Miranda's Big Mistake - Jill Mansell [57]
`Jelly babies,' Danny told Bev. `I was just saying, the green ones are my favourite.'
`Mine's orange. So, is he coming over?'
`Who?' said Miranda.
`Your chap!'
`He can't make it. He has… stuff to do.'
`Oh well, never mind. Time I was making a move anyway.' Sunday night was leg-waxing night for Bev. She beamed at Danny. `Still, it's been fun, hasn't it?'
Florence wheeled herself over to them.
`I've been looking at this one here.' As she addressed Miranda, she patted Danny's arm. `Imagine him with his hair slicked back. Wouldn't he make a marvellous Orlando?'
`What is going on here?' Danny's dark eyes narrowed. `That's the second time I've heard the name. Who is this Orlando?'
`Hi, it's me again,' said Miranda, grinning at Chloe as Greg picked up the phone. `The coast's clear. Bev's just left. It's safe to come over.'
Across the room, Chloe rolled her eyes like a mad woman and said teasingly, `Well, relatively safe.'
`I'll be there in twenty minutes,' said Greg.Chapter 23
`You'll really do it?' Florence was delighted. `You'll be Orlando for an evening?'
`Why not? I've always wanted to be a gigolo.'
Danny grinned; the idea appealed to his journalistic instincts. Human reactions were what interested him more than anything. Particularly the meaner ones.
`You won't be able to wear those clothes,' Miranda pointed out.
`Look, who's the master of disguise here,' said Danny, `you or me?'
`Couple of gold chains around your neck,' Florence prompted.
`Shiny shirt,' said Chloe.
`Skin-tight trousers, pointy patent-leather shoes. With heels,' Miranda added with relish.
`This isn't Saturday Night Fever,' said Danny.
`He's right, he mustn't be cheap and slimy,' Chloe told Miranda. `Bruce and Verity wouldn't fall for it. They know Florence would never go for someone like that.'
`Okay, good clothes.' Reluctantly, because cheap and slimy would have been more fun, Miranda began ticking
each item off on her fingers. `You'll have to borrow an Armani suit or something.'
`Thanks.' Danny exchanged a look with Florence. `One gold chain,' said Chloe. `One's enough.'
`Bit of fake tan,' said Miranda. `Ooh, and a diamond ring on your little finger! You can tell them it was a gift from your last lady friend.'
`Go on then,' Danny gave her an encouraging nod, `lend us twenty grand.'
`Cubic zirconium,' Chloe said promptly. `Argos catalogue. Let me know your size,' she told Danny, `and I'll pick one up.'
Miranda wrinkled her nose.
`They still cost money.'
`You take it back to the shop and get a refund,' Chloe explained. She was loving every minute of this. `When are you going to do it?'
`Next weekend?' Florence looked at Danny. `Is that okay with you?'
`Fine. You sort out the details and I'll speak to you when I get back from the States.' Danny stood up. `And now, I'd better make a move.'
When Tony Vale had left earlier, he had shaken hands - somewhat sweatily - with each of them in turn. Now, Miranda watched Danny bend and give Florence a kiss on the cheek, before moving around the table and doing the same to Chloe. Having mentally prepared herself - after all, she was next in line - she was miffed when he left it at that. All she received was a wink and a broad smile.
Miranda's toes clenched with irritation. What had the wink been, some kind of consolation prize? Even moreembarrassing, she'd been tilting her head at an about-tobe-kissed angle, and now she had to pretend she'd simply been stretching her neck.
Men! Honestly, how pathetic were they? Danny Delancey was happy enough to bestow meaningless kisses on wrinkled old women - sorry, Florence - and ones who were pregnant, but when it came to real girls, girls like herself, he couldn't bring himself to do it. He was intimidated by the fact that she had a boyfriend. Scared, probably, that Greg - who was due to arrive at any minute - might burst through the door and challenge him to a duel.
`Is your neck okay?' said Danny.
Wimp.
`Just pulled a muscle.' Miranda carried on massaging vigorously, to prove that she hadn't been