“Thank you, Sam. I’ll let you know when we’ve finished dessert.”
“Of course, Sir. Have a lovely evening, Miss,” he added with a wink. Garrett took my arm and escorted me up the marble steps and through the entrance flanked by doormen. He clearly knew where he was going as he walked purposefully across the marble floor. I didn’t want to look like a complete fool, but my head was here, there and everywhere, taking in the huge crystal chandeliers and ornate mirrors which hung everywhere. Opulent. That was the word: opulent. And nothing like the world I was used to inhabiting.
“Table for Adams,” Garrett said to the man who mysteriously appeared as we made our way through an archway into what was obviously the restaurant.
“Of course, Sir, follow me, please. Your grandmother is already here.” We followed him over to the corner. There, sat in a cloud of purple, was a glamorous older woman, sipping a drink.
When we reached the table, Garrett leant in to kiss his grandmother on the cheek whilst the tuxedo-clad waiter held out a chair for me to sit on.
“Hello, darling, I’m glad you made it on time. I would have been forced to order another martini!” Her grin suggested she wished we had been late. “And this must be the beautiful Neve. My grandson was right: you are as pretty as a picture, darling!”
“Umm, thank you, Mrs Adams,” was about as much as I could muster.
“Oh, let’s not stand on ceremony. Call me Ester. What do you think of the venue for our little getting-to-know-each-other dinner?”
“It’s lovely. I’ve never been here before. I’ve heard of it, though,” I admitted.
“Now, come on, darling, there’s no need to be polite. It’s dreadfully trashy, but Garrett loves these old English haunts. It’s his American blood showing and I have to pander to it, don’t I, darling?” Garrett squirmed a little at the honesty of her appraisal and I had a moment of enjoying his discomfort.
Ester was fabulous company, filled with humorous stories about wealthy socialites. It was clear that her life was as exciting and eccentric as Garrett has told me. I was so amused by her anecdotes that I barely registered what I had eaten. The more she drank, the less discreet she was and her dislike for Garrett’s mum was very, very evident. Every time she became too personal, Garrett would steer the conversation back to safer territory, usually about the family newspaper business. It appeared that Ester was hoping he would stay in England and take over the business at some point in the future; Garrett was non-committal. Did he see his future here? Did that make a difference to me?
My brain was a little fuzzy from the two glasses of wine I had drunk with the meal and, when Garrett texted Sam to let him know to pick us up, I stood and asked to be excused. Ester flicked her hand in the direction behind her and muttered something about the ‘powder room’ before picking up her recently-filled martini glass.
After going to the loo, I stood and stared at myself in the gilt-framed mirror. Who was I? And what was I doing? It wasn’t like I’d had a deprived upbringing or anything, but I was way out of my depth. It was The Ritz, for God’s sake!
But, other than Ester’s interesting company, I wasn’t really enjoying it. The uber-politeness of the waiting staff was nauseating and who really needs that many forks? In some way, it gave me clarity about Garrett: this was his life, but it wasn’t one I wanted. I took a deep breath and prepared myself to let him down gently in the car on the way back to Brighton. Even if it meant sacrificing our friendship, I knew what I wanted to do. What I needed to do. With a renewed sense of purpose, I made my way back to the table.
“Shame about that bloody birthmark, though, darling. She’d almost pass as a thoroughbred without it.” Ester was obviously unaware of my return but the look of embarrassment on Garrett’s face must have alerted her to my presence. I knew I had to maintain a sense of composure as her words made me want to cry or hit her, and hitting an old-aged pensioner just wasn’t my thing. “Oh, you’re back, Neve. Cinderella’s pumpkin has arrived, so this is the end of our delightful evening.” She stood and leaned in to give me a kiss on the cheek. “It was wonderful meeting you. I hope you will grace us with your company again soon,” she trilled, her mouth still close to my face. I could see the thickness of her foundation and her uneven eyeliner. She wasn’t glamorous at all: she was just an old woman desperately trying to maintain a sense of who she used to be.
My hand in Garrett’s as we walked out to the car, I realised I had yet again been seduced: this time by irreverence and glamour. Would I ever learn?
I woke to find my head in Garrett’s lap, his hand gently playing with my hair. Jumping to an upright position, I knocked my head into his chin.