Chapter 4 – Busy

The next few weeks passed in a blur of activity. Bobby oversaw the renovation of the warehouse and the construction and fitting out of the various workshops within it. Young people could learn how to fix cars, use computers, cook, sew, build, do carpentry, look after children, take care of their health, improve their basic skills and generally make themselves more employable. Both young men and young women were to be encouraged to study the skills usually associated with the other sex.

Bobby had plenty of contacts, and was soon able to sign up tutors for every subject. Before he knew it, he was ready to open the centre.

He and Louise Gardner had had meetings at least three times a week, but he had managed to keep his feelings under control. They seemed to be on the same wavelength about everything, but when it came to the grand opening of the centre, they had their first disagreement. Louise wanted to recruit a famous face from the city, Bobby wanted Louise to do the honours.

“We need someone with a high profile, someone the kids can relate to,” said Louise.

“And you fit the bill exactly,” Bobby replied.

“I have worked very hard to keep a low profile for all these years,” Louise countered. “And anyway, there’s an iconic actor who’s willing to help us out for free.”

So it was agreed that Sam Deed would cut the ribbon, but both he and Louise would make speeches.

“You can have two minutes maximum from me, Bobby,” she finally said.

I’d need a lot more than two minutes, thought Bobby, then squashed the thought to the back of his mind in the hope that it would die from lack of sustenance. How could he harbour such ideas about an innocent, sweet, thoughtful, generous young woman.

The big day arrived, and Bobby fussed around making sure that everything was perfect for the opening ceremony. A bunch of young people from the Projects had been chosen as the first recruits, and they turned up trying to look hard, but only succeeded in looking vulnerable.
Louise and Sam Deed arrived on a motorbike. He was a hero to the boys, a heart-throb to the girls. But Bobby had eyes only for Louise.

She was dressed from head to toe in soft black leather, tight-fitting and sensuous. Bobby lost track for a moment of the programme he had so carefully planned.

Suddenly two things struck him: Sam Deed was like a younger version if himself – tall, big-built and dark; and Deed and Louise were probably an item.

Bobby felt bereft. Throughout the proceedings, he watched them carefully. He listened as they praised one another in their speeches. OK, Louise praised him as well. But his eagle eyes were watching out for evidence of his theory. He just couldn’t find any. Did they even know one another before she approached him to open the centre? There were smiles all round, but no intimacy, no secret looks.

He had always assumed that Louise lived and breathed her charities, and had no social life outside the good works she performed. He would have to put his detective skills to work and see if he could find any indication that her heart was engaged anywhere.

At last the ceremony was over, the centre was closed up for the night ready for the start of its various projects in the morning. Sam Deed had gone off on his bike, but Louise wasn’t with him. She had stayed behind with him and the caterers to get everything cleaned up for the next day. As he locked up the building, the last to leave, he saw her waiting outside, leaning against his car.

“Give a girl a lift?” she asked.

“You looked dressed for a bike rather than a car,” he said.

“That was a good entrance we made, wasn’t it?”

“You didn’t tell me you had something like that planned,” Bobby replied.

“You’d arranged so much, Bobby, I had to give you one surprise.”

More like a shock, thought Bobby. He said, “You want that lift? You’ll have to lean up off the door.” Bobby opened the door for her, gentleman that he was, and closed it when she had climbed in. Once in the driver’s seat, he asked, “Where to?”

“You mean, your place or mine?” Louise said. He turned to look at her. She was smiling broadly. She was joking then.

“After all these months of working together, I don’t even know where your place is,” he told her.

“Looks like your place then,” she said, a lot more calmly than she felt.

“Don’t make fun of me,” Bobby said, “I don’t think I deserve that.”

Her face turned serious. “I’m not making fun. I mean it. But perhaps you...” He saw her bottom lip quiver for a moment before she regained her immaculate self-control.

“My place it is then,” Bobby said, started the car and drove off.