United States of Love

Then he saw her, stepping out from the plastic waiting shelter there, looking at him. Intrigued? Curious? He wasn't sure. They walked towards each other on opposite platforms.

‘Can we start again?’ Tex called across the tracks. Anna said nothing as she stood there studying him, as if wrestling with herself as to what she should say or do. ‘You can't leave yet anyway. I have your phone. You left it on the window ledge.’ Ah, now that got her attention.

Looking concerned, Anna stuffed her hands in her coat pockets and then rummaged through her bag, obviously up until that point not realising she didn't have her phone with her. Tex waved the Nokia in the air.

‘So it would seem,’ she said finally. ‘I suppose you want me to come and get it?’ Tex grinned as Anna made her way over the bridge and walked up to where he was standing. ‘I forgot I'd left that. Thank you.’ She reached out to take the phone.

Tex popped the phone behind his back. ‘There's one condition.’

‘Which is?’

‘Have lunch with me.’

She sighed and her shoulders drooped. ‘I don't think it's a good idea. Under any other circumstances I would love to, but not when you're my client. It's a bad idea. Really bad.’

‘Would it be bad if it was a business lunch?’

She appeared to be contemplating what he had said. ‘Just business you say?’

‘Just business,’ repeated Tex. Personal business, he added to himself.

‘Okay, I accept.’ She smiled a shy smile up at him.

‘Thank you. I am now a very happy man.’ Tex fought the urge to kiss her there and then. He was going to have to work his charm to win her over. Still, he liked a challenge. Then her brow furrowed and she had a confused look on her face.

‘I thought I heard you say to Graeme that you had a lunch appointment.’

‘I was hoping that would be you,’ said Tex, a sheepish grin crossing his face.

‘That was rather presumptuous of you,’ said Anna, folding her arms and raising her eyebrows playfully.

‘Not presumptuous. More like hopeful.’

‘That will do,’ Anna smiled. ‘So can I have my phone back now?’ Tex nodded. ‘Well, that's the only reason I'm agreeing. That, and it being a business lunch. You do understand don't you?’

‘Yes, Ma’am.’ He gave a quick salute. ‘I understand completely.’ He wasn't entirely sure he did, but she had agreed to lunch, which is what he had wanted. He didn't usually have to work quite so hard. Normally it was much easier and much more straightforward – a bit of flirting, a little bit of fun, nothing serious, no obligation. He liked it that way.

He drove her back to the hall in silence, cranking up the car's heated seats to help dry Anna's coat which was soaked from her walk down to the station. Having just spent five minutes standing on the platform with no jacket and the rain blowing under the canopy, Tex wasn't faring much better himself.

‘Not very nice weather for public transport. Do you always travel on the train?’ he asked, as they pulled up outside the hall.

‘No. I have the car but I let Mark, my sort of ex, borrow it. He was supposed to come back at the weekend but didn't.’

Tex ushered Anna through the internal doors into the main hall and then guided her to the room on the left at the back of the hall. There was a small square table in the middle of the room with a simple white linen tablecloth on it, at its centre, a vibrant red gerbera in a tall drinking glass. The table was set for two people.

‘Presumptuous,’ said Anna as she took in the scene.

‘Hopeful,’ corrected Tex. He walked up behind her and gently rested his hands on her shoulders. ‘May I take your coat?’ He took a deep breath as he momentarily flirted with the idea of kissing the back of her bare neck, before checking himself. Slipping Anna's coat from her shoulders, he hung it on the back of the door before pulling out the chair for her to sit down.

‘I'll be back in one minute,’ he said and disappeared into the adjoining room to warm up the soup he had prepared that morning. Whilst that was heating, he cut some French stick then took the bread together with a bottle of Perrier water back into Anna.

‘It's nearly ready. Just some humble soup. I only have two gas rings at the moment,’ he said as he put the bread down and poured a glass of water for each of them.

‘I'm sure it will be lovely.’

Tex switched the radio on. Hopefully, a bit of background music would help her relax.

‘This isn't looking very businesslike,’ commented Anna.

‘Let's talk business if it makes you feel happier.’ Hmm, this was going to be harder than he thought.

‘Have you always been a chef?’ she asked.

‘Yes. I never wanted to be anything else.’

‘Where did you train?’

