I knew it. He’s not coming.
“You’ve never wanted to see Venetia Carter, have you?” My words tumble out. “ You’re prejudiced against her! Well, fine! You go and do your business things and I’ll go on my own!”
“Becky…” He lifts a hand. “I’m coming to the appointment.”
“Oh,” I say, mollified. “Well, we’d better go. It’s twenty minutes’ walk.”
“We’re going by car.” He heads back into the office and I follow him in. “Iain’s on his way down from the hotel group meeting. He can pick us up, we’ll have a very quick meeting in the car, then I’ll join you.”
“Right,” I say after a pause. “That sounds OK.”
Actually, it sounds awful. I can’t stand Iain Wheeler; the last thing I want to do is sit in a car with him. But I can’t say that to Luke. There’s already a slight situation over me and Arcodas.
Which was not my fault. It was Jess’s. A few months ago, she got me into leading this big environmental protest against them, when I had no idea they were Luke’s new, important client. Luke turned the whole thing round into a positive PR exercise and the Arcodas people pretended they had a sense of humor about it — but I’m not sure I’ve ever really been forgiven.
“And I’m not prejudiced,” Luke adds, straightening his tie. “But I’ll just tell you now, Becky. This obstetrician woman will have to be pretty damn good for us to cancel Dr. Braine.”
“Luke, you’re going to love her,” I say patiently. “I know you are.”
I reach into my bag to check that my phone’s charged, then halt as I spot something on Luke’s desk. It’s a clipping from the financial pages about some new unit trust, with “Baby fund?” scribbled in the margin.
Ooh!
“So, you’re thinking of putting the baby’s money in a tracker fund, are you, Luke?” I say carelessly. “Interesting decision.”
Luke looks taken aback for a moment, then follows my gaze.
“Maybe I am,” he says in equally nonchalant tones. “Or maybe it’s a double-bluff to fool the spying opposition.”
“The opposition doesn’t need to spy.” I give him a kind smile. “She has her own brilliant ideas. In fact, if you need any tips, I’d be happy to help. For a small fee.”
“That’s quite all right,” he says politely. “Going well, is it, then? Your own investment.”
“Brilliantly, thanks. Couldn’t be better.”
“Excellent. Glad to hear it.”
“Yes…that recent Japanese farming investment I made was fantastic….” I clap a hand over my mouth. “Oops! Said too much!”
“Yup, Becky. You really fool me.” Luke grins. “Shall we go?”
We emerge from the building and Luke ushers me into Iain’s black Mercedes limo.
“Luke.” Iain nods from his seat by the window. “Rebecca.”
Iain is a thickset guy in his early forties, with close-cropped salt-and-pepper hair. He’s quite good-looking, actually, but has terrible skin which he covers up by having a Permatan. And he wears too much aftershave. Why do men do that?
“Thanks for the lift, Iain,” I say in my best charming-corporate-wife manner.
“No problem.” Iain’s gaze drops to my swelling stomach. “Been eating too many pies, Rebecca?”
Ha-ha.
“Something like that,” I say, as pleasantly as I can.
As the car pulls away, Iain takes a slurp of his take-out coffee. “How long to go before the big day?”
“Seventeen weeks.”
“So, how do you fill the time until then? Don’t tell me — yoga classes. My girlfriend’s become a yoga nut,” he adds to Luke, without giving me a chance to answer. “Load of bollocks if you ask me.”
Honestly. Number one, yoga is not bollocks, it’s a way to channel your spirit through the chakras of life, or whatever it is.
And number two, I don’t need ways to fill my time, thank you.
“Actually, Iain, I’m head personal shopper at a top London department store,” I inform him. “So I don’t have too much time for yoga.”
“A department store?” He swivels in his seat to regard me. “I didn’t know that. Which one?”
I really fell into this one.
“It’s…new,” I say, examining my nails.
“Called?”
“It’s called…The Look.”
“The Look?” Iain guffaws in disbelief and nearly drops his coffee. “Luke, you didn’t tell me your wife worked for The Look! Business slow enough for you, is it, Rebecca?”
“It’s not that bad,” I say politely.
“Not that bad? There’s never been a bigger retail flop in history! I hope you’ve got rid of your stock options!” He guffaws again. “Not counting on a Christmas bonus, are you?”
This guy is really starting to annoy me. It’s one thing for me to be rude about The Look; they’re my employer. But it’s quite another matter for other people to be rude.
“Actually, I think The Look is poised for a turnaround,” I say coolly. “We’ve had a shaky start, I’ll grant you, but all the basics are there.”
“Well, good luck.” Iain’s face is creased with amusement. “Word of advice? I’d be looking for another job.”
I force a smile, then turn to look out the window, seething. God, he’s patronizing. I’ll show him. The Look could be a success. It just needs…well. It needs customers, for a start.
The car draws up to the sidewalk and the uniformed driver gets out to open the door.
“Thanks again for the lift, Iain,” I say politely. “Luke, I’ll see you in there.”
“Uh-huh.” Luke nods, frowning as he clicks open his briefcase. “I shouldn’t be too long. So, Iain, what exactly was the problem with this outline?”
As the driver hands me out to the sidewalk, both men are already engrossed in paperwork.
“Will you be all right from here?” The driver gestures at the corner. “Fencastle Street’s just round there, only I can’t get right to it because of the bollards.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll be fine walking from here. Oh, except I’ve forgotten my bag….” I reach back into the car, where Iain is talking.
“When I want that kind of decision taken, Luke, I’ll fucking take it.” His harsh tone takes me by surprise and I see Luke flinch.
It’s just unbelievable. Just who does this guy think he is? Just because he’s some business bigwig he thinks he can be rude to anyone he likes? I want to get straight back into the car and tell him exactly what I think of him.
But I’m not sure Luke would appreciate it.
“See you soon, darling.” I squeeze his hand and pick up my bag. “Don’t be long.”
I’m a bit early for the appointment, so I take the opportunity to reapply my lipstick and give my hair a quick comb. Then I head to the corner and turn into Fencastle Street. There’s a big impressive stucco building about twenty yards ahead, with Holistic Birth Center, Venetia Carter engraved on the glass. And on the opposite side of the street is a cluster of photographers, their lenses trained on the door.
I stop dead, my heart beating faster. It’s paparazzi. They’re all clicking away! Who are they — What are they—
Oh my God. It’s the new Bond girl! She’s walking toward the building in a pink Juicy strapless top over jeans, with a definite bump showing. I can hear the cries from the photographers: “This way, love!” and “When’s the baby due?”
This is so cool!
