Dolphin-san: I just love the holidays. They give me plenty of time to write, write, write! And study I guess, but I think writings much more important than that. I know the stuff already, why would I want to revise it? Oh well. Enjoy the chapter.

Chapter 22

By one o'clock the second wall and the rest of the ceiling were finished and Bev had read aloud an entire two-thousand-word article in the Sunday Express speculating the likelihood of Bryan Kutsenov and Daisy Schofield marrying before Christmas.

'She's dead set on it and he's fending her off.' Bev held up the colour supplement so they could see the accompanying photograph. 'Ray met him a few weeks ago,' she explained slyly to Max. 'Bryan asked him out, Ray turned him down and he's regretted it from that day to this.'

'Oh, no.' Max was sympathetic.

'Ignore her,' Ray said loftily. 'I haven't regretted it for one minute. I'm perfectly happy with the way things have turned out.'

'Just as well,' Bev picked up her pen and gave Daisy Schofield a handlebar moustache, 'seeing as you haven't heard from Bryan Kutsenov since.' She studied the photograph with a critical eye. 'I don't think she's that stunning, you know. Is it just me, or does she have a lopsided face?'

'Only because you gave her a lopsided moustache,' Ray pointed out.

'My husband . . . well, ex-husband, whatever . . .' stammered Max, 'thought she was pretty stunning.'

Ray, thinking of Hiro, drawled, 'Show me a man who doesn't.'



'So how long ago did he leave you?' asked Bev, for whom no situation was too delicate.

'The day I told him I was pregnant, pretty much. It was April Fools' Day.' Max's tone was dry.

'Can you believe that? What a bastard!' Bev made vigorous poke-his-eyes-out gestures with her fingers. 'And what's he doing now?'

'Don't know, don't care,' Max replied not altogether truthfully. Trawling his roller through the paint tray, he turned his attention to the third wall.

'But up until the minute you told him about the baby,' Bev persisted, 'you were happily married?'

Max nodded.

'Yes.'

'Is he likely to change his mind and come back?'

'No.'

'Has he found someone else?'

'Bev, shut up.' This was more than even Ray could stand.

'Why? It's interesting!'

'Max might not want to talk about it. He might find it upsetting. You could be about to make him cry.'



'Okay,' Max said equably. 'I think he does have a new boyfriend. But you're right, I would rather not talk about him any more.'

'See?' Delighted with himself for being so sensitive, Ray flicked his brush at Bev.

'Not because it would upset me,' Max explained. 'I just don't want to be bothered by thinking about him. If he doesn't want to know, that's his loss. But this' –he gestured around the half-painted room – 'is going to be my new home, and I' – he pointed to his stomach – 'am going to have a baby. And right now,' he announced firmly, 'that is all I care about.'

Heavens, so strong and brave, thought Bev, just like one of those Danielle Steel heroines you secretly long to punch in the teeth. She gazed at Max, impressed.

Ray, who had never read a Danielle Steel book and was altogether less gullible, said, 'So how much of that was bullshit? Seventy-five, eighty per cent?'

'Pretty much,' Max admitted with a grin of relief. 'Still, getting better. A fortnight ago it was ninety.'

Ray spent the next hour washing and blow-drying his hair, getting it styled into a less spiky and altogether more grown-up style and getting his make-up done.

'I'm sorry, we've come to the wrong house,' Kai Hiwatari apologised when Ray pulled open the front door.

'Oh, ha ha.' Why did Kai always have to make fun of him? 'Bev did my face for me. It's okay, isn't it?'

'The face is fine.' Kai took a step back in order to admire Ray's outfit, top to toe. 'It's the rest of you that's taken me by surprise. I'm just trying to think who you remind me of.'

Somebody nice, I hope, thought Ray.

'Got it.'

Some gorgeous, bright-eyed perky young actor, preferably. The kind everybody fancied.

'Joseph Chamberlain,' Kai announced, pleased with himself. He turned to the man behind him. 'Don't you think?'

