Miranda's Big Mistake - Jill Mansell [141]
`Look at the state of us.' She pulled despairingly at her hair and gazed at Johnnie's crumpled rugby shirt and jeans. `They're never going to let us in, not in a million years.'
Johnnie thought for a second; this clearly hadn't occurred to him either. A few moments later he switched off the
ignition, leaned across the car and took Bev's face carefully between his hands.
Her muddy face, now free of foundation and blusher and powder and God-knows-what-else. Those bright eyes, minus all the layers of shadow and gunky mascara. That soft, oh-so-kissable mouth. And the hair the colour of ripe corn, no longer sculpted into one of those don't-touch-me chignon things but falling loosely around her shoulders.
God, he loved hair that just fell like that.
`You look beautiful. You are beautiful,' said Johnnie. `I knew you would be.'
This was so ridiculous Bev didn't even try to argue. The man was clearly deranged.
`We're still not going to be allowed into the restaurant,' she said sadly.
`Maybe not.' Johnnie swung open the driver's door. `But they'll let us have a room.'
`Better now?' he said forty minutes later when Bev emerged from the bathroom wrapped in one of the hotel's white velour dressing gowns.
`Heaven.' Pink, scented and still gently steaming, Bev collapsed on to the sofa and took the glass of wine he held out. Gosh, it was amazing how much more you appreciated a hot bath when you'd actually done something to earn it.
`My turn now.' Johnnie dropped the menu into her lap. `Choose what you want to eat, then ring down and let them know. By the time I'm back out, dinner will be here. Oh - and order another bottle of wine.'
He was lovely. Muddy, but lovely, Bev now realised. How could she ever have thought he was a pig?
By nine thirty, dinner had been cleared away and it was time to start making a move.
`Two hours to get home,' Bev groaned. `Work tomorrow I bet I'll ache like anything. Honestly, nobody's going t(believe it when I tell them what I did today.'
`You were a star.' Johnnie gave her arm a squeeze.
Uh oh, more physical contact. Bev felt her heart break into a gallop.
`I still can't believe I actually enjoyed it. You don't mind then, that I killed you?'
`I forgive you.' Johnnie was smiling, surveying her as i something was on his mind.
`What?' said Bev. Thump, thump, thumpety thump. `Nothing.' He flapped his hand, embarrassed. `If I told you, it would only sound stupid.'
`We've talked nonstop for the last three hours. Don't clan up on me now!' Bev twisted round, pulling her legs up unde her and covering them with her dressing gown.
`Er…' Johnnie gestured discreetly in the direction o her cleavage.
`Oh, sorry.' Realising she was now somewhat agape further up, Bev tugged the lapels together. `Anyway, carry on. You were saying?'
`Well… just that sometimes you meet someone am you know that they're the kind of person you could.. you know…
`No, I don't know,' breathed Bev, beside herself with frustration. `Could what? Could what?'
Johnnie closed his eyes, feeling himself start to chicken out. God, he'd waited years for this moment and now he was about to lose his bottle. How bloody typical was that?
`What I mean is, sometimes you meet someone and you can just picture how they'll be in twenty years' time.' This was semi-bottling out. Veering away from what he'd meant to say, without changing the subject altogether. Oh well, that was allowed, wasn't it? Better than starting to talk about the weather.
`And?' Bev gazed at him eagerly, her lips slightly parted. `Can you picture me?'
Johnnie smiled. `Oh yes. Bowling along in your Range Rover with a carful of Labradors and strapping, noisy, rugby-playing sons.'
Without warning, Bev burst into tears. How could be possibly have known that? It was her fantasy, four sons had always been her fantasy and she'd never told a living soul.
`How many?' The tears stopped as suddenly as they had appeared.
`Three boys. And a baby daughter,' said Johnnie, his smile broadening as he pictured them. `They'll spoil her rotten, of course.'
`I don't believe in any of that