Johnny Be Good Read Online Free PDF Page B

as he says while he opens the bottle and slides along beside me. I edge away from him a little.
    ‘I’m not going to bite.’ He gives me a sidelong glance and pours a couple of glasses of red. We eat in silence for a short while, looking down at the view. The smog has lifted and the sky is changing colour from blue to orange as the sun sets before us.
    He still hasn’t answered my question.
    ‘So, Paola…’ I try again.
    He takes a large mouthful of pizza.
    Oh, I give up. And now I seem to have lost my appetite. Eating pizza is the last thing I feel like doing in front of Johnny Jefferson.
    ‘You done?’ he asks, as he finishes his third slice.
    ‘Yes, thanks.’ I push my plate away.
    He reaches into his pocket and pulls out his fags, tapping the filter end of one on the tabletop before lighting it. He swivels to face me, resting his knee casually on the bench seat. I glance at him nervously.
    ‘You seem tense,’ he says.
    ‘I’m not tense,’ I lie.
    He raises one eyebrow and flicks his ash onto his plate. Yuck. I get up and go to the bar area, bringing back a glass ashtray I spotted in there yesterday. He flicks his ash in it and grins at me. I look away.
    ‘You are definitely tense, chick.’
    ‘I’m not tense,’ I deny again, this time a little irritably.
    He chuckles softly and slides the ashtray closer to him. I notice his fingertips are rough and calloused, I guess from playing his guitar.
    ‘So what did you get up to today?’ he asks.
    ‘Um, just sent out some emails introducing myself. Little bit of fan mail, that sort of thing. And I have a bunch of interview and photoshoot requests which we must go through.’
    ‘You’ve already told me that.’
    ‘Oh. Sorry.’
    ‘S’okay.’
    We fall silent again. I reach for my wine and take a sip.
    I wish I didn’t feel so jittery. I’m usually quite composed. I sit up straighter with determination.
    ‘Did you get hold of Serengeti?’ I ask.
    ‘Yeah.’ Pause. ‘She’s cool.’
    ‘Glad to hear it. I really liked her in Highlights & Lowlifes ,’ I reveal.
    ‘She’ll be delighted to hear it,’ he says, knocking back half aglass of red wine in one gulp and glugging some more into his glass. ‘Top-up?’ he offers.
    ‘Thanks.’ I slide him my glass. ‘Have you seen her new movie yet?’
    ‘No.’ He shakes his head. ‘Going to the premiere on Thursday.’
    ‘Wow! That must be so cool!’
    ‘I’ll get you a ticket. You can come, if you like.’
    ‘ Really? ’ I practically squeal.
    ‘Of course,’ he calmly confirms.
    ‘I wonder if Kitty’s going?’ I think aloud.
    ‘Who’s Kitty?’
    ‘Rod Freemantle’s PA,’ I answer.
    ‘Aah, yeah. The one you were MSN-ing earlier.’
    I try again. ‘You never answered my question about Paola. Why did she leave?’
    Johnny shrugs. ‘Just wasn’t for her, I guess. You’re a nosey little thing,’ he says, tapping another fag out onto the table.
    I don’t reply, instead just swirl my wine around in my glass as though I haven’t heard him.
    ‘I wanted a Brit,’ he explains.
    ‘Someone from Britain?’
    ‘That’s what “a Brit” means, yeah.’
    ‘Why?’ I ask, undeterred by his sarcasm.
    I don’t think he’s going to answer for a moment, but then he speaks.
    ‘Ah, you know…I kinda miss the UK. Nice to have a little piece of it here. Not that I’m calling you a piece,’ he adds quickly.
    I laugh. ‘Do you get home very often?’
    ‘Not often enough,’ he replies.
    ‘Why is that?’
    ‘It’s a bit of a marathon to organise these days. And the tabloids over there are fucking awful. They won’t leave you alone.’
    ‘It must be hard,’ I muse.
    ‘Can’t really complain. Not when I’ve got all this.’ He motions around him.
    ‘It must still be hard, though.’
    He shrugs.
    ‘Do many friends from home come to visit?’ I ask.
    ‘Sometimes, yeah. In fact, my mate Christian is coming this weekend.’
    ‘Really? In time for the gig?’
    ‘That’s