Miranda's Big Mistake - Jill Mansell [120]
It was worrying and embarrassing at the same time.
Dialling 1471 didn't help. Predictably, all Chloe got was Number Withheld, which was frustrating because if she could have rung back whoever it was she would have been able to reassure them that there was absolutely nothing going on between her and Fenn.
Glancing at her watch, Chloe headed upstairs. She had promised to babysit for Bruce and Verity tonight and they wanted her there by six. Since she would be staying overnight, she needed to shower, pack a change of clothes and leave her own note for Miranda.
Chloe did this hurriedly, fifteen minutes later, without mentioning the phone call from one of Fenn's disgruntled girlfriends. It was too complicated to explain in a note and she didn't want Miranda to start winking and teasing herabout the top-secret, red-hot, oh-so-passionate affair she must be having with Fenn.
Anyone with an ounce of sense would know at once that there was nothing like that going on between them, Chloe thought ruefully, but it was an undeniable fact that she had been spending a fair amount of time recently with Fenn. And that, clearly, could be misconstrued.
Maybe it was time to take a step backwards.
Cancel the Harrods trip, for a start.
And give that Thai curry a miss.
Snatching up the red biro and the note she had already scribbled for Miranda, Chloe added:
PS Visiting my mother tomorrow, straight from Bruce and Verity's. Could you let Fenn know he'll have to choose his own carpets.
Pausing to read through the message and experiencing a strange pang, Chloe discovered that she had been looking forward to the shopping excursion more than she'd realised. She went hot all over at the thought that her hormones could be about to start running amok, that she might be developing some form of sad, pregnant-woman's crush on the first man in months to show her a bit of kindness…
Oh dear, all the more reason to put the brakes on, Chloe thought with a shudder of alarm. It simply hadn't occurred to her before now that this had been on the cards. That anonymous caller had been absolutely spot-on after all.
And thank heavens she did phone, Chloe breathed a sigh of relief, because at least now I know I have to keep my distance before it gets all out of control and embarrassing.
Basically she had to stop seeing Fenn for her own protection.
Gosh, anonymous caller, whoever you are… thanks.
`Coming in for a quick drink?' offered Miranda when Fenn dropped her home after work.
Fenn said casually, `Okay.'
But the house was empty.
`Gone!' Miranda held up the two messages like an indignant ice-skating judge. `Gone, both of them, and left me all alone. I ask you, how selfish and uncaring is that?'
Fenn, who had spent the last couple of hours planning how he would invite Chloe out to dinner on the pretext of discussing… um, windowboxes, said, `Actually, don't worry about that drink. I should be getting back.'
Never mind, at least he'd be seeing her tomorrow.
`Hang on.' Miranda was busy scanning the rest of Chloe's note. `This bit's for you.' She waggled it under his nose with irritating cheerfulness. `Hey, looks like you've been stood up. Want me to come and help you pick out new carpets? Nothing with glitter in, I promise.'
`Good of you to offer, but actually glitter was what I'd set my heart on. So thanks, but no thanks.' Fenn smiled his cool, detached, boss-like smile because he would rather walk barefoot over burning coals than let Mersey Tunnel-mouth Miranda get an inkling of how disappointed he was about Chloe.
`Ah, good evening, I'm conducting a survey on behalf of a well-known women's magazine-'
`Are you really? How exciting,' said Miranda.
`-and I wonder if you could tell me which men, in your opinion, make the best lovers: (a) zoo-keepers; (b) quantity surveyors; or (c) Formula