All Over the Place by Serena Clarke

Author:Serena Clarke
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: contemporary romance, women's fiction, romance, chick lit, international, London, England, New Zealand, Paris, reality TV, travel, love, friends, adventure, new start, rock stars, running away
Publisher: Free Bird Books
Published: 2014-05-31T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eighteen

All Livi wanted to do that night was get home, put on her pyjamas, and collapse on their least uncomfortable settee, within arm’s reach of a pot of tea and the chocolate-filled shoebox. After the fruitless effort that day, compounded by the awkward Mattias moment, she was going back to sensible. It had suddenly occurred to her on the way home, passing the shuttered ticket office at Blackhorse Road, that she could have just handed the satchel in, entrusted it to the lost property office, and gone on with her life.

What had she been thinking? Or not thinking, obviously. She wondered why Steve and Cass hadn’t suggested it. On second thought, she knew why Cass wouldn’t have suggested it. But it was one thing to hunt about in London and nearby, another to turn it into a cross-Channel exercise. She wanted to go to Paris one day, of course. But it definitely wasn’t in her budget right now. Especially not on such an idiotic, futile mission. No, Paris ought to be special, magical, enchanting. Not a dead rock star in a cold bath.

So, tomorrow, she thought. Get rid of the satchel, and the far-fetched idea of the fated man. Now the whole thing seemed so embarrassingly adolescent she could hardly stand to think about it. Tomorrow. Tonight, she was in dire need of a chocolate-induced serotonin boost and some mindless television watching. No reality TV contests—she still couldn’t stomach it. Something soothing, involving antiques or archaeologists, or maybe even Rick Stein, in honour of Mattias.

But halfway up the stairs she heard voices, and her heart sank. Her mother’s laugh rang out, followed by a hearty belly-laugh she didn’t recognise. Thankfully, it sounded like a woman. Television might be off the agenda, but at least there wasn’t another Len awaiting her. She carried on up the stairs, leaving her bag and the satchel just inside the door, and popped her head into the living room. “Hello?”

A vision of pattern and colour rose from the sofa. Strappy slave sandals, African-print harem pants and a muslin peasant blouse, draped with tie-dyed scarves of every colour, led up to a crinkly-kind face topped with flowing grey hair. She opened her arms encouragingly, jangling rows of turquoise-studded bangles, and beckoned Livi in.

“Yes, your mother was right,” she said, her American accent giving Livi a start—they were everywhere lately. Then she was gathered in for an alarmingly close hug. Long strands of fragrant silver hair stuck to her face as she tried to twist around, sending a ‘help me’ to her mother. But Evelyn just watched and smiled, entirely pleased.

After what felt like an entire rotation of the Earth, she struggled free. “Um…hello.”

“Evelyn!” exclaimed the stranger. “Her aura is very interesting. Lots of pastels—you must be a sensitive soul. No wonder all this upset has been hard on you.”

She couldn’t think what to say to this, but her mum nodded. “She’s always been sensitive. A thinker too. An over-thinker, really.”

“Mum!” Now she’d had enough. “What about an introduction?”

“Sorry, sweetheart, this is Journey.

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