A quick search, and I found the hotel Sullivan had booked for me. It wasn’t the Ritz, but neither was it as shabby as some I’d stayed in. It was clean; the bed was comfortable, and the TV was huge. The bathroom was palatial compared to the one in the flat, and I couldn’t wait to step under the spray and wash away the grime from travelling. I planned on ordering room service and calling Harvey.
The way I left him in the lurch wasn’t sitting right with me. It couldn’t be helped, but I wanted him to know how sorry I was about the way it had worked out.
I stood under the hot spray for much longer than I should have. My hair hung like rats’ tails around my shoulders, and I wished I’d had time to have it cut. I’d shaved, leaving a fashionable amount of stubble, so I didn’t look completely homeless. Maybe if I took a couple of inches off my hair, it wouldn’t look so bad. I searched around for some scissors, but there were none, and I couldn’t be arsed to go out again. It’d have to do.
I wrapped a towel around it and slipped into the white bathrobe that hung on the door. I could get used to this.
I put my feet up on the bed and turned on the TV. I flicked through the channels, finding nothing of interest. Televisionnever really interested me. I didn’t have one in the flat and couldn’t see the need. I had my music, and that was all I needed.
I checked out the menu and ordered a burger and chips. I hadn’t had a good one of those in ages, and when it arrived, I dug into it with enthusiasm. Fuck, it was good. I washed it down with a bottle of sparkling water from the minibar. I eyed the vodka, even held it in my hand, but decided against it. I needed a clear head for the morning. I didn’t want to sign anything under the influence, and if I drank one, I wouldn’t stop.
Now for the hard task, even more difficult than not drinking.
At least I’d remembered to put my phone on charge. Not that anyone had called. Sullivan had texted, asking if I’d arrived safely and to tell me a car would pick me up at nine.
This was so fucking surreal. How had I even got here?
I took another drink and pulled up Harvey’s number, waiting to call a man I barely knew, but one who had touched me so deeply with his story of loss and abandonment. My heart hurt for him and all he’d been through.
They said scars ran deep, and none ran deeper than his.
I pressed call and put the phone to my ear. It rang several times before he answered.
“Hey, Harv. I’m sorry about tonight.” Why was I nervous?
“You need to be there. It’s important.”
“But so are you.” And he was. How that had happened in this short space of time, I didn’t know.
“Really? You’re not just saying that?”
“I say what I mean. Don’t you know that about me?” But maybe he didn’t. There was still a lot about each other that we didn’t know. I hoped we’d have the chance to rectify that.
“Where are you?”
“A hotel in London. Nothing fancy.” I looked around the room. Definitely nothing fancy.
“Not the Savoy, then?”
“Nah, I’m not that important. It’s part of a chain, so it’s generic. Bed, TV, shower. That’s about it.”
“Room service?” I could barely hear him. What was he doing?
“Yeah, I had a burger. Pretty sure it wasn’t as good as the restaurant we were going to.” It had filled a gap, though.
“Hmm, maybe.”
“Are you okay, Harv? You sound a million miles away.” Was he not interested?
“Sorry, I was drawing. Just something I had an idea of today. I’ll take you off speakerphone.”
The line became clearer.
“Ah, that’s better. What are you drawing?”
“A new tattoo, maybe. Not sure yet. I’m still working on it.”
“Do I get a sneak peek?”