The First Mistake(57)

‘So an investor is going to buy them through you and you’re then going to sell them on to someone who is honestly going to pay that kind of money?’ I found myself asking.

‘Pretty much. I’ll take my ten per cent commission on each transaction and everybody’s happy.’

I looked to Mum, trying to read her mind.

‘Why can’t we buy the wine?’ I don’t know if I meant my thoughts to be aired publicly.

‘What?’ exclaimed Thomas, though I noted Mum stayed silent. ‘Where are you going to find that kind of money?’

I glanced at Mum again and she gave me a nod.

‘We can do that,’ I said. ‘It will pretty much wipe us out, but if it’s only for twenty-four hours, and comes back fivefold, it would have been a very good day’s work.’

‘It would certainly mean I could get all the work done and not have to worry anymore,’ chipped in Mum.

Thomas looked from Mum to me and back again. ‘This isn’t the right deal for you, Mary. It needs to happen faster than you would be able to manage and, I don’t know, it just feels . . .’

‘I can make the transfer first thing Monday morning,’ she said, sitting up straighter in her chair, as if she really meant business.

‘I think you should start smaller,’ he said. ‘There will be plenty of other opportunities. I’ll know the right one when I see it.’

Her whole body seemed to shrink, as if somebody had released her air valve.

‘We want to do this one,’ I said adamantly. ‘If you’re absolutely sure that we can double our money . . .’

‘At the very least,’ he said.

‘Then I want to do it,’ I said. ‘We want to do it. Mum?’

‘If you’re happy, then I’m happy,’ she said.

Thomas smiled and shook his head. ‘You two have enough chutzpah to serve an army.’

Mum and I looked at each other, taking it as a compliment.

‘But if that’s what you want . . .’

‘Absolutely,’ I said, before turning to Mum and laughing. ‘And if it all goes wrong, I’ll sell the flat and reimburse you.’

‘I might hold you to that,’ she said, smiling.





26


The alarm went off, waking me from a dream I was having about Prince Harry. We were holding up a bank, demanding money, with sawn-off shotguns. His balaclava fell off and he quickly put on a mask instead, but it was his picture on the mask. What was that all about?

‘Wakey, wakey,’ said a sleepy voice beside me.

I groaned. It couldn’t be time to get up – I was sure I’d only just gone to sleep.

‘I don’t want you to go,’ Thomas said in my ear as he spooned me from behind.

His words jolted me, reminding me that in a few hours’ time I’d be on a coach, trying to convince thirty children not to eat too many sweets, and holding a sick bag for those who didn’t listen.

‘Can’t you tell them you’re really ill?’

‘No!’ I exclaimed as I pushed myself up. This was hard enough without him putting pressure on me. ‘That’s not who I am.’

He reached over to stroke my bare back, sending tingles down my spine. ‘But it’s a big day today. Once the deal’s gone through, we need to go out and celebrate.’

I’d momentarily forgotten about what else was happening today. Maybe that’s what my dream was about. Was it a warning?

‘We can do that on Friday night,’ I said, leaning in to kiss him. ‘We’ll have lots to celebrate then because we’ll officially be living together as well.’

‘Mmm, don’t forget to leave me a key. I’ll take the next few days to move my gear across.’

After dropping Tyson at my mum’s, we’d spent yesterday clearing out the spare bedroom to create some space for Thomas’s stuff, though he assured me he didn’t have much. Still, I wanted him to feel as if this was his home as much as mine, so gently encouraged him to bring whatever he wanted.

‘Will you let me know as soon as Mum’s money hits your account?’ I said, as he kissed me at the door. I don’t know what I felt stranger about; leaving him at my place, or having him in possession of my family’s life savings. Good job I trusted him.

‘I’ll keep you posted every step of the way,’ he said. ‘In an ideal world, both ends of the deal will happen today, but if your mum’s money doesn’t clear then we might be looking at tomorrow.’

‘And then we’ll really have something to celebrate,’ I said, smiling. ‘I love you.’

He kissed me deeply. ‘Love you too. I’ll see you on Friday.’

‘Hey Mum,’ I said into the phone, once I’d gone around the corner and lost sight of Thomas.

‘Hello darling, you okay?’

‘Yes, I’m just on my way into school.’

‘Looking forward to the trip?’

‘Yes and no,’ I said, honestly. ‘If it was a normal week, I would, but Thomas is moving a few of his things into the flat and—’

‘Is he now?’ she teased. ‘So, this is getting serious.’

‘I should hope so,’ I laughed. ‘You’re just about to give him a hundred and fifty thousand pounds!’