One In A Billion (13 page)

Toby brought the knife, the matches again to sterilise it, and Alice brought the plasters to patch up their handiwork afterwards. Toby went first, cutting into the skin on the top of his index finger and screaming as he went, load enough to raise a roost of birds from the top of the trees. When he was done, and blood was already swimming down his thumb, he handed the knife over to Alice. He'd cut deep enough for the blood to come out quite freely, and Alice was worried that he'd really hurt himself.

Alice took the knife, pressed it to her skin and closed her eyes.

'I can't do it', she said. 'You do it for me.'

She handed the knife back to Toby. 'Are you sure', he said.

'Make sure it doesn't hurt', Alice said, and Toby took her hand in his.

'Are you ready?' Toby asked, pressing the knife to the skin of her finger, blood already dripping onto it from his own cut.

'Do it', Alice said, and Toby slid the knife across her skin.

Alice screamed. The pain was immense. She looked down at her finger, and the blood now trickling out of the cut at the top. It hurt just to look at it, and she felt immediately light headed.

'I need to sit down', she said, more falling than sitting.

'Are you ok?' Toby said, worry making his voice streaky. He stabbed the knife into the wood of the tree house and sat down next to her.

'I'm ok', Alice said. Wow, that really hurt.'

'I told you it would', Toby said. 'Here.'

He took her hand in his uncut one, turning it upwards.

'Are you ready?'

'Blood friends forever?' Alice said.

'Blood friends forever', Toby said. 'Whatever happens.'

'Do it', Alice said, and Toby pressed his bloody finger down onto hers.

Chapter 8

I would have been skipping all the way home, except I wasn't going home, and I wasn't walking. I was going to my parents house (late again of course), and Devizes called for Jackson to take me there. Before all of that, before I sat round the family table, a smile so big on my face none of my brother's shit could remove it, Devizes showed  me around his modest flat, we took a spa circuit together (jacuzzi, sauna, plunge pool, bonk in the heated swimming pool underneath the water fountain), he showed me his collection of exotic fish and dangerous animals (poisonous arrow frogs, snakes and spiders as big as my hand, piranhas too), we had breakfast (continental), and he looked at my book.

'But hang on', he said. 'You've already published it.'

'It was self published', I said. 'Vanity press.'

'Oh', Devizes said.

'Oh exactly', I said.

'I like the cover, Alice Cartright', he said, taking care to pronounce my name. 'So, what's it about?'

'It's a love story', I said. 'It's the best love story that ever happened. Ever.'

'Mmmhmmm', he said.

While he read the blurb on the back, I watched his face closely for a reaction. He didn't give anything away. A raise of the eyebrows, a curl of the lips, nothing more.

'Ok', he said. 'I like it. I'll take it to my publishing house and get one of the editors to have a look at it.'

'Really?'

'Yeah, of course, really. They may want to make a few changes here and there. Direct it more specifically at the right market, you know, that kind of thing.'

'Right', I said, a little unsure. 'What kind of changes?'

'Oh you know, nothing major I'm sure', Devizes reassured me. 'Did you have an editor take a look at it?'

'No', I said. 'I couldn't afford to.'

'Well there you go. They'll take a look, tidy up punctuation and grammar, and tell me if they can publish it. Of course I may just tell them to publish it anyway. They won't do anything major to it unless you okay it beforehand. I have to say though, these people are some of the best in the business. I guess you're already familiar with the kind of authors we work with right?'

'Absolutely', I said. 'It's just, it's kind of like my baby.'

'Every good writer has a better editor behind them', Devizes said. 'I think Truman Capote said that once.'

'I think Truman Capote edited his own work', I said.

'Alice, don't worry about it', Devizes said, and kissed me. 'You're going to get your book published.'

'Might.'

'Where there is a will, there is a way', Devizes said. 'And where there is a will, a lot of cash and a man who owns a publishing house, there is definitely a way.'

James passed me the bread, as my news carved a thickening scowl of disapproval across his face.

'But is it a real publishing house?' he said, unable to believe that someone had accepted me.

'Yes it's a real publishing house', I said.

'And this guy is a billionaire?' dad said. 'smells fishy to me.'

'It's not really the same is it?' James said. 'I mean, sending your book to a publishing house and having them accept it is different to sleeping with the boss so he'll print it for you.'

'What's sleeping with the boss?' Charlie said.

'I'll tell you later', Vicky whispered to him.

'Why can't you just be happy for me?' I mumbled, almost too tired of trying to bother continuing to search for their approval.

'We are proud of you sweetie. It's just it's happened so fast, that's all. Plus it's better to wait until you know for sure whether it's going to be published or not', mum said.

'Mum's right', James said. 'It's better not to get your hopes up.'

James gave me a shit eating grin so I mouthed the words 'fuck off' to him, which got me a slap on the wrist from mum.

'So who is he then?' dad said, chasing a pea around his plate with the end of his fork.

'Devizes Carter', I said.

'Devizes? He's named after a place in Wiltshire? What's his middle name, Kent?'

Charlie and Sam giggled, but nobody else did.

'I don't know, I'll ask him for you. Or you can ask him yourself if you like.'

'Ooooh', dad said. 'This sounds serious.'

'It could be', I said, and went a little bit red.

'Alice is in love', dad teased. 'Look Pam, it's written all over her.'

