‘I think blimey.’ The house was lit up from the outside like Buckingham Palace. In fact it looked a bit like Buckingham Palace. They were in Hertfordshire, out in the depths of the countryside but only a few miles from Hemel Hempstead.
‘I think blimey too,’ EJ said cheerfully. ‘Every time I see it. I grew up in a council flat in Chingford. Now I live here. Pretty cool, eh?’
So this was what he spent his money on. ‘Better not let the Beckhams see this place,’ said Lola.
‘They’ll be jealous.’
‘Come on, we’ve got a snooker match to play.’
Security lights zapped on as they crunched across the gravel. In the distance a couple of dogs began to bark. The front door, black and solid, looked as if it would keep out an army of marauders.
Did your anorak really come from Jean Paul Gaultier?’ Lola eyed its nylon sheen.
EJ grinned. ‘Nah, Millets.’
As evenings went, it was an experience. The house was vast and Lola got the full guided tour. EJ
beat her at snooker on the purple baize-covered table and she managed to shoot the yellow ball clear across the room, narrowly missing a mullioned window There were nine bedrooms, each one with an en-suite. He showed her his offices and recording studio, and the gold and platinum discs lining the bottle-green walls. There was also a home cinema complete with plush plum-velvet seats, a fully equipped gym, a stadium-sized living room and a kitchen bigger than Belgium.
‘Are you hungry?’ said EJ, reaching for his phone. ‘I can give Myra a call and she’ll make us something.’
Myra was the cook/housekeeper who lived with her husband Ted the handyman/gardener in a cottage in the grounds.
‘I’m starving. No, don’t drag her over here.’ Having nosily inspected the fridge, so packed with food it resembled a Tesco Metro, Lola stopped him dialling the number. ‘I’ll do us both a frittata.’
At one o’clock in the morning EJ drove Lola back to Notting Hill and said, ‘Thanks, I really enjoyed this evening.’
‘Me too.’ In the dim orange light from the street lamps overhead, Lola could see the lines and shaded angles of his thin, clever face. He still wasn’t conventionally good-looking but it was definitely the kind of face that the longer you studied it, the better it got.
‘Want to do it again?’
‘Maybe.’ She paused. ‘If you do.’
His cheekbones grew more pronounced. ‘Hedging your bets.’
‘I didn’t know if it was a trick question. What if I said ooh, yes please, and you said oh well then, good luck with finding someone to do it with.’
‘Hey.’ Taking her hand, EJ said, ‘I like you. And I’d like to see you again. I’m off to New York tomorrow, but can I give you a ring next week when I get back?’
‘Fine.’ Lola liked him too; he had a dry sense of humour and was good company. Plus he’d eaten all his frittata despite her having accidentally tipped in far too much chilli powder, causing it to be mouth-explodingly hot.
‘At this point, as a general rule, I’d give you a goodnight kiss.’ EJ paused. ‘But we’re being watched.’
Gosh, he was observant. Peering up, Lola saw he was right; the lights were off but there was a face pressed avidly to the window.
‘It’s my pregnant lesbian lover.’ Evidently Sally’s bad leg wouldn’t allow her to get up to make a cup of tea, but hobbling over to the window to spy on other people’s nocturnal goings-on was another matter.
‘Being nosy.’ Waving up at Sally, EJ said, ‘On the bright side, at least with her gammy leg she can’t dance.’
Sally waved back. Seconds later, Lola’s phone began to ring.
‘Is he nice?’ Sally demanded. ‘Have you had a good time? Where did he take you? You can bring him up for a coffee if you like. Are you going to have sex with him? And why’s he driving such a godawful car?’
‘I’m very nice.’ EJ, who’d grabbed the phone, said, ‘And yes, we had a great time thanks. We played snooker at my place. I won.And my car isn’t awful, it’s reliable and doesn’t get vandalised in town like the Lamborghini.’
‘Sorry,’ giggled Sally. ‘Are you coming up for coffee?’
‘Can’t, I’m afraid. Early flight to catch.’
‘How about sex?’
‘Thanks, generous of you to offer, but aren’t you supposed to be giving that leg of yours a rest?’
‘OK, stop that.’ Lola seized control of the phone.
‘I like him,’ Sally said delightedly. ‘You should definitely sleep with him.’
‘He can still hear you,’ said Lola. ‘I’m going to hang up now’ Before Sally could ask if she had any idea how big EJ’s willy was.
‘Tell her to move away from the window,’ EJ added.
Into the phone Lola duly repeated, ‘Move away from the window’
‘Why?’
‘Because I want to kiss Lola and I can’t do it if you’re watching. I’m very shy.’
Chapter 36