‘France, of course. That is where the best chefs in the world are and I was fortunate enough to have some very good teachers. I worked for some of the great chefs in France.’

‘Any I would know?’

‘Edward Le Manquais. You have heard of him no doubt?’

‘Of course. He's a bit more than just a chef now, he's something of a celebrity in his own right,’ said Anna. ‘Didn't he do a reality restaurant show on TV recently?’

‘Ahh yes, the celebrity chef. I am afraid that is not for me.’

‘By choice?’

‘By choice,’ Tex affirmed. ‘Does that make any difference to you?’

Anna looked surprised by the question. ‘To me? No. No, it doesn't make any difference. That doesn't worry me the way you think.’

‘What way do I think?’ probed Tex. He waited patiently whilst she took a sip of water. He wasn’t letting her off the hook that easy. Experience told him if he said nothing for long enough, the other person would carry on speaking.

‘Okay, here goes,’ she said. ‘You probably think I would be impressed and pleased that I had landed a famous client. That I would be imagining fancy parties, champagne, rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous, but the truth is, I couldn't be less interested in that.’

‘Go on, I'm still listening,’ coaxed Tex.

‘Don't say you didn't ask,’ said Anna with wry smile. ‘Mark was a professional footballer. We married when we were very young; I was pregnant. Mark had a lot of temptation in the female stakes. He hasn’t got much willpower. Part of it was because he was a bit famous, and as a footballer there were plenty of offers from a slew of female fans. So my experience of being with someone well known isn't a particularly good one.’

‘You said the other night that you were separated but not divorced.’

‘That’s right. He went off to America and we have just never got round to it. Part of me doesn't want to become a statistic, but to all intents and purposes we might as well be divorced.’

Tex smiled reassuringly at her. There was obviously a lot more to it but now wasn't the time. He'd established that Mark wasn't a threat.

‘How did we get onto the subject of my personal life?’ asked Anna. She leant back in her chair. Tex couldn't help noticing the button of her blouse had come undone, revealing a glimpse of white flesh encased in black lace. He forced himself to look at her face, keeping his eyes level with hers to answer her question.

‘It's important if we are going to work together that we know each other properly. It's not a regular sort of office job, there may be times when you have to accompany me on social events. It’s real important that we know each other well so we’re comfortable together.’

Anna didn't look convinced, but didn't challenge him either.

‘When do I get to find out about you?’ she asked.

‘I will get the soup and then you can ask me anything you like.’

Tex returned to the makeshift kitchen. Leaning against the work surface he took a deep breath as he recalled her open blouse. Reappearing a few minutes later with two bowls of soup, he placed one in front of Anna. Her blouse now done up, he ignored the self-conscious look on her face.

‘This looks nice,’ she said, picking up her spoon and dipping it into the thick, orange liquid. ‘Tastes good too. Let me guess. Carrot and … mmm … not sure. There's definitely another flavour but I'm not sure what it is.’

‘Coriander.’

‘Ah yes, I recognise it now. It's lovely.’

‘Thank you.’

They ate together in silence for several minutes. A comfortable silence, with just the radio to fill the space between them.

‘So, in the interest of fairness and Anglo-American relations, I think I'll take you up on your offer,’ said Anna. Tex looked blankly at her. ‘Exchange of information. Background information. It's your turn,’ she smiled.

‘What do you wanna know?’

‘You tell me. If you were me, what would I want to know?’

Tex made an act of looking thoughtfully up to the ceiling, as if he were recalling any relevant information. ‘Where to begin,’ he mused.

‘Why the name Tex?’

‘That’s an easy one. Short for Texas, where I’m from. Brenham to be exact. When I went off to Europe, I was something of a novelty. You don’t get many cowboys from Texan ranches wanting to learn how to cook.’

She smiled. ‘Okay, what else?’

She’d seemed pretty unfazed by that, which was cool. ‘I am forty-five years old,’ he continued. ‘I have one daughter. Julie-Ann, she’s twenty-two. Lives in Paris.’

‘And Mrs Garcia?’

He was used to that sort of question. They all asked sooner or later. It was still difficult to say, nonetheless.

‘Estelle, Julie-Ann’s mother, my wife, she died six years ago.’ He watched the surprise flicker across Anna’s eyes, quickly followed by a look of concern. She went to speak, probably to offer her condolences, but he raised his hand slightly. She didn’t need to say anything, it wasn’t necessary.

