I'm Normally Perfect (re-upload)

Chapter Fifty-Two

'At least we'll get to go into London for a bit first--that'll be nice.'

It was nice, actually. We took the train down and first I did a radio show to promote the Ireland and Northern Ireland bit of the tour. I was lucky to have the same interviewer from my first radio interview, Roger Collins. Boy, did that seem like ages ago. We shook hands and I put on my headphones. After he introduced me to the listening audience he asked, 'You're going to be visiting the country where you were born, how's that feel?'

'All right. My friend Alex is very excited about going over there, as she says it's beautiful, so I'm looking forward to it. I'll miss England loads, though, I mean, that's home, you know.'

He smiled, 'Of course, and how long is your tour going to last?'

I knew he knew, he was only asking so I could tell the audience, 'A month. Three weeks in Ireland and one week in Northern Ireland.'

'And what do you think of the situation over there?'

Boy, ask me a loaded question, why don't you? 'I can see both sides of it, if that makes sense.' I prayed he wouldn't press further than that.

He nodded, 'Absolutely. And how is your new book coming on?'

I nearly sighed with relief that he'd let the political thing drop so easily. 'Well. We're set for an autumn press date.'

This was obviously news he hadn't heard and he beamed. 'Isn't that good news?' He seemed to genuinely believe it was, as well.

'My editor seems to think so, yes.'

He laughed, 'I'm sure he does. And the boyfriend situation?' I only raised my eyebrows, unsure what he meant precisely. He clarified, 'Are you seeing anyone.'

'Nope, still a hermit.'

He laughed again, 'So those rumours about you and Graham Whitney...'

He trailed off for me to take over and I said, 'Absolute rubbish.'

He smiled and nodded, 'We've heard that he's spent the evening at your house in Oxfordshire, is there any truth in that?'

I wasn't sure how to answer that. I wasn't going to tell the world that he had been sleeping with Alex. 'He has had dinner at my house, yes.'

He arched an eyebrow, 'And that's all?'

'He's a friend of my friend Alex.'

He nodded, 'Ah, yes, the Oxford professor.'

'Yes, that's the one.'

He seemed to get what I was saying and nodded and moved on, God bless the man, 'So tell me about your new book...'

The rest of the interview was easy questions and when I walked out into the lobby Alex gave me a big hug, 'You did wonderfully, sweetheart.'

'Thanks. It was all right? What I said about Graham?'

'It was fine.'

I exhaled, 'Good, now it's just the signing tonight.' I was set for a seven pm signing at Foyle's, which I was looking forward to in a way, as that was one of the places Alex and I had gone to the first day we met.

'We're to meet with Simon first for dinner.'

I groaned and she linked her arm through mine and dragged me off.

When we walked into the restaurant the maitre d recognised me and immediately showed us to our table. Alex said to me, 'Publicity isn't so bad, now is it?'