Summer Of Love. Sophie Pembroke

against Max’s desk. ‘He’s a photographer, and he’s looking at renting our empty unit.’

      ‘A photographer? I thought he was an accountant.’

      ‘That too,’ Alex said, shrugging. ‘The photography’s a newer direction for me.’

      ‘You got a portfolio? Don’t know what Lily’s told you, but we’re a proper collective here. We vote on newcomers. They’ll want to see your stuff.’

      ‘Of course. I’m still building up my portfolio at the moment. Lily suggested that maybe a few of your artists would let me take some shots of their stock. For free, of course.’

      That hadn’t been her suggestion; it had been his. But Alex had obviously noticed Max’s fondness for her, and was playing up to it. Clever man.

      ‘Maybe.’ Max glanced up at her and she knew he wasn’t fooled at all. Motioning towards the chair on the other side of the desk, he said, ‘Have a seat, Alex.’

      Max’s office was tiny; it barely had room for the desk and two chairs already there, so Lily perched on the windowsill to watch the exchange.

      ‘So, you want to be a photographer?’

      Alex nodded. ‘That’s the plan.’

      ‘I heard you were making good money in the City. Great money, even.’

      ‘Good enough, yes.’ Alex’s shoulders were looking stiffer, now, Lily realized, biting her lip.

      ‘So what happened?’ Max asked, eyebrows raised.

      ‘I decided it was time for a change in direction.’ The words came out clipped. Alex never had liked explaining himself to people. It was one of the things that had got him into so much trouble as a kid. But if he wanted to be part of the collective… Well, she was afraid he’d have to learn. There was nothing the collective liked to do more than talk about stuff.

      ‘Kind of a drastic change.’ Max leant back in his chair, eyes still fixed on Alex. ‘In my experience, that sort of change is usually preceded by some sort of disaster making it necessary.’

      ‘Not in my case. My father died. Makes a man re-evaluate things.’ Alex’s hands were clenched against his thighs as he spoke, and Lily realized she really needed to intervene if she didn’t want him to lose it with Max and blow his chance of a place at the Mill.

      ‘I’m sorry to hear that,’ Max said, but he didn’t look abashed. In fact, he looked like he thought he’d been proven right.

      Was he? Was Alex just taking action to distract himself from his father’s death? Or even because he thought it was what his dad would have wanted? Would he give up and move back to London in a few months, once the grief started to fade?

      Cora was worried he would, Lily knew. But then, Cora hadn’t heard him talking about his dream on becoming a photographer. Lily had.

      ‘Alex has been taking photography courses for the last couple of years,’ she said, pushing herself off the windowsill and closer to the desk. Maybe if she flung herself across the desk between them…

      ‘Is that so?’ Max said, eyeing Alex again. ‘So, you’ve been planning this move for a while?’ Since before your dad died went unspoken, but Lily knew she’d got her point across.

      Alex nodded, and Lily let out a breath as his shoulders began to relax. ‘I knew I wanted to make a change, but it wasn’t until I found photography that I knew what I wanted that change to be.’

      ‘So you’re here looking for a whole new life?’

      Alex’s smile was self-deprecating. Lily didn’t believe it. ‘I’m thirty now. I’m ready to move out of the City, ready to settle down.’

      Max’s eyes flicked to Lily for one alarming moment. She tried to take a step back before realizing she was already up against the window frame. There was nowhere else to go.

      ‘Sounds like you’re looking for a wife, son,’ Max said.

      ‘Maybe.’ Alex grinned. ‘But I’ve got a new career to build up first.’

      ‘Well, we’ll have to see what we can do about that.’ Max turned to Lily. ‘You think he’d be a good fit?’

      ‘I do.’ Lily flashed a smile at Alex. ‘Besides, he’s fun to have around.’

      Pushing his chair back from the desk, Max got to his feet. ‘Get a portfolio together this week, and I’ll take it to the next co-op meeting, on Thursday.’

      Alex stood and stretched a hand out across the desk. ‘I’ll have it to you before Monday.’

      ‘As you like. I’ll see you then.’ Max gave him another assessing look. Definitely time to get out of there.

      Grabbing Alex’s arm, Lily shuffled him towards the door, calling her goodbyes over her shoulder to Max and only relaxing when the office door swung shut behind them.

      Max was going to want to have another conversation very soon. One she was looking forward to even less than the last one.

      * * * *

      ‘So, that went well, right?’ Alex asked when they reached the bottom of the stairs and stepped out into the courtyard, a safe distance from Max. He wasn’t a hundred percent sure exactly what Max had made of his career change, but it was obvious that Max trusted Lily. With her on his side, Alex reckoned he had an excellent chance of making this work.

      ‘I think so. Yes. Probably.’ A small frown line cut into Lily’s forehead. ‘Yes. I think so.’

      Alex laughed. ‘Don’t worry. If your influence isn’t enough, hopefully my portfolio will win everyone over. Especially since it’ll feature their own stuff – including your beautiful jewellery.’

      Lily blushed as if he’d called her beautiful, rather than her work. Interesting. That was the sort of fact he’d have tucked away to do something about later, back in London. But not in Felinfach.

      ‘I’m sure your photography skills will win them over,’ Lily said.

      ‘You haven’t seen them yet,’ Alex pointed out.

      ‘Well, then. You’d better get started, hadn’t you?’ Her eyes were bright with excitement. He supposed she was thinking about the Mill, and how having all the units filled would be good for them all. Whatever the reason, it felt good to have a companion in this, someone to share his ambition.

      ‘I really better had. I’m going to head home, dig out my equipment from the packing boxes. But I’ll meet you at the shop tomorrow to take some shots?’

      Lily nodded. ‘Then I can introduce you to the rest of the guys here. Bet you can charm them into voting you in, anyway. Whatever Max says.’

      Alex grinned. ‘Maybe I can.’ Her belief made it easier, somehow. Like, with her cheering him on, he could do anything at all. It was a good feeling. Better, in some ways, than the feeling he used to get from a new romantic conquest. Lily might not be on the market for that kind of fun, but having her as a friend seemed like it might be worth a lot more.

      They said goodbye at Tiger Lily, and Alex strolled through the iron gates and back down the hill towards town, whistling.

      He was almost in sight of his car when his phone rang, and he fumbled in his pocket to pull it out. Frowning, he saw his brother’s name flashing across the screen and checked the time automatically. Still working hours. Gareth never called him from work.

      He pressed the answer button. ‘Hey, what’s up?’

      ‘Can’t a guy call his baby brother for a chat of an afternoon?’ Gareth’s tone was light, but something in his voice sounded strained.

      ‘Historically? No.’ Reaching the car, Alex leant against the door, the metal warm from the sun. ‘So, I’ll ask again, what’s up?’

      Gareth