‘Maybe,’ she conceded, wanting to be kind, although she could see that giving him hope might not be the best idea.
The car slowed and pulled up in a car park beside a small country house hotel set in neatly manicured grounds.
‘Wow, where’s this?’ She stepped out of the car, letting Deano help her and taking his gallantly offered arm. ‘I never knew this place existed.’
‘Used to be a lunatic asylum,’ said Deano with a grin. ‘Scrubs up nicely, doesn’t it?’
‘No way? This is Pitfields? Didn’t it used to have all those huts all over?’
‘They got demolished, I suppose, when it was sold off.’
‘And now it’s a hotel for rock stars.’
She looked up at the ivy-covered front, then at Deano, and laughed with enchanted glee. What a life she was leading!
‘Well, you don’t have to be a rock star to stay here,’ he said, squiring her up the front steps. ‘But it helps.’ His teeth shone, perfectly even and white in his smile.
Kayley enjoyed every minute of being shown into the hushed, luxurious dining room, especially the way nobody even looked twice at her shabby tracksuit and minging old trainers. If she was here with Deano, she was legit. No further vetting necessary.
‘Well, I’m honoured to have you as my guest, Kayley,’ said Deano, once they were seated with knees weighed down by the heavy damask tablecloth. ‘Would you like a drink?’
‘I know it’s only lunchtime, but could I have some champagne? I didn’t get to drink any myself last night, you see, ’cos I was working, and it was killing me. I’ve only ever had it once, at my cousin’s wedding, and it’s gorgeous.’
‘Whatever the lady wants …’ Deano ordered a bottle from the hovering waiter.
‘This is random,’ she said, once the bottle had arrived and the glasses were filled to the brim with bubbles. ‘Drinking champagne with Deano Diamond. As one does.’ She giggled, still unable to bring her head down from the clouds it had entered a little while ago.
‘One should do it more often,’ said Deano, taking a sip. ‘How did you get the gig with Jenna? Do you know her from back in the day?’
‘Yeah, vaguely. My sister was a mate of hers at school. She used to come round to ours. I was the pesky little sister who tried to spy on their conversations.’
Deano laughed.
‘Did you hear anything worth knowing?’
‘Nah, mainly they were just doing each other’s make-up and gassing about Take That. Boring really. You’d never have known she’d turn out like she did. She was dead normal.’
‘And then she met me.’
Kayley smiled, but a little tightly. She knew Deano wanted to steer the conversation back to Jenna, and she wasn’t comfortable with it. All the same, she meant to make the most of her bonus lunch with the stars. Or star.
‘What’s lobster like?’ she asked hopefully when the waiter returned to take their order. ‘Is it like prawns? ’Cos I love them.’
‘Try it and see,’ said Deano, turning to the waiter and ordering two dressed lobster salads. ‘So, did you fill in an application form?’ he said, once the waiter was out of range.
‘What?’
‘For the job. Jenna’s assistant, or whatever you are. Was it advertised at the Jobcentre?’
Kayley fidgeted with a sterling silver napkin ring.
‘No, of course not.’
‘She just thought of you and gave you a call?’
‘I was working at the youth club. I thought you’d have known. She came to me about funding some new equipment. Hey, and she was going to do that talent show thing you were on about up there, but she pulled out, and so will you if you know what’s what.’
‘Really?’ Deano raised perfectly plucked eyebrows. ‘Why?’