'Minus about sixty years.' Kai's companion stepped forward, holding his hand out for Ray to shake. 'Hi, anyway. Tony Vale. I'll be pointing the camera at you this afternoon.'

'This time I've definitely got it! He looks like a teenager going to a fancy-dress party as Joseph Chamberlain.' Kai grinned at Ray. 'Is that your going-for-an-interview suit?'

Ray ran his hands protectively over the navy-blue trousers. However had he guessed?

'Um . . .'

'Have to take it off, I'm afraid.'

Ray bit his lip.

'You mean, actually while you're filming?'

'That's entirely up to you.' Cheerfully Kai lugged a heavy tripod past Ray into the hall. 'We wouldn't force you.'

'We're in here.' Ray led the way through to Florence's living room. 'I'm not sure about this nude stuff, though.' He sounded doubtful. 'I mean, is it absolutely essential for the script?'

'Nude stuff! What the hell's going on here?' Bev leapt up, outraged.

'This is Bev,' said Ray, as Florence and Max started to laugh. 'Told you she was gullible.'

The filming, once Ray had changed out of the terrifying navy suit into his favourite shirt and white jeans, took less than an hour. Kai's interviewing style was very informal, which helped a lot, and Tony Vale organised the lighting and the camera positions and generally made himself as unobtrusive as possible in the unnaturally tidy bedroom. Before Ray knew it, Kai was saying, 'That's great, now lets shift this stuff downstairs,' and Tony was scurrying out through Ray's bedroom door with the light reflectors tucked under one arm and the camera cases swinging from the other.

'Er . . . why?' asked Ray.'

'Your landlady. Great character,' Tony called over his shoulder.

'Ten minutes, if that,' Kai explained. 'She's just going to say a few nice things about you. Well, that's the general idea, but I suppose with Florence you never know.'

'She'd better say nice things.' Ray held the door open so Kai could manoeuvre the tripod through. 'Or I'll twist her arms off.'

'Florence, you're a natural,' said Kai when it was over.

'A disgrace you mean.' Ray shot Florence an accusing look. 'She was flirting with the camera.'

Florence's grey eyes sparkled. Thanks to the attentions of Bev, her make-up was immaculate and, for once, symmetrical.



'Why not? You never know who night be watching.' She spread her gnarled fingers, palms upturned. 'Just think, there could be some lonely Texan billionaire out there, desperate to find someone to keep him company in his rich old age . . . then he switches on the TV one day and boom, one look at me and he's smitten –'

'I think that's a bit greedy,' said Ray. 'You've already got Orlando.'

Kia looked interested.

'Who's Orlando?'

'Clear the table,' Max shouted, emerging from the kitchen with two massive plates of sandwiches. Bev, behind him, staggered in with the wine.

'We're having a wrap party to celebrate the end of the filming.' Florence eyed with amusement the front of Bev's flimsy white top, transparent where the condensation from the chilled bottles had sunk in. 'Or we could make it a wet T-shirt contest, if you'd prefer.'

The phone rang just as Ray was shovelling an asparagus sandwich into his mouth.

'Shall I get it?' offered Max, who was nearest.

'Don't worry.' Florence reversed like Damon Hill through the gap between the coffee table and the sofa and snatched it up. 'Probably Bruce, ringing to make sure I haven't eloped.'

She listened for a moment, then waggled the phone at Ray, who still had his mouth full.

Chew chew, swallow swallow.

'Who is it?'

Florence smirked, relishing the moment.

'He didn't give his name.'

'What's going on?' said Hiro when Ray had seized control of the receiver. 'Sounds like you're having a party.'

'Oh, hi.' Ray couldn't help it; he felt himself going bright pink.

'Who is it, your new chap? Tell him to come on over!' Bev turned excitedly to Florence. 'He's been keeping this one under wraps, it's all deeply mysterious. I haven't even been allowed to meet him yet!'

'I thought you were decorating a bedroom,' Hiro protested as Kai pushed a glass into Ray's hand. As he filled it, the neck of the bottle went clunk against the rim.