‘She was ill for a short time,’ he continued. ‘Liver cancer. There was nothing they could do for her. Afterwards, I promised I would make a success of the restaurant, just as we had both planned, except I didn’t stay in Paris, I came to England. Jamie and Yvonne helped me a lot, both professionally and personally.’

‘And since then?’ Anna spoke gently.

Tex knew what she was asking, and in a strange way he found it refreshing. Most women avoided the question once they heard about Estelle.

‘And since then I haven’t had any meaningful or long relationship.’ He had answered honestly, and hoping to retrieve the light tone the lunch had started out with, said buoyantly, ‘I’ve been too busy opening the restaurant and working hard to get my first Michelin star at my Guildford restaurant.’

‘Do you always let work rule your personal life and stop relationships?’

‘Do you?’ responded Tex immediately, eager to steer the conversation away from Estelle.

Anna looked slightly startled by his response, then gave a little laugh. ‘Touché. I asked first.’

‘The truth is … ’ Tex hesitated, putting his spoon down and pushing the near empty bowl away. ‘The truth is, my work is my true love.’

‘And no one could ever mean as much as your work?’

‘No one has meant enough yet.’ He gave a small laugh to himself and shook his head as he leant back in his chair. ‘I have no idea why I'm telling you this. Any sane person would not want anything to do with me and here I am in danger of scaring you off.’ He paused and then spoke more softly. ‘Which is something I really don’t wanna do.’ The chase was well and truly on.

Anna, straight-faced, looked directly at him. ‘Why would you scare me off? Our relationship is purely business.’

‘So why do you let business get in the way of your personal life?’ Tex held her gaze until she looked away.

‘You really want to know?’ she asked, fiddling with her napkin.

Tex nodded but said nothing so Anna would continue.

‘Okay. When my son, Luke, went to school, I got a part-time job working in the offices at the football club Mark played for. Trouble was, after a while I started to hear rumours about what Mark was doing, what he was getting up to when he and the other lads were out. Naturally, I was upset, suspicious, and began questioning him, which caused quite a few arguments.’ Anna paused to have a sip of water.

Tex remained silent, his feeling that there was more was confirmed as Anna began to speak again.

‘As if that wasn’t enough, Mark was jealous if any man spoke to me too much, that included any member of management and any of his team mates. Needless to say, I handed my notice in after just three months, it was more trouble than it was worth. So that is why I don’t mix business with pleasure.’

‘And you think that every business and pleasure encounter will end the same?’

Anna shrugged in response.

Tex decided it was best to keep off the subject of their personal lives. Anna must have thought the same when she changed the subject by asking, ‘So how come you ended up here in England?’

‘Jamie and I were at catering college together but it didn’t take him long before he realised being in the kitchen wasn't for him. Instead, he put his organisational skills to good use and started working for a PR company arranging work placements in the UK for chefs from France and vice versa. This gradually expanded through word of mouth and soon Jamie was helping foreign nationals to settle in the UK. Such was the demand, he had the foresight to leave the PR company and set up his own relocation company.’

‘Good that you remained friends though.’

‘Yes. Through his help I was able to open my first restaurant. That was five years ago. I've been looking for premises in this area for a long time to open another and finally came across this place.’ He gestured in the air with his arms. ‘Next week I need to start looking for an apartment so I can keep a closer eye on the refurbishment. The Guildford restaurant runs itself mostly.’

Anna wasn't quite sure where the two hours went, but when she glanced at her watch she was shocked to see it was gone two o’clock.

‘I'd better go, otherwise I'm not sure what time I'll get back. I think there's a train in about half an hour. I'm supposed to ring Jamie when I get home. He'll think I've resigned before I've even started.’

Tex dropped his napkin to the table. ‘I'll take you home.’

‘Oh, you don't have to.’

‘I know.’ Tex paused as he pushed back his chair. ‘Or does it go against your no business with pleasure rule?’

‘Probably,’ said Anna, ‘but a lift would be nice all the same.’ She silently tutted at the desertion of her willpower. It was very difficult to say no to Tex Garcia.

Twenty minutes later Tex pulled his car to a halt outside Coach House Cottages. Anna noticed both Mrs Meekham's curtain twitching and her car parked in the resident's parking bay a little way up the road. Mark was obviously back.

