She didn’t know why she sounded so surprised. David was always flying around the world, meeting overseas teams and investors. Every month at least one of them was away for at least three or four days at a time. On the odd occasions that their work trips overlapped, David’s parents, who lived in Esher, stepped into the breach.
‘I go on Tuesday.’
Amy couldn’t help but feel relieved. ‘How long are you away for?’
‘Five days.’
She nodded. ‘Good. You’ll be back before I go to the States.’
‘So you’re still going? Even with Claudia off.’
‘It’s New York Fashion Week, David. I’ve got to put in an appearance.’
‘Of course you do.’
She wasn’t going to let him get away with it. ‘Do you have to go to Hong Kong?’
‘We’re pitching for a hundred-million-dollar piece of business.’
‘So that’s all right then. In the meantime, it doesn’t matter if I don’t show my face in front of the advertisers who spend hundreds of thousands of pounds with Verve every year.’
‘You’ve been happy to let Janice go in the past.’
‘Janice goes for the full week, but I’ve always shown my face and that’s never more important than now.’
‘Because of the Mode application.’
‘That’s right. Why don’t you just admit it?’ she challenged him.
‘Admit what?’
‘That you don’t really want me to get the biggest job in my industry.’
‘What are you suggesting? That I’m somehow emasculated by your success?’
‘You said it.’
‘Amy, I’ve supported you every step of the way. No one is more proud of what you’ve achieved than me. But look at where we are. Shipping our daughter off to my parents, reliant on nannies—’
‘Don’t bring nannies into this.’
‘Something has to give, Amy.’
‘And you think it’s my job.’
‘Unless you want to move house, downsize, take Tilly out of private school . . .’
She knew what he was saying. Her job was glamorous but not hugely well paid. Yes, there were perks aplenty, but perks didn’t pay the bills, or the mortgage on a smart house in Notting Hill.
‘This isn’t the time to talk about it,’ she muttered.
‘When is?’
‘I don’t know, but right now it feels like you’re shifting the blame, and conveniently avoiding what happened in Provence.’
‘Nothing happened, Amy.’
‘Just leave it.’