'I was! I have! Florence's new lodger turned up and helped me finish it in double-quick time. Then Kai and Tony arrived, we've done a bit of filming –'

'Shall I come over?' Hiro wasn't at all sure he trusted this Kai Hiwatari.

'Tell him to come over here this minute,' Bev bellowed across the room.

Ray jumped, then hesitated. Should he? It had to happen sooner or later . . .

'Did you hear that?' he said lightly into the phone. 'My friend Bev's here as well. Why don't you come over? She's dying to meet you.'

'Jesus, no thanks.' Hiro sounded horrified. 'You haven't told her, have you?'

Ray knew what he was thinking: a potential bunny-boiler on his case, that was all he needed.

'Not yet, but –'

'Just say I'm busy.' Ray could almost hear Hiro shudder. 'And you, watch yourself with that Kai character. Better still, fix him up with Bev,' he declared with satisfaction. 'That should do the trick; those two deserve each other.'

Now there was an idea. Ray gave it some thought as he hung up. Then, still lit up with happiness just from hearing Hiro's voice, he grinned inanely across the room at Kai.

Making his way over, Kai studied Ray's mouth with apparent concern.

'Why the dopey smirk?'

'It isn't a smirk. I never smirk. It isn't dopey either. I just wondered, do you have someone waiting for you at home?'

Kai topped up Ray's glass.

'Why, are you offering? All applications for the post in writing, please. Just send a copy of your CV and a brief letter outlining why you feel you'd be the best person for the job. If you make the short list, you'll be invited to attend an interview –'

'So is that a yes or a no?' interrupted Ray. Behind Kai, Bev was chatting to Tony Vale, but in a half-hearted fashion. Probably because he was in his forties, on the scrawny side, and had already told her all about his wonderful wife.

'It's a no.' Kai's mouth twitched. 'And if you don't mind me saying s. I think it's very brave of you to take the initiative like this.' He consulted his watch. 'Look, I have to be at Heathrow by six tomorrow 

morning so I can't stay out too late, but we could have dinner somewhere if you like. I 'm afraid I don't sleep with people on a first date, but I'll only be away for a few days, so play your cards right –'

'Honestly, are you ever serious? I was thinking of Bev!'

'Excuse me,' said Kai, 'are you being serious? Is this baby-making, desperate-for-a-man Bev we're talking about?'

Bugger, thought Ray, who had forgotten he'd told Kai about that. It was like trying to sell someone pleurisy.

'What?' Bev demanded, popping up behind Kai right on cue. 'Who mentioned babies?'

Ray sighed. Honestly, she did herself no favours.

'Jelly babies,' Kai told Bev. 'I was just saying, the green ones are my favourite.'

'Mines orange. So, is he coming over?'

'Who?' said Ray.

'Your chap!'

'He can't make it. He has . . . stuff to do.'

'Oh well, never mind. Time I was making a move anyway.' Sunday night was leg-waxing night for Bev. She beamed at Kai. 'Still, it's been fun, hasn't it?'

Florence wheeled over to them.

'I've been looking at this one here.' As she addressed Ray, she patted Kai's arm. 'Imagine him with his hair slicked back. Wouldn't he make a marvellous Orlando?'

'What's going on here?' Kai's dark eyes narrowed. 'That's the second time I've heard the name. Who is this Orlando?'

'Hi, it's me again,' said Ray, grinning at Max as Hiro picked up the phone. 'The coast's clear. Bev just left. It's safe to come over.'

Across the room, Max rolled his eyes like a mad man and said teasingly, 'Well, relatively safe.'

'I'll be there in twenty minutes,' said Hiro.

Dolphin-san: Laughs Florence is such a flirt! It's getting close now, isn't it? Hiro's on his way over and Max is there, and Ray's none the wiser! You'll just have to wait and see what happens! The next chapter shouldn't take long, like I said, being on holiday gives me a chance to let my creative side out!

Ja Ne .