‘Can I see you again?’ asked Tex, as he turned in his seat to face her.

‘You'd better check with Jamie. He said something about me going to Brighton next week to help a family who want to look at schools.’

‘Not business,’ smiled Tex.

Anna gulped and reminded herself to breathe. His voice was giving her all sorts of problems. ‘Pleasure?’ It was almost a whisper.

Tex nodded. ‘Are you free Friday evening? Me, Jamie and Yvonne are coming down for the weekend. I have a few things to sort out to do with the refurbishment, and Jamie's got a client he wants to see in Sussex. As it’s also Yvonne's birthday, we thought we would go out for a drink. Maybe you'd like to come too?’

‘Did you not listen to anything I said about not mixing business with pleasure?’

‘I was hoping I may have changed your mind and that maybe you weren’t so goddamn stubborn.’ Tex let out a sigh of resignation.

‘It’s hard work being this stubborn. Sorry.’ Anna looked apologetically at him, her sigh matching his. ‘I can’t anyway; I'm going out with my sister-in-law. We were supposed to go out last week but couldn't for one reason and another, so we rearranged for this week.’

‘I understand. Where are you going? Anywhere nice?’

‘Just the Fish and Fly, our local haunt.’

‘Perhaps we could all meet up there? Just for one drink.’

‘I think this is where I'm supposed to say no,’ said Anna, feeling her resolve weaken. ‘That would be against my no business with pleasure rule.’

‘Think of it as, how do you say, a work's do.’

How could she resist that smile, those eyes and that voice?

Anna felt as if she were floating as she walked up to her front door. Funny how she could suddenly justify her actions, relegating her work ethics to the back of her mind. Like Tex said, if they were going to work closely together then it was inevitable that a few social occasions would arise.

Her feeling of happiness didn’t last long. In fact, within seconds of walking through the front door it was totally eradicated.

Chapter Nine

Mark was standing at the window, glaring at the Ford Ranger as it drove away down the road. As Anna closed the door, he turned to her. From the look on his face, Anna could instantly tell he was in a bad mood. She gave an involuntary shudder as it immediately took her back to the dark days of their marriage.

‘What's with the bloke and the pick-up then?’ Mark said stiffly.

‘Not that it's any business of yours but, if you must know, that was my client today. He kindly gave me a lift home because someone didn't bring my car back in time.’

‘You still got there okay, and got a lift back in style.’

‘No thanks to you.’ Glaring at him, Anna dropped her bag to the floor and threw her coat onto the back of the sofa. ‘You could at least apologise.’

Mark gave a sideways look. ‘I'm sorry.’

He didn't sound particularly sincere, Anna thought, but at least he had apologised.

‘I was just hoping you would have time to think about us. I didn't expect you to be getting it on with your client.’

Anna let out an exasperated sigh. ‘I wasn't getting anything on with my client. It's just business.’

‘So that answers one question. What about the other? Did you think about us?’ His voice was calm and soft now.

Anna sighed sadly. ‘Mark, I think we’re better off apart. In fact, I know we are.’ She really didn't want to have this conversation. She almost felt sorry for him, guilty even, until she remembered how she had felt during their marriage, and what he had done. The pain might not be so real now but she couldn’t forget how much hurt she had endured back then.

‘Listen, there's something I want to tell you,’ began Mark. ‘I … ’

Anna shook her head fiercely. ‘No. Not now, Mark. Please.’ Picking up her bag, she made for the stairs. ‘I'm too tired and I still haven't finished work yet.’

Leaving Mark standing open-mouthed by the sofa, she went upstairs to ring Jamie.

‘Tex was really impressed with you,’ enthused Jamie. Anna wondered whether Tex was referring to her skills as a PA or in being able to say no to him. ‘I'm really happy and confident about giving you more work if you want to carry on,’ Jamie continued.

‘I'd be delighted,’ answered Anna, a morass of feelings swirling round in her head, half of her hoping the work would be with Tex, the other half hoping it wouldn't. She didn't know if she would be able to resist him for too long.

Home from school, Luke grinned with delight at seeing his father seated on the sofa. ‘Hi, Dad! You're back then.’

‘Yeah, I'm back here with the Ice Maiden. She's not in a good mood with me.’

