Page 65 of In the Frame

“Too right.” He’s smiling. Michael has amazing poise. Life as a dancer will do that for someone.

“How did you get used to all of this?” I ask, leaning in slightly. “Because I’m very much feeling like I’m the boy from the village. Even though I have a job as a bartender now at Ivan’s. I feel totally out of my depth.”

“Ivan’s—amazing, congrats. Obviously, you know what you’re doing.”

“I don’t think it’s that obvious, to be honest. More like a mirage. Just because the Blue Lion has a great reputation doesn’t mean I do, specifically.”

Michael laughs. “Have faith, Matty. It gets better. And I’ve seen you working at the pub, and your cocktails were delicious. At any rate, I was lucky that when I went to the ballet school, everyone was new to the school, and I had a built-in cohort to get to know in London. But it was hard at first. Starting from scratch like you are is going to be hard if you don’t know anyone at all.”

“I sort of know someone.” My cheeks grow warm.

“Now, this is the sort of news I’m into.” Michael leans in, mirroring my pose, tracing condensation on his pint of lager. “Spill.”

A sigh escapes me. “I somehow met a business investor who knows nothing about art through work at Ivan’s, and now he wants to redevelop my friends’ art collective space for flats.”

He blinks and chews his lip. “That escalated quickly.”

“I’ll say.”

“Well… how did you meet someone like that in the first place?” Michael looks curiously at me, as if any kind of explanation might be a reasonable one.

“I dumped a tray of drinks on him at work. By accident. He was a patron. Then we got stuck in a lift together when I offered to loan him a suit. You know, the usual way you meet someone.”

He looks impressed. “Wow.”

“Yeah. We were trapped for hours, I guess long enough to use any oxygen up in the lift because we came up with this mad scheme to make a plan to be fake boyfriends. And we’ve had a couple of dates.” I cough. My face is on fire.

“And?”

“Things, um, escalated?”

“Sounds hot.” Michael chuckles, leaning back in his chair. He works on his pint. “What’s his deal?”

“I’ve got no idea, other than knocking down buildings and redeveloping sites. Hostile takeovers. I don’t fully know.” I frown. “Anyway, I told him he shouldn’t mess with the Rose & Crown, and he didn’t back down.”

“That is a complication,” Michael concedes.

“Which has pretty much put an end to things. We were supposed to have one last date. I don’t know. It’s a gala for his ex-boyfriend’s charity. Which will be incredibly awkward on its own. Never mind his business plans for the studios and gallery.”

“So what are you going to do?”

I shake my head slowly. “If only I knew. It would be easier if things stuck to being a hundred percent fake between us. But they didn’t, and now I don’t know what’s real and what isn’t. He was all harsh, at first. Now that I’m getting to know him, he’s actually a kind person? Except it’s even worse because now he wants to redevelop a hub of the art community. It’s a gut punch.” Which is putting it mildly. It’s more like Florian’s eviscerated me. I don’t know what to do.

“That’s a lot,” Michael concedes. “Well, you could forget him. London’s full of hot guys. You’ll find another.”

“It has you, for starters,” I tell him fondly, feeling bittersweet, thinking about Florian. I work on my drink. “How are things going?”

“Good. I’m dancing a lot, had a class and a rehearsal today, plus a costume fitting. The Royal Ballet’s been a dream for me.”

I nod. “It’s amazing. I can’t believe I forgot you’re here in London ’til now.”

“Well, I’ve been gone for a while, and you were in Brighton. And you’ve only been here a few weeks, right?”

I nod. “Dating anyone?”

Michael shrugs. “Not properly. Casual dates. Nothing serious. I had a boyfriend, but he left me for Birmingham.”

I laugh, then look immediately apologetic. “Sorry. I shouldn’t laugh.”