The Perfect Happiness(38)
Jack followed her gaze. “Who have you seen?”
“Jenna Elrich. A Yarnie.”
“The one with big hair and sunglasses?”
“That’s the one. Don’t be fooled:
she’s pure malice.” “She’s either very insecure or her husband’s given her one in the eye.”
“Could be either, actually.”
“She can’t see you.”
“Oh, she will. She’s the sort of woman who can spot someone she knows a mile off. She’ll be desperate to know who you are.”
“I’m your publisher.”
“Yes.” She flushed at the flaws in the lie. “You don’t look anything like a publisher!”
“I don’t think you can generalize. My name is Leighton Jones and I’m your publisher from South Africa. If she comes over, leave me to do the talking.”
She laughed into her glass. “That makes me tremble with fear. She’s a wicked gossip.”
“I’d like to give her something to gossip about.”
“And ruin my marriage?”
He turned serious. “Do you want to go somewhere else? We can leave if you’re worried?”
“No, we can’t leave now, it’ll look suspicious. Let’s pretend we haven’t seen her. If she comes over, you’re my publisher in Johannesburg, simple as that. The more we make of it, the guiltier we’ll look.”
“You’ve got it all worked out.”
“You don’t know my husband. He’s more jealous than you can imagine.”
“You should be flattered.”
“It doesn’t work that way. Possessiveness is a ball and chain around our ankles. It curtails our freedom and makes us unhappy. The secret to happiness is to love without conditions.”
“Which we know is impossible.”
“We can at least try.”
Jenna Elrich sat beside the window with a couple of women Angelica didn’t know. The three of them were bad examples of too much Botox and not enough mirth. They picked at their food and sipped their water and lemon through tight, joyless mouths. Angelica turned her back, but she knew Jenna would recognize her. It was only a matter of time before she tottered over in her six-inch heels to find out who Jack was. If he wasn’t so devilishly handsome, she wouldn’t bother.
The wine Jack had chosen was very good. Angelica didn’t like to drink at lunch, especially as she was driving, but Jack refilled her glass, and she felt pleasantly relaxed and soon forgot all about Jenna. They discussed love and the secret for happiness, and the more they talked the more Angelica entered his magnetic aura until she no longer saw or heard the other people in the restaurant. They were both stimulated by the arguments: she could see the enthusiasm in his eyes like a bright light behind them shining through. By coffee they had identified some of the most endemic obstructions to happiness.
“We should write a book together,” Jack suggested. “It would be a big best seller.”
“I think you’re right. I’m feeling very inspired.”
“Perhaps I can be your mentor. Whenever you need to discuss something, you can call me.”
“I don’t have your number,” she replied with a shrug, knowing she was now cruising across another frontier.
“Then give me your phone.” She rummaged through the chaos in her handbag and pulled it out. Her heart raced at the obvious step she was now taking. Candace had been right. Lunch was not just lunch. He took her mobile and began to punch in his number. Then he held it up to her with a grin: DOP.
“Dog on Porch,” she said, smiling back.
“Wrong! Dog off Porch,” he corrected.
“You’re very naughty.”
He flicked open his phone. “Give me yours.” She read out her number. He held it up. “Sage. Nothing naughty about that,” he said, replacing it in his jacket pocket. “Now, when am I going to see you again?”
Angelica was flustered. “I don’t know,” she said. “Aren’t you going back to Rosenbosch?”
“Not until Friday.” He lowered his voice. “We haven’t even touched on desire.”
Angelica’s cheeks flamed, and she dropped her gaze into her empty coffee cup. She thought of his secret lover in Clapham and reminded herself that flirting was just a game to him. “Desire is a basic animal instinct that should be avoided at all costs.”
“Why?”
“Because it doesn’t last.”
“But it’s a good place to start.”
“If it’s the appropriate journey to make.”
“I’m already off the porch.”
“But you’re still on a lead.”