The World According to Vince - Jane Harvey-Berrick Page 0,52
for you, too. And you’ve got the offer from Central Park Zoo to be their Patron.”
I still hadn’t made any decisions—except one. “I definitely want to do another fashion show next year—that was brilliant fun!”
“It really was,” she nodded enthusiastically. “I’ll help you.”
Suddenly, I was so fookin’ happy, I had the very unfamiliar desire to cry.
I sniffed loudly. “Yeah, cheers. That would be great.”
Gracie smiled. “I think you prefer dogs to people.”
“I’ve never been treated badly by dogs.”
Clever Gracie didn’t miss anything. She didn’t call me on it, she didn’t tease me: instead, she stood on tip toe and planted a quick kiss on my cheek.
We carried on walking and didn’t talk about anything important—it was the best day of my life.
At the dog park, I dropped off Tyson at the play run, then found a table in the café where we could watch him racing laps and playing with the other dogs. Tap snuggled on Grace’s knee and Zeus snoozed in the pet sling, worn out by the walk. I’d noticed that the little fella was slowing down and wanting to walk less. A twinge of sorrow settled in my chest. He was already about seven or eight when I found him; all I knew was that he’d needed a new home and a second chance. He was nearing 14 now and I hated to think that his days were numbered.
Shaking away the sadness, I smiled at the two beauties sitting across the table from me. Gracie was already studying the menu, a small frown on her face.
“I always have the blueberry vegan muffin,” I said encouragingly.
“Um, just a cappuccino for me, I think. After all, we’ve only just had breakfast and we’ve got the rehearsal dinner later.”
“Oh yeah. What time do we have to be there?”
“Four o’clock. Haven’t you looked at the schedule?”
“Meh, loads of time.”
She shook her head. “How can you go through life being so oblivious of deadlines? I know I can be a little OCD, but you, you’re just…”
“A manly hunk of loving?”
“I was going to say always last minute. I envy you in some ways.”
I blinked at the unexpected comment and gave her a half smile. “I don’t like being stressed.”
“But not being organized is stressful!” she argued.
“I am organized,” I disagreed. “I just organize myself at the last minute.”
She smiled uncertainly but was silent for several seconds. I took the opportunity to stuff half a muffin in my mouth.
“I’m thinking of leaving my job,” she said quietly, side-eyeing me as if I’d tell her she should chain herself to her desk until she retired.
“Great! When are you leaving? We’ll have a party.”
“I haven’t decided definitely,” she said hesitantly.
I leaned forward without squashing a snoozing Zeus, and took her hand.
“You know your problem, don’t you?”
“Yes,” she said snarkily. “You.”
“Nah, I’m the best thing since sliced bread. Your problem is you: you never know when to piss or get off the pot.”
She sucked in a shocked breath. “Excuse me?”
“You know … make a decision.”
She tugged her hand free and used it to stir her coffee. I don’t know why, she hadn’t put any sugar in it.
“You’re right,” she said simply without looking up. “It’s just, when I was a kid, I always felt like I was a day late and a dollar short. When I went to high school, I didn’t cope very well—so many kids who all seemed to know what they were doing and where they were supposed to be. Obviously most of them were faking it, I know that now, but I didn’t at the time. I forced myself to be more organized and that’s when my OCD kicked in and everything had to be done just so.” She gave a strained laugh. “I drove my parents crazy because everything had to be my way or I’d completely freak out.” She gave me a faint smile. “It might surprise you, but I’m not nearly so bad now. It did get bad when I left home for college and then I had to deal with my eating disorder, too. Therapy taught me that both conditions are all about needing to be in control, but that trying to be in control of life is not possible most of the time—all those curve balls, right? If it hadn’t been for Cady, I’m not sure I’d have made it. I want to leave Kryll Group, I know that, but I need to have my plan ready—it’s how I function, being in control as much as possible.”