed. I like the idea of satisfying a n
eed and providing opportunities.
I
t’s caring coupled with self-improvement and I think it will work
,’
he finished.

‘
Be careful
,
Jonny
.
Y
our m
ask of ruthlessness is slipping
.’

‘
This isn’t business
.
This is giving something back. Giving something back
to you
,’
he
stated.

‘
You don’t owe me anything
.
I kept the Argos ring
. It’s mounted,’
she replied quickly
.

‘
I’m serious
,
Freya
.
I really want to do this and I
am
doing this, whether you want me to or not
.’

‘
What’s the catch?
There has to be one.’

‘
No catch
.’

‘
No catch?
’
Freya queried.

‘
Well, I would like you to take some photographs for the Recuperation Inns
,
but it isn’t a deal breaker
. Whatever you say to that,
I
’
ll still go ahead with the
Every Day
project
,’
he
assured her.

She looked at him.
Jonny Sanders.
Who was this man stood before her? He’d let her down before. Could she trust him with a project that meant so much?

‘Freya,
I mean what I say. No hidden agendas,’ he reiterated.

She nodded.

‘Well then,
I think it’s an amazing idea
.
I mean
,
here wo
uld be a perfect location and…’

‘
Can we be friends?
’ he interrupted
.

‘Look, t
his is all very weird
,
Jonny. It’s been so many years and I’ve tried so hard to put
that life behind me, I don’t…’ she started
.

‘
It would mean a lot to me
,
Freya. I know what I did was wrong and I can only put it down to being a
stupid teenage… “
dirt bag
”
I think is the term over here
,’
he spoke
.

He looked sorry. He looked genuine. What he was offering was more than she dared to believe.

‘
How much is all this going to cost your company?
’
she asked
.

‘
I have no idea and
…
who cares?
’
He smiled and shrugged his shoulders.

‘
Come here
then,
f
riend
.
H
ave a hug
.’ She opened her arms to him.

He
put his arms around her and held her tightly against him.

‘
This hug feels good
,’
he admitted
.

‘
Yes it does
.’

It also felt truly awkward and was bringing back so many memories of the past. She let him go and stepped away, straightening her top. She hugged her arms around herself trying to stave off the winter wind.

‘Well,
let’s
head
back to
Exposure
and we can make an appointment for you to start photographing the Recuperations
,’
he suggested
.

‘
I haven’t agreed to that yet
.
A
nd as far as I can remember
,
most of the buildings are really ugly
,’ Freya said, screwing up her face.

‘
Cost was tak
en
into account when they were designed but we do offer you a choice from ten different texture
s of
pillows
,’
Jonathan reminded her.

‘
And five different
coloured
bath robes
,’ Freya added.

‘
You really have stayed in one
.’

‘
We were very desperate at the time
,
but I do still have the red bathrobe
.’

‘
The red ones are in short supply
.
A
popular
colour
with the clients that want to take a souvenir home with them
,’
he teased
.

‘
What are you insinuating?
’

‘
Absolutely nothing
.
I wouldn
’
t dare
.’

When Freya arrived home that evening Nicholas was sat in the garden, his back to the house, reading through a script. Freya
crept out of the
patio
door
s
and walked on tip
toes towards him, hoping to catch him by surprise.
It was only when she was caught by a gust of icy wind she saw he was wearing a sweater and perhaps she should have thought about a coat.

‘
You would never make it as an assassin
,’
he said
as Freya stopped just behind his chair.

‘
Oh, how did you know I was there?
’
Freya
asked
, disappointed
.

‘
Did you not see Willis climb out of the tree licking his mouth at the prospect of Mommy arriving home to feed him treats? Here he comes now
. H
ey
,
boy, you ruined Mommy’s surprise
.’
Willis nuzzled his hand and then weaved in and out of Freya’s legs.

‘
I told you he was clever
and it’s
Mummy
! He isn’t bilingual you know.
H
e
recognises
English not American
.
Anyway, h
ave y
ou had a good day? You’re tired aren’t you
?
Hallmark channel a bit emotionally draining?’
Freya ask
ed, kissing him on the lips t
hen sitting in the chair opposite him.

She could have done with a
blanket
.

‘
Ye
a
h I
’
m
tired. How did you know? Not looking so hot?’ he asked.

‘
You’re wearing your glasses. You always wear your glasses when you’re tired
.’

‘
My God, you know all this and we aren’t even married yet
.’

‘
So
,
how did your
meeting with the writer guy go?’
Freya asked.

‘
It was fine
.
W
e’ve done my childhood now and looking after Matt
,
so we’re just about to get into the realms of
the
Cheesy
Twangers
commercial and
my
first movie role
, freaky hairstyle and all
.’

‘
Oh
,
I was hoping you would have skipped to the chapter about meeting me
.
A
fter all
,
that
’
s when your life really began
.’

‘
I’ve told him that already
.
I said
Mark,
we can
get
through all this
real
quick because my life meant nothing u
ntil I met my fiancée
.
He said w
e had to go through the motions.
B
ut trust
me
,
your cha
pter is the centre of the story.
T
he rest is just padding
,’ he assured her.

‘
You’re good
.’

‘Hey
,
never mind my book.
H
ow did it go wit
h Sadie Fox? You didn’t call me.
I said give me a call and let me know how it went
.’ He took off his glasses and rubbed at his eyes.

‘
I didn’t call beca
use there was nothing to report.
S
he cancelled me. Gave
Sasha
some excuse about having to fly to Paris. I think it
’
s more likely she
’
s found another photographer
,’
Freya told him.

‘
Well, that’s her loss. I wouldn’t lose any sleep over
it
.’

‘
No, I know, I won’t. So
,
did you pick up the f
ancy dress outfits for tonight?’

‘
Yes I did
.’

‘
And have you looked at them yet?
’ She grinned.

‘
Yes I have
.’

‘
And what do you think?
’

‘
Please tell me I
’
m the doctor and not the nurse
.’

She let out a scream of
laughter and rocked ba
ck and forth in her chair.
Willis dart
ed
for the safety of the house.

‘
No
,
Freya! No way! I am not dressing up in a nurse
’
s outfit! Absolutely not!
’
he exclaimed.

‘
But Nick, the doctor’s outfit was the only one they had in my size, apart from the Darth Vader costume
.
A
nd I just couldn’t
visualise
how I was going to eat with the mask on or talk without scaring Sam and Jolie’s kids
,’
she explained
.

All lies. She’d seen the nurse costume and thought it would be perfect for him.

‘
I
’
m not doing it
, Freya.
I mean it
.’

‘
Come on, you
so
have the legs for it
,’
she
cajoled.

‘
There
’
s nothing you can say to persuade me into that outfit
. Nothing,’
he
insisted
. He
pick
ed
up his glass of or
ange juice and drank it down.