Page 101 of Jessica Beam is a Hot Mess
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Falling in love with your chosen chap can feel like flying – enjoy this sensation, you have certainly earned it. But do be careful not to lose your head. A Good Woman must remain focused on the goal.
Matilda Beam’s Guide to Love and Romance, 1955
After approximately two hours of sleep, I wake up at six a.m. and immediately call Valentina.
‘Hello?’ comes a bleary voice. Valentina sounds half asleep. I thought all successful people woke up very early? That’s what Summer always said whenever I slept in past ten a.m.
‘Yo, Valentina. It’s Jess. Sorry to wake you, I’ll bell again later.’
‘Jess? I’m awake, stay right there.’ I hear some shuffling about and Valentina clearing her throat. ‘Jess Beam, you delicious kitten. Lovely to hear from you. How are things?’
‘I had another date with Leo last night.’
‘Great, did he take you somewhere fabulous this time? The Ivy? He’s very fond of the Ivy—’
‘No, we went to the National Gallery.’
‘Oh! Really? He always visited the gallery alone when we—’
‘Look, I wanted to ask you, Valentina, did Leo ever talk to you about his mum?’
‘No, no he didn’t. He rarely shared anything of his past, as I remember. Why do you ask – wait . . . did he . . . did he talk toyouabout his mother?’
‘Yup.’ I put the phone onto loudspeaker and place it on the duvet beside me.
There’s a gasp on the other end. ‘Gosh, that’s very unusual. He’s such a closed book of a man.’
‘Did he talk to you about his art?’
‘His art? What art? Do you mean his adverts?’
‘No, his sketches.’
‘Leosketches? Sketches what?’
‘I don’t know, I only saw one. Of an old man in a boat.’
‘A man in a boat? Was it good?’
‘It was amazing.’
‘Gosh, Jess. Gosh. He never toldmehe liked to draw, not in six weeks. And he shared this with you?On your second date?’
I nod, even though she can’t see me. ‘We talked about it a bit, yes. And then he told me he liked me. That he found merefreshing. That he’s never, um, met a woman like me before. Is this normal?’
There’s a pause. And then, in a very excitable tone of voice, Valentina says, ‘It isnotnormal. This out-of-the-ordinary behaviour can only mean one thing.’
‘What’s that?’
‘Matilda Beam’s 1950s romance tips must be working. They must be workingmagic. I suspected they might, but this is beyond! Matilda must be thrilled. Wow. Keep on doing what you’re doing, clever Jessica,’ Valentina continues happily. ‘The scoundrel Leo Frost deserves everything that’s coming to him.’
‘Does he? Does he definitely?’ I ask, a slight spike of guilt darting through my chest.
Valentina laughs knowingly, the sound of it blasting out of the loudspeaker and echoing through my room. ‘Oh, he might be showing you a different side now, Jessica, but think of all the women before you. The ones whom he cast aside, treated like trophies, didnotshow his sketches to. You’re doing this for them. For women all over London. Be strong. You are a warrior, Jessica. Awarrior.’
I think about all those broken hearts. Broken hearts are dangerous things. I think about my mum’s broken heart.
