The Affectionate Player - Part1 (Editing Chapters 32-34)

Chapter 7

Fizzy Friday

Caitlin and I have been friends for fifteen years since meeting at her cousins wedding in her hometown, Cork. We'd hit it off immediately though the same could not be said of her and Andy. They'd shared mutual friends over the years having flown for the same airline but ironically had only ever shared one trip, much to her relief. Caitlin is cabin crew and Andy a pilot which for reasons she has yet to confide, had instantly made him unpopular.

While Caitlin and I had become firm friends, she and my ex-husband had barely seen eye to eye. Unfortunately this had meant while I was with him, our girlie get-togethers remained few and far between. Occasionally though I'd join her on one of her trips and that's how I got to visit Brazil last October. Needless to say when she learned of my divorce the news had been nothing short of God sent.

For almost two years she'd pleaded with me to go with her to Rio delaying her own desire to visit the statue of Cristo Redentor, but we did get to later appreciate it. In celebration of my decree nisi we booked our trip with Caitlin insisting we 'do it in style' on holiday.

Caitlin has remained a dear friend to me and even though we have our disagreements she gets me and I get her - it's probably the Celt in us. She's a true Irish girl always speaking her mind and you can be sure when she fires there'll be no missing the target. A fiery redhead with pretty grey eyes she's loyal, fun and totally confident, and I'm proud to call her one of my closest friends.

Following my separation she'd come to visit me in Sussex. She'd stayed for the weekend giving me no time to mope insisting we head straight to Brighton, and there in a hip seafront club we drank cocktails and danced the night away. It had been so much fun and the best time we'd shared in years. We'd laughed endlessly in our drunken stupor swearing there and then over a mouth-watering, 'Sex on the Beach', that we'd never let another man come between us. But it had been our next get together, when I eventually told her about Max.

Shocked yet thrilled her exact words had been, "I'm fecking delighted for you girl. You've had a grand seeing to! Does 'Mr. Hollywood' have any single friends?" Subtle as ever, she was.

Tonight she's arrived at my flat as only Caitlin could. Dressed in a cream and black satin bustier, tight black Capri pants and knee-high heels she looks utterly captivating and a force to be reckoned with. Her long auburn mane has been straightened to within an inch of its life and as is the norm, her makeup is flawless. Standing in my doorway she holds a bottle of Prosecco in each hand, a clear sign that she's definitely up for partying.

"Why aren't you dressed, girl? We are hitting the town tonight! No arguments," she adds, sauntering into the kitchen to collect glasses. Pouring some fizz Caitlin asks about my week and before long I'm confiding about my reunion with Max. Knowing now that I could lose my job, she gives me the 'be careful' talk and I'm relieved when she diverts the conversation by telling me about the sexy male passenger she met yesterday on the return flight of her work trip to India. His name is Rudi Patel, a film producer who's just finished promoting a film there.

"Feck Gracie, he has a luxury apartment in Knightsbridge where he lives when he's here in London and a grand place in Chennai. And before you say no, he's hosting a party in two hours and we're on the guest list! Can you believe it? He text me this afternoon to make sure we're still coming. Look!" She continues excitedly. "Look at him! He's gorgeous," she says, handing me her phone.

I'm briefly confused as to how she's obtained so many close-up photographs of a guy she met only yesterday but soon realise she's likely found them online and taken screen shots. Boy, has she got it bad! And without a doubt she's bang on the money. He really is a looker.