“I can imagine.” Carmen slipped her arm through Ash’s. “Come on. I won’t keep you waiting any longer.”
They headed out of the station, and Carmen led them through the streets into the heart of Bloomsbury. Soon they stood outside the entrance to a private art gallery.
“Ta-da!” Carmen threw her arms open.
Ash looked at the entrance, then her gaze travelled over the front window. Africa Inspirations was written in black and gold lettering across the expanse of glass, and Carmen saw the moment it clicked in Ash’s brain.
“You’ve brought me to an exhibition of African art?”
“I have. I assumed you’d like it.”
“Oh, wow! This is awesome.” Ash kissed her cheek. “That’s… God, that’s so thoughtful. You’re amazing.”
Carmen looked into Ash’s eyes, and her stomach flipped over several times. Ash’s expression was full of awe, but also warmth and appreciation and…tenderness.
“You’re welcome.” She smiled and took a step back. “Come on. Let’s go in.”
The exhibition was so good Ash knew she’d have to go round twice to make sure she’d appreciated it all. She still couldn’t believe Carmen had arranged to get them an invite to this exclusive premiere, but it was more than that—Carmen had taken Ash’s interests into account and designed an evening entirely for her enjoyment. It made Ash feel about ten feet tall.
Carmen appeared at her side, carrying two fresh glasses of champagne. She handed one to Ash, and they tapped glasses before sipping. “They’re beautiful, aren’t they?” Carmen nodded in the general direction of the paintings.
“They are. This is a wonderful exhibition.”
Carmen opened her mouth to speak, but a new voice to Ash’s left cut her off.
“Carmen! I thought that was you.”
Ash noted the slight shift in Carmen’s expression but couldn’t quite read what it meant. It was almost panic, but undercut with something else.
“Frederick.” Carmen’s smile seemed forced. “How lovely to see you.”
Ash turned to see who had approached. The man was perhaps in his mid-fifties, with greying hair and a red-veined face that suggested he drank a lot of alcohol. He wore an expensive-looking suit, and a Rolex hung loosely on his left wrist. He almost smelled of money, and Ash was reminded of all the overpaid wankers who’d run the investment bank division she’d worked for. She only just held back a grimace.
“How are you?” Frederick asked of Carmen, although he flicked a glance to Ash and back again.
“I’m good. And you?”
“Oh, fine, just fine.” He looked at Ash once again, then said to Carmen, “I saw Gerald yesterday for lunch.”
Carmen looked completely unperturbed by the comment. “How is he?”
“He’s well. I still can’t believe you two aren’t together anymore. You were such a great couple.”
His almost snivelling tone set Ash’s teeth on edge. This guy was a creep.
He gave Ash another look, longer this time, and she found herself torn. Surely Carmen should introduce her, even if the guy was an arsehole? But she hadn’t, so did that mean she didn’t want him to know who Ash was? Do I offer a handshake or what?
While Ash pondered the options, Frederick turned back at Carmen. “So, how’s business?”
Their stilted conversation batted back and forth, interspersed with yet more looks from Frederick in her direction. Meanwhile, Ash’s anxiety—and, she had to be honest, annoyance—over just why Carmen hadn’t bothered with introductions climbed.
“Well,” Carmen said eventually, “if you’ll excuse us?” Without waiting for a response, she lightly touched Ash’s arm and led her away from him.
Ash followed her to the far end of the gallery, breathing evenly to ensure she didn’t say something too biting once she did have Carmen’s attention.
“I’m very sorry.” Carmen put her glass down on a small table and turned to face Ash. “I know that was rude of me, to not introduce you.”
Ash placed her glass next to Carmen’s. “I don’t know about rude, but it was pretty awkward.”
Carmen winced.
“Why didn’t you?”
“Frederick is…” Carmen huffed out a breath and ran one hand through her curls. “He’s an ass. He and my ex, Gerald, worked together for many years. I’ve met him a few times and never trusted him. I have a feeling if I’d been dating anyone but Gerald, Frederick would have attempted something with me.”
“Well, he sounds nice. But that still doesn’t really explain why you pretended I wasn’t even there.” Okay, maybe that came out a little harsher than she’d intended.
Carmen flushed a deep pink. “I’m sorry. I panicked. The last thing I wanted to do was give him any reason to be on even worse behaviour, so I decided not to introduce you. You know, as my partner. I…I’m not sure we’re even calling each other that, and I can only imagine what he would have done with that titbit of information if I’d offered it.” She shook her head. “I could have just introduced you as a friend and left it at that, but I didn’t want you being insulted. So, I…I did nothing. I screwed up, and I’m sorry.”
“So it was all about him being a wanker? It wasn’t anything to do with being embarrassed to have a female partner?” She had to know and sooner rather than later. No matter how good things had been between them the last couple of days, so far they’d not been seen together as a couple by anyone Carmen knew.
“Absolutely not!” Carmen took a step back and lowered her voice. “You…you think I’d think that?”
She looked horrified, and it made Ash’s stomach clench. “I’m sorry. I know that sounded bad. But you’re so new at all of this, and we’re so new. I guess I need to remember that and not jump to any conclusions when situations like this crop up.”
“It would help, yes.” There was a hint of acid in Carmen’s tone Ash had never heard before.
Ash stepped in close and took Carmen’s hand.
