Finding Jessica Lambert by Clare Ashton

Author:Clare Ashton [Ashton, Clare]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-06-12T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 31.

Jess's morning disappeared in a blur. Anna left early for a training session and Jess attended her first rehearsal. Her thoughts were a mess, attempting to get to grips with new stage direction, meeting the cast, the intensive session before the rest of the crew performed the matinee, all the while Jess trying to conjure a way to tell Anna.

It was with tearful relief that she met Matt after rehearsals at a little patisserie in Soho. Jess sat in the window, a cup of coffee on the marble-top table, fidgeting with her beads and staring at the coffee swirled in the milky froth, still unable to magic up an explanation that would fix everything. The small vivacious character of Matt, best friend and producer, appeared through the window, nose pressed up against the glass, deep brown eyes crossed and mouth wide open.

Jess burst out laughing and at the same time tears rolled as he bounded inside and threw his arms around her shoulders. She squeezed him within an inch of his life, lifting the scrap of a man off his feet.

“Holy crap, Jess,” he squeaked with what little breath remained in his body.

“It’s so good to see you, mate,” Jess said.

“Well don’t kill me and you’ll be able to see me again.”

Jess dropped and let him go and wiped her nose in a sniff. “You are a sight for sore eyes.”

“Been too long, hasn’t it,” he said, pinching his mouth in the corner. “Let me get a drink and some scoff then we’ll do some serious catching up. And we have business to discuss,” he called over his shoulder as he jogged to the ornate counter of sweet pastry delights.

Jess rolled her eyes as Matt chatted and flirted with the male and female assistants behind the counter, dancing back and forth as he pointed out various temptations and considered recommendations. He returned with a large mug of his habitual mocha with a mountain of whipped cream and some choux pastries filled with much more of the same. She didn’t have to wonder at where all the energy went that he consumed. The man never stopped thinking, moving or talking.

“First,” he said, sweeping aside his floppy fringe of dark hair, “I have to thank you for braving the Menace of Shaftesbury Avenue and agreeing to do that play.”

“The menace?”

“The director.”

“She’s not that bad.”

“Ha!” he snorted. “Not that bad? She’s reduces action heroes to tears.”

“Well,” Jess mused. “I suppose that’s one advantage of being a little slow off the mark. By the time I realise someone’s made a cutting comment the moment’s gone and I have to shrug my shoulders."

“You are anything but slow,” Matt said, taking an enormous bite of pastry, squirting whipped cream from either side of his mouth. He poked it in with his fingers then noisily licked them clean. “Out of everyone I know, you’re always the one who cuts to the chase quickest.”

“It doesn’t feel that way.”

“I mean, you’re bollocks at chit chat, but I always trust your gut instincts.

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