Miranda's Big Mistake - Jill Mansell [130]
`That's Bev, our receptionist.'
`Is she always that friendly?'
`She was trying to protect me. Come on, let's go somewhere.' They were still being watched. `Now I know how it feels to be a panda in the zoo.'
Johnnie led her down a narrow side street and into a quiet, dimly lit wine bar. They ordered coffee and sat down opposite each other at a corner table. Johnnie sighed, pushing his fingers through his already dishevelled hair before leaning back in his chair and lighting a cigarette.
`I didn't know where you lived. That's why I had to come to the salon. He did finish with Daisy,' he said quietly. `In case you saw her weeping and wailing on the telly and were beginning to wonder.'
Miranda nodded, her throat aching.
`Thanks.'
`He really did love you, you know.' Johnnie drew hard on his cigarette. `The way he talked about you was amazing. I mean it, a real first.'
Miranda's nose was beginning to run with the effort of keeping her eyes dry. Surreptitiously she made use of a napkin.
`Sorry about this. Bev did warn me not to get involved with Miles. She said it would end in tears.'
Johnnie shrugged and shook his head.
`Yeah well, for me too. Look, the other reason I needed to see you was to find out if you want to go to the funeral. Because if you do, you can come with me.'
`I won't, thanks.' Miranda didn't even have to stop and think about it. She knew she didn't want to tag along incognito, and have to witness Daisy Schofield hurling herself across the coffin and generally playing star mourner.
Johnnie nodded, understanding.
`If you change your mind, let me know.' He patted her hand then reached into the back pocket of his decrepit corduroy trousers. `Oh yes, and I've got something for you.'
She took the copper pig, warm from Johnnie's pocket, and held it in the palm of her hand.
`Some lucky charm this turned out to be.'
`He won the race, didn't he?'
Miranda felt an uneasy squirming sensation in her stomach.
Was he wearing this when he had the accident?'
`No. The leather snapped after the race while we were all celebrating. Fairly riotously, I have to admit. Miles gave it to me to look after,' Johnnie explained. `So you see, it did bring him luck.'
His grey eyes were filling up. It was Miranda's turn to squeeze his arm.
`You're going to miss him so much.'
`Bloody hell, you think you're half prepared for it when your best friend's a racing driver.' Johnnie heaved a sigh. `But this is cheating, getting smashed into by a lorry on the fucking M1. It definitely wasn't meant to happen like this.'
At five to one, he walked Miranda back to the salon.
`Your minder's still got her eye on us,' Johnnie observed, as he held open the smoked-glass door and Bev - like Owl in Winnie the Pooh - swung round on her stool behind the desk.
`Thanks for everything.' Miranda hugged him again, her nose finally unblocked enough to be able to breathe in the scent of his Armani aftershave. She liked the contrast of scruffy clothes and sophisticated cologne.
`I'll be in touch,' Johnnie told her. Then, gazing steadily over the top of Miranda's spiky blue head, he said, `That's a bad habit, you know.' Bev, at whom this comment was directed, bristled instantly.
`What?'
`Biting your nails.'
Indignant wasn't the word for it. As she thrust out her hands, splaying her long fingers to prove beyond doubt that her polished acrylic nails were flawless, there was practically steam gushing out of Bev's ears.
`I never bite my nails,' she informed Johnnie icily. No rings on the relevant finger. Excellent.
`That's because they aren't real.' He smiled at Bev, having discovered what he'd set out to discover. `If you tried you'd probably break your teeth.'
`Oh dear, I'm getting that spooky dйjа vu feeling,' said Miranda. `It seems like every time the doorbell rings, it's you again, coming back to hurl a few more insults in my direction.' She eyed the bunch of pale-pink roses with suspicion. `Who are those for, anyway? Florence isn't here, Chloe hasn't had the baby yet and it's nobody's birthday.'
`Can I come in?'`Why not? You usually