That Summer at the Seahorse Hotel by Adrienne Vaughan

Author:Adrienne Vaughan [Vaughan, Adrienne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: The Paris Press
Published: 2018-02-07T16:00:00+00:00

Ross threw his napkin down, and shrugging out of his jacket walked onto the deck to take some air. It was a beautiful evening, moonlight on the water, the soft shush of waves landing on the shore. Placing his hands on the rail, he took a deep breath and throwing back his head let out a long, piercing howl … the cry of a lone wolf.

“Is this a dagger which I see before me?”

The unmistakable enunciation of the world-famous actor, Archie Fitzgerald, drifted towards him and emerging from the shadows, Ross watched as he took another long pull on his cigarette.

“Gauloises, dear boy, hard to find these days, I rather greedily smoke them alone, another of my guilty pleasures.” He looked at the younger man intently.

“I wonder about yours?”

Ross pulled a face. “Don’t flirt with me, Archie, it freaks me out.”

Archie laughed. “Sorry, dear chap, but you are so devilishly handsome.” He waggled his eyebrows.

“Stop it!” Ross laughed with him. “Damn actors, never know when you’re for real.”

“Fair enough,” Archie resumed his everyday voice. “But I’m sure it’s a skill you’ve called upon on more than one occasion. A tense boardroom take over or the seduction of a fair maid, perhaps?”

“Guess so,” Ross conceded. “Pity we couldn’t all be a bit more honest though and ditch all the bullshit.”

Archie gave an exaggerated shudder.

“‘A little sincerity is a dangerous thing, and a great deal of it is absolutely fatal.’ Oscar Wilde,” he said. “And I agree, one’s life could be threatened, going around telling the truth. No, let’s keep the pretence, the dark secrets.” Archie flicked his cigarette into the sea, coughing with the effort. Ross waited for the hacking to subside. “Please don’t ask about my health, bores me witless, people have been talking about nothing else for months. I’m starting a campaign, if you know someone who’s dying, stop the fuck asking them how they are. They’re dying, talk about something else, something interesting, for the love of God!”

Ross watched Archie leaning on the rail, wheezing after his outburst.

“Something pissing you off, Archie?”

“What makes you say that?” Archie was snippy.

“You’re here again, second time today, this time alone.”

They started back towards the bar. Ross was tired, ready to go to bed but he was fond of Archie and found him fascinating, he would rather spend some time with him if he could.

“Just needed some thinking time. Nice place you have here.”

“Cognac, Mr Fitzgerald?” Ross guided the older man to a stool.

“A beer if that’s okay, Ross. A few beers would do us both good.”

Considering what Ross had to face tomorrow a few beers was a very bad idea, there again considering what he had to face tomorrow, a few beers was probably the best idea in the universe.

They were sitting companionably on the terrace, Ross laughing at one of Archie’s many anecdotes when two girls in gowns designed to show off their shapeliness gave them a lingering look.

“Bet you have to put up with a lot of that.” Ross raised an eyebrow at his guest.

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