Today I am taking part in the blog tour for Annabel Kantaria's blog tour for her novel The Disappearance! The Disappearance by Annabel Kantaria is out on the 21st April by MIRA.
‘You’ve changed.’ Janet taps her teaspoon on the saucer of her coffee cup and looks thoughtfully at Audrey across the table. They’re once again in Bombelli’s—it’s become their regular post-supper haunt, with Janet making no secret of the fact she hopes that she, too, will meet her own rich lover among the clientele.
‘In a good way, I hope!’ Audrey laughs, but even she hears the question in her voice. She lifts her cup to her lips and takes a tiny sip.
Janet pouts thoughtfully. ‘You’re more confident.’
‘That’s a good thing, isn’t it?
’Yes. Yes, of course. And you look amazing. You’re glowing.
‘It’s the sex, Audrey thinks. She looks at her coffee. ‘Well, I do feel better than I have in months. Years! Oh Janet, he’s the best thing ever to have happened to me. Honestly, I always used to think how could so many terrible things happen to me—surely it was my turn to have some good luck—and along came Ralph!
’I’m so glad you’re happy,’ Janet says, but Audrey sees a hardness in her friend’s eyes. She looks at her closely; it’s not jealousy—it’s something else.
‘Thank you,’ she says. ‘He’s just so…’ Audrey waves her hand in the air, struggling to articulate how she feels about Ralph—how different he is; how her love for him consumes her. ‘I don’t know: perfect?
‘Janet touches Audrey’s hand. ‘Just be careful. All right?’
‘What do you mean “careful”? I’m on the Pill. ‘
Janet tuts. ‘Not that kind of careful. Well—that kind of careful too. Just don’t lose yourself in all this.’ She stops talking but Audrey doesn’t reply. ‘It’s just—there’s something about him. I don’t know.
‘Something about him? Looks, personality, charm—where do I start?’
Audrey tinkles a laugh. ‘Not like that. I mean, he’s too good to be true. Men like him just don’t exist. Trust me, I’ve a lot of experience. ‘Janet gives a rueful laugh.
‘In a good way, I hope!’ Audrey laughs, but even she hears the question in her voice. She lifts her cup to her lips and takes a tiny sip.
Janet pouts thoughtfully. ‘You’re more confident.’
‘That’s a good thing, isn’t it?
’Yes. Yes, of course. And you look amazing. You’re glowing.
‘It’s the sex, Audrey thinks. She looks at her coffee. ‘Well, I do feel better than I have in months. Years! Oh Janet, he’s the best thing ever to have happened to me. Honestly, I always used to think how could so many terrible things happen to me—surely it was my turn to have some good luck—and along came Ralph!
’I’m so glad you’re happy,’ Janet says, but Audrey sees a hardness in her friend’s eyes. She looks at her closely; it’s not jealousy—it’s something else.
‘Thank you,’ she says. ‘He’s just so…’ Audrey waves her hand in the air, struggling to articulate how she feels about Ralph—how different he is; how her love for him consumes her. ‘I don’t know: perfect?
‘Janet touches Audrey’s hand. ‘Just be careful. All right?’
‘What do you mean “careful”? I’m on the Pill. ‘
Janet tuts. ‘Not that kind of careful. Well—that kind of careful too. Just don’t lose yourself in all this.’ She stops talking but Audrey doesn’t reply. ‘It’s just—there’s something about him. I don’t know.
‘Something about him? Looks, personality, charm—where do I start?’
Audrey tinkles a laugh. ‘Not like that. I mean, he’s too good to be true. Men like him just don’t exist. Trust me, I’ve a lot of experience. ‘Janet gives a rueful laugh.