Miranda's Big Mistake - Jill Mansell [71]
`It's very you,' she told Miranda, deeply envious of her slim figure.
`Flighty,' Florence crowed, `and a bit tight.'
Miranda waved her glass happily.
`I prefer sexy,' she declared, `and exotic.'
The television was on in the corner. Florence was busy zapping through the channels in search of a weather forecast.
`I still say you should take a jacket, they were predicting
thunderstorms for this afternoon. Hang on, I'll get it on Ceefax-'
`Ooh, look, don't turn over!' Miranda let out a yelp of excitement. `It's Miles!'
The Canadian Grand Prix was due to take place in Montreal in just a few hours, and an informal pre-race interview with Miles Harper, the great British hope, was being shown. Seeing as it was Miranda's birthday, everyone turned to watch.
`He's so gorgeous,' sighed Miranda. Hastily she added, `Not that I fancy him, of course.'
`Not much,' said Bev with a grin.
`So the very best of luck, Miles, for this afternoon's race,' concluded the jovial motor-racing commentator, `from your millions of British fans…'
`Oh, shame.' Bev patted Miranda's arm. `And you thought you were the only one.'
`… drive safely…'
`Try not to get killed,' said Miranda. `Honestly, can you believe what Daisy Schofield said last week?' She shook her head in disgust. `I still can't get over that.'
`Total bitch,' Bev agreed as the commentator wound up the interview.
Florence, with the remote control poised, said, `Okay if I go on to Ceefax now? Only, if it pours with rain and your butterflies shrink, you'll be arrested.'
`The really irritating thing is, I was sure she wouldn't leave me a tip. And she did,' Miranda marvelled. Bev winked at Chloe.
`What, like, "Don't get too fond of your racing driver boyfriend in case he dies"?'`Better than that,' said Miranda, `she gave me a tenner.'
The mention of money reminded Chloe that in her handbag was the card and present she had bought this morning for Miranda. It wasn't much - she couldn't afford a great deal - but she hoped Miranda would like the stained-glass photo frame.
Handbag, handbag - there it was, where she had left it, on the table over by the window.
`Looking for something?' Fenn had intercepted her gaze, but Chloe was already levering herself upright.
One casual glance out of the window was all it took to suck the air from her lungs and send her mind reeling with shock.
Outside, emerging from his car in the street below, was Greg.
Okay, thought Chloe, don't faint, keep calm, sit back down again before you fall down and think this through.
Oh, but he was here, he'd come to see her! And when your ex-husband arrived unexpectedly on your doorstep clutching a bunch of flowers the size of a Christmas tree, it could only mean one thing…
I need more time, I need more time, thought Chloe, dimly aware that Fenn Lomax was watching her slowly retrace her steps, empty-handed. But could this really be happening? Had Greg somehow tracked her down - well, of course he had, through Bruce and Verity, no doubt - and come to beg for her forgiveness? Did this mean he'd changed his mind about the baby as well?
Oh God, this was all so confusing, she could barely think and walk at the same time. Every step was like trying to wade through a field of her mother's bread sauce.
`Are you all right?' Fenn said quietly, ducking his head as Bev swished past with a brimming glass in one hand and one of Florence's cocktail cigarettes in the other. Bev was known to accidentally set fire to things when she was allowed custody of a cigarette.
Am I all right? wondered Chloe.
`Ha!' Sparks showered from the end of Bev's Sobranie as she brushed it recklessly past Florence's heavy brocade curtains. `Speaking of boyfriends, guess who's downstairs?'
Miranda, through a mouthful of chewy bagel, said, `Who?'
`Greg, you dipstick! Just as well you made your big confession earlier - hey, this is brilliant, he can come with us now that he's here! He can, can't he, Fenn? Greg can come along to lunch?'
Chloe's world was turning crazily on its axis. She didn't understand what was going on, but she'd experienced