'Stop teasing her Peter.'

'Yeah well, it's early days yet, but I like him', I said.

'How many days is it sis?' James said. 'This could be a record for you.'

'At least I don't have a lump of coal where my heart should be.'

'At least I don't fall in love as soon as someone shows me a little bit of affection. What did he do, buy you dinner, flash a wad of cash and you automatically dropped your knickers?'

Sam and Charlie giggled, while James raised his eyebrows at me.

'Mum', I said. 'Doesn't he get a smack for that?'

'He's just looking out for you Alice', mum said, while she stroked James's arm fondly. Bloody golden boy couldn't do anything wrong.

'No he's not', I protested.

'I am', James lied. 'I don't want you to get hurt. Even if it gets you your book published, it's not worth it.'

'Thank you James, but I can look after myself.'

'Which book is it?' Vicky said. I could punch that woman for her stupidity sometimes.

'I expect the only one she's ever bloody written', dad said, now mopping up gravy with a chunk of bread. 'In how many years?'

'It's Fallen Away Vic, and for your information dad, I'm half way through another book.'

'James writes a handful of books a year, and he's got a proper job to do too', dad quickly retorted.

'Dad!' I said, shocked by his lack of sensitivity.

'I don't know why it takes you so long, that's all.'

'James writes children's books, and I've got a proper job too. In fact I work more than James does.'

'I don't think it's quite the same thing', mum said.

'How is it not the same thing?' I said.

'Well it's not really a career is it?' dad said.

'Fine, it's not really a career', I said, finally giving up. 'I've had enough of trying to convince you all. When the book's published I'll be sure to let you all know.'

'Pudding anyone?' mum said, breaking the stuffy silence that had descended like a rain cloud over the room.

Sophia, bless her, was much more supportive. She was genuinely excited about the prospect of me having my book published by a bona fide publishers. She was one of the first people to read it, and actually one of my only friends to buy the book when it was released - my parents didn't even do that. Sophia was also extremely interested in listening to every single juicy detail about what had happened on my date with Devizes, proud that I'd finally found someone that I liked.

'You know', she said when I was done, 'you sleep with more people you've only just met, than I do.'

'That's impossible', I said. Sophia slept with a hell of a lot of people after all.

'Ok then, what's the longest you've known someone for before sleeping with them?'

'I don't know', I said, 'A year maybe.'

'Who?'

'Alex from work', I said.

'You slept with him a week after he started', Sophia quickly pointed out to me.

'George then', I said. 'I get the two mixed up.'

Sophia looked at me suspiciously.

'What's your point?' I said. I knew Sophia wasn't judging me, she would never do that, but I did wonder why she was asking me.

'Just curious, that's all. I read some statistic about married couples that said those ones that stayed together the longest were the ones that had been friends a long time before fucking.'

'Where did you read that?'

'A fetish website.'

'What about you then?' I said. 'How long is the longest?'

'Six years', Sophia said proudly.

'Are you lying to me?'

'No', Sophia said. 'The guy I lost my virginity to, Tyler, I knew him all the way through school.'

I wasn't sure whether Sophia meant primary school or secondary school, but I didn't dare ask.

'And the shortest?' she said.

'You definitely win on that count', I said.

Sophia threw a cushion at me.

'Sleep with anyone last night?' I asked her.

'No', Sophia said, shaking her head mischievously. I could tell she was lying.

'It's my dad's book launch next Friday', I said, changing the subject. 'Will you come along to it with me? I could do with the company.'

'What about your billionaire?' Sophia asked.

'He's already got some function or something, but he said he'd make it up to me.'

'Make it up to you?' Sophia said. 'You mean anal sex?'

I threw the cushion back at her.

'Not everyone's got as dirty a mind as you', I said, smiling.

'I know you're thinking about it', Sophia said, 'you just don't like admitting it.'

'Let me get the basics out of the way first', I said. 'I've only had one date with him after all.'

'Well whatever it is, or whatever it's going to be, I hope it makes you happy', Sophia said.

'Having my book published and falling in love, those are the two things that would make me happy.'

'Just give me good sex, and I'm there', Sophia said.

'You're such a liar. I've seen the way you look at Tad. The way you snuggle up to him when you watch a film together. The way you hold on to him by the hand like you're scared he might pull it away and leave you stranded.'

The cushion came back to me, while Sophia laughed. 'Shut up!' she said, going red.

'Sex is important', I said, 'but it's definitely not everything.'

'I bet you couldn't live without it though, even if you were in love.'

'Yeah you're probably right.'

'I'm not rostered on for Friday night', Sophia said, checking her phone. 'What time is the book launch?'

'8pm', I said.

'Can I bring Tad?'

I couldn't help but laugh. 'Yeah of course you can bring him, I'm sure the launch could do with some colour.'

***

The week dragged. Devizes and I spoke briefly by phone, but we didn't see each other at all. He was out of the country on business for three days, and then had a series of meetings when he got home. I hadn't realise it would be by so much, but I missed him while he was gone. He called me from his hotel room in Zurich, voice full of excitement, and the conversation was so brief and a little bit mysterious that it just left me wanting more.

'Can you get next week off work?' he said.

'Not really at such short notice, not unless I'm sick', I explained.

'Can you be sick?', he said. 'I've got a surprise for you.'