Anna ignored Mark's comment, the atmosphere between them as stilted as it had been all afternoon. She continued preparing the evening meal. Jacket potatoes tonight. Nice and easy. And she knew Mark didn't really like them.

Luke headed straight for the fridge. ‘You still fed up about the car, Mum?’

‘Don't start picking, tea will be ready soon.’ Anna tapped Luke's arm and closed the fridge door. ‘And as far as your dad is concerned, just ignore him.’

‘I don't know why you're being so pissy, you're not usually,’ frowned Luke, stealing a pinch of cheese Anna was grating.

Mark appeared in the doorway and lounged against the wall. ‘I was thinking of going back to the States,’ he announced. ‘I'm not sure if it's working out me being here.’

‘What?’ exclaimed Luke. ‘You've only been here a couple of weeks. He doesn't have to go does he, Mum?’

‘Well … it's up to your dad,’ said Anna, totally surprised by this apparent U-turn. What was all that about getting back together then?

‘Of course I don't want to go, but … ’

‘Just stay, Dad,’ pleaded Luke. ‘It will be okay. Mum's just having a couple of stressy days. Aren't you, Mum?’

‘It's not quite that simple,’ Anna said.

‘I think maybe my coming back was a mistake.’ Mark looked over at Anna as he spoke. If he was hoping for her to refute this, then he was out of luck. Anna said nothing.

‘It wasn't a mistake, Dad. It's a good thing. I've really enjoyed you being here. It's just like it used to be. I wish you could stay, you know, for good. Here.’ Luke dropped his gaze to his trainers. ‘Just stay for now, please.’

‘All right,’ said Mark after a lengthy pause. ‘I'll hang about for a bit longer, just as long as your mum doesn't mind.’

‘You don't mind do you, Mum?’ said Luke looking eagerly at Anna.

‘Well, I … err … ’ began Anna. Yes, she did mind wasn't what Luke really wanted her to say.

‘Why don't you just say yes?’ her son snapped. ‘Why don't you just say, “I think it's a great idea? Your dad is more than welcome.”’

Anna looked at Mark, hoping for a bit of support. Wrong. Mark just shrugged in a nothing-to-do-with-me sort of way. Not for the first time, she sensed that Mark was manipulating everyone around him.

‘Don't you need to get back for work?’ she asked Mark, hoping he would take the hint.

‘Oh no. They can manage without me for a bit longer. Well, that's that sorted then.’ Mark pushed himself upright from the wall and grinning at Luke, gave him a playful punch on the arm. ‘Cheers mate.’

Luke beamed back.

Anna had to marvel at the laser-precision, pincer movement Mark and Luke had just executed. Attack from both sides. She never stood a chance. Now it looked like she had Mark here indefinitely.

‘Just give him a chance, Mum,’ said Luke after Mark had gone upstairs for a shower. ‘Everyone deserves one. You always say that yourself.’

‘It's not that simple,’ said Anna reticently.

‘Of course it is. You're just making it difficult.’

Anna sighed. How much did you tell your son about your marriage? ‘Listen, Luke. You know I wouldn’t say anything bad about your dad to you, but you have to understand lots of things happened between me and him, things that you wouldn’t know about.’

‘I’m not stupid,’ grumbled Luke. ‘I remember the arguments. Dad being out late or all night. You crying.’ He paused, looking at her before dropping his gaze. ‘I know about the baby and the other women.’

Anna gulped. She had often wondered if he knew more than she or, indeed, Mark gave him credit for. ‘I’m sorry you do. I guess I never protected you from it as much as I thought.’

‘But you could still give him another chance. Now that he’s had a year to sort himself out. Couldn’t you?’

Anna gave Luke a hug, which felt slightly ridiculous as he was several inches taller than her already. ‘Let’s just worry about you and Dad getting to know each other again. That’s the important thing.’

Jamie had asked her to step in at the last minute to cover for another member of staff who was sick. She was to accompany a German woman and her two children on a school visit in Brighton and help with the interpreting. Anna had really enjoyed this assignment. It was great to be able to practice her German and the family were very charming and polite. An unexpectedly busy week as it had transpired, as a small document concerning a property transaction in France had also come in for translating. However, Anna was glad to have Friday free, which meant she could implement phase one of her ‘Help Zoe’ plan.