‘True. Is he working today?’
She shakes her head, nearly whipping herself in the face with her long ponytail. ‘That’s another thing. He still refuses to think about a proper career even though the band is going nowhere.’
We’ve discussed this at length, many a time. Kris and Vince are dedicated to their band. Everything, even a possible career, is put on hold just in case they make it big.
‘They really believe they’re the next Arctic Monkeys.’ She laughs.
I roll my eyes. The thing is, it’s not as though they’re bad. They’re actually quite good. The lead singer, Dexter, has a gorgeous, gravelly voice and the looks to go with it. Vince is an excellent bass player, their songs are clever and catchy, and Kris is an enthusiastic drummer. But they’re just another band on the Bristol scene, gigging the local venues and hoping to be the next big thing. And everything is on hold until they ‘make it’.
The waitress appears at our table with my order. Courtney is thoughtful for a few moments as she sips her hot chocolate. ‘I told him he needs a back-up. Go to college part time, get some qualifications. Like me.’ Courtney would like to have her own hair salon one day. ‘Anyway, enough about me. How’s the job going?’
‘It’s good …’ I lie, buttering my croissant. But Courtney knows me too well. I can see she’s not convinced.
‘I thought you’d landed on your feet.’
‘It’s great. Don’t get me wrong, it’s better than the care home, it’s just …’ I take a bite of croissant, careful not to wolf it.
She leans forward expectantly. ‘What?’
I swallow and tell her about the boredom, and about Kathryn. ‘She’s always watching me, like she suspects I’m about to steal the family silver or something.’
Courtney laughs. ‘You’re the most honest person I know. Remember when we found that wallet full of money in Castle Park?’
I do. We’d been heading to the shops when we saw a wallet on the ground bulging with twenty-pound notes. There must have been at least three hundred pounds. Courtney had wanted to keep the money – we were only seventeen, after all, and broke – but I’d insisted on taking it straight to the police station.
I shrug. ‘I wish Kathryn was as sure of me. She makes me feel uncomfortable.’
‘But she’s not there all the time?’
‘No, thank goodness. She was there today.’ I fill her in on the morning’s events, including my missing breakfast.
She raises her thick eyebrows. She takes ages in the morning to make sure those bad boys are expertly filled in and she’s always trying to get me to do mine, even though I’d look weird with thick dark brows and light blonde hair. ‘Do you think she ate your breakfast?’
‘That would be weird. Why would she?’
‘Just so she could have a go at you?’
I shake my head. ‘I can’t imagine her being that petty. She’s old. Nearly fifty. And sensible. A bit dowdy, you know? Like Mrs Bird across the street. She’s got two kids and a husband. I can’t imagine her doing something like that. But it’s not all doom and gloom. There’s a hot gardener.’
Her face lights up. ‘Tell me more!’
I wipe my mouth with the napkin, half tempted to order another croissant. ‘He’s very handsome. Like stunning. He looks a bit like that Poldark actor but with bright blue eyes.’
She makes appreciative noises.
‘He’s worth coming to work for.’ I laugh.
‘What about Vince? That’s definitely over?’
I cup my hands around my mug. ‘I’ve not heard from him. Nothing. Since we split up.’
She reaches out and touches my wrist. ‘I’m sorry.’
‘Does Kris say anything?’
‘Only that he thinks he still loves you.’
‘Has he … has he met someone else?’
‘Nope. Kris says he doesn’t seem interested and that he’s still pining after you.’ My heart leaps at the thought that Vince might not be over me, even though I know it could never work between us. I need to move forward with my life. ‘So, do you think you’ll stay?’
‘Yes. Of course.’ The thought of returning to the care home is unbearable. ‘It’s a cushy job, really. It’s just going to take a bit of getting used to, that’s all. And it’s great money. Especially if we’re still going travelling at the end of the year …’ I eye her warily. It’s all we’ve talked about since Vince and I finished. ‘Unless you don’t want to leave Kris?’
‘Are you kidding? I’m desperate to take a few months off work and see the world. You know that.’ Courtney is self-employed at the salon and her boss has said she can continue there when she gets back. I doubt it’ll be the same for me with Elspeth. But that’s nine or ten months away. Anything can happen before then. I only have to give a month’s notice, anyway.
I lower my voice. ‘Something a bit weird happened earlier.’
‘Oh, yes?’
I tell her about finding the necklace. ‘I think it belonged to the girl before me. Her name was Jemima apparently. But the strange thing is, she looked a lot like me.’
She stirs her hot chocolate thoughtfully. ‘That’s a bit odd. If it was Jemima’s, why would she carry a photograph of herself inside it?’
I hadn’t thought of that. Courtney has always been the more analytical one of the two of us. ‘So you don’t think it belonged to my predecessor?’
She shrugs. ‘Unless she thought a lot of herself.’
‘Then why would Kathryn tell me it was Jemima’s?’ I think back to our conversation. Did Kathryn say it was Jemima’s? Or did I just assume that?
Courtney bends down to retrieve her bag. ‘I need to go. My shift starts in ten minutes. But before I do …’ She takes her phone from her bag and snaps the two of us together.
I roll my eyes.
‘Come on! You’re so photogenic.’
‘Just this once.’ She knows I hardly use Instagram. I have about two photos on my account, both of fluffy dogs.
She winks at me as she does up her coat. It’s nearly ankle-length in the softest powder blue and looks a lot more expensive than it was. Courtney has a way of making anything look stylish.
‘What are your plans for the rest of the day?’ she asks, as I push my chair away.
‘I’m not sure. I’m at a bit of a loose end, really.’ I must look a bit crestfallen at the thought of spending the rest of the day alone because she says, ‘Why don’t you come to the pub tonight? Kris and the guys are playing. I know you don’t want to see Vince, but all the gang will be there. They’re your friends too. And you’ll have to face Vince sometime.’
She’s right. I’ve been very unsociable since Christmas. And it would be fun to go out this evening. Otherwise it will be another night in with Elspeth, which will feel like work even though it’s my day off.
‘Okay,’ I agree. ‘Are they playing at the Pig and Calf?’
She rolls her eyes. ‘Don’t they always?’ It’s in Whiteladies Road, which is probably only a twenty-minute walk from Elspeth’s. Once again it strikes me how lucky I am to live so centrally when I used to have to take a bus from Horfield.