Chapter 50

Inside the Winter Gardens were two conference halls and a bar. In the larger of the halls was the main stage, on which a local band was performing a medley of hits from the eighties and nineties. The second, smaller hall housed a temporary casino. All the men were dressed in fine tuxedos, while the women wore elegant ball gowns. None of them, in Adam’s opinion, looked as elegant as the girl on his arm.

Eddie and Cassie were waiting for them at the far end of the foyer by the entrance to the bar. It took Adam and Chloë a while to reach them because people kept stopping them to congratulate Chloë on her Oscar.

“You’re not going to let all this adulation go to your head, are you?” Adam whispered.

Chloë looked in his eyes and held his stare and Adam didn’t need her to answer any other way.

“Good. Now, shall we get a drink and then lose a few quid in the roulette table?”

“Sounds good to me.”

Chloë insisted on buying the first round of drinks. She confessed after they left the bar that she felt more comfortable waiting for service at the bar than standing around with people constantly saying Well done and You’re fab.

“At least no one’s asked you for autographs yet,” Adam said.

“That’s only because they don’t have a pen or paper with them. I saw the barman searching for one after I’d paid. That’s why I ducked out quick and didn’t wait for the change.”

“And I thought you were just being generous,” said Eddie.

“Well, that too,” Chloë giggled.

They forced their way through the throng of people milling around in the foyer and entered the makeshift casino. It had been decorated in reds, golds and blacks and there were lots of leather seats and velvet drapes. To the right of the entrance was a bank of slot machines, to the left were several card tables.

“Do you reckon they’re playing poker or blackjack?” Eddie asked Adam.

“It doesn’t matter,” Cassie said before Adam could reply. “You’re not going on them. If you do, I won’t see you for the rest of the night.”

“Yeah, but I’ve been practising on the internet. I’m really good. It’s how I built up my summer fund. I swear I could double it tonight.”

“You could lose it all too. That fund is supposed to take us to Ibiza. You promised, remember?”

“Yeah, but—”

“No buts. And no card games.”

“I want to play the game with the dice,” said Chloë. “Over there, look.”

“You’ll have to wait your turn,” Adam said.

“I don’t mind.”

“Fine. Let’s go then,” said Cassie. “But we’re having a go on the roulette after that.”

They left the casino an hour later and, surprisingly, a little richer than when they’d entered. Chloë had had a run of luck at the craps table and the good fortune had continued on the roulette wheel. They headed back towards the bar to get refills.

“I need to pee first,” said Cassie, who was a little drunk.

“I’m glad you told me that,” said Adam. “My life is complete now.”

Cassie slapped him playfully. “Shut up, you.”

Chloë shook her head. She handed Adam some of her winnings. “Here, go and get a bottle of champagne and four glasses.” She took Cassie’s arm. “Come on. I need to go too.” She dragged her away and shouted back to Adam over her shoulder, “I’ll meet you in the main hall. Tina should be on before too long.”

Eddie left Adam to get the drinks while he went to find them a table in the main hall. As he was waiting by the bar, someone tapped Adam on the shoulder. He turned around and had to catch his breath.

“Wow! You look ... You look ... Wow!”

“I know. It’s for you, you know,” said Kim

“For me?”

“To show you what you’re missing.” She raised her eyebrows and flashed him a very dirty smile.

“Look, Kim, I ... I should tell you—”

“It’s okay. I saw you come in with her.” She shrugged. “It’s your life. I guess. You can mess it up if you want.”

Adam tried to keep the fire out of his voice when he said, “And you’ll be there waiting to pick me up, I suppose.”

“Maybe. Maybe not. To tell the truth, Adam, I knew you’d go back to her. That’s why I made sure I didn’t come alone tonight.” She called over her shoulder. A man approached who towered over Adam. His chest was about the size of two normal men and the biceps bulging under his jacket must have been as thick as Adam’s leg. “This is Scott.”

Scott held out a hand. “Nice to meet you.” His voice was so deep it could have cracked icebergs. “You’re on Kim’s course, right?”

Adam nodded.

With a smile the size of a small village, Scott said, “Excellent.” Adam felt a bowel movement being brought on by the bass in Scott’s voice. “You’re the one that’s knobbing that famous bird, right?”

Adam nodded again, fearful that his own voice would sound like an eight-year-old girl in comparison.

“Cool. Bet that’s cool.” He nodded like a toy dog on the parcel shelf of a car as he walked away.

“Are you serious?” Adam asked when Scott was out of earshot. At least, he hoped he was out of earshot.

Kim shrugged again. “Why not? He’s got stamina like you wouldn’t believe and his—”

“I don’t want to know. I just don’t want to know. Where did you find him?”

Kim smiled her dirtiest smile. “I’ve had him waiting in reserve. He’s been after me all year. I couldn’t wait forever, Adam. You look after yourself.” She walked away, leaving Adam to order the champers.

Carrying the unopened bottle in one hand and four flutes in the other, Adam left the bar and went back to the main hall. It was a versatile venue, used for everything from political conferences to pop concerts and art exhibitions to basketball games. He’d only been to the Winter Gardens twice before. When he visited Westmouth after sitting his exams the previous year, he’d attended the final-year art student’s exhibition. The foyer had been occupied by an award-winning sculpture at the time. The smaller hall had hosted a large array of paintings, but the cavernous main hall had been filled with everything from abstract sculpture to classical portraits. The second time he and Chloë had been to see a stand-up comedian. On that occasion, a stage had been erected on the far right of the hall and there were tiered rows of seats that afforded everyone a good view.

For the ball, a small staircase led up from the main double-door entrance to a platform filled with large round tables that took up almost two-thirds of the room, wrapping around the lower-level dance floor on three sides.