Sushi for Beginners - Marian Keyes [146]
‘My boss, Lisa,’ Ashling introduced.
Clodagh managed a mute bow of her head, then watched with jealousy as Lisa greeted Joy like an old friend. ‘Michael Winner, Prince Edward or Andrew Lloyd Webber. And you must sleep with one of them!’
‘Prince Edward, I suppose.’ Joy was rather subdued. ‘David Copperfield, Robin Cook or Wurzel Gummidge?’
‘Yuk.’ Lisa frowned. ‘Wurzel Gummidge – please! Robin Co-no. David Copperf- no, I couldn’t. I suppose it’ll have to be Wurzel Gummidge. Ugh.’
Mad keen to fit in, Clodagh turned to Ashling and challenged loudly, ‘Brad Pitt, Joseph Fiennes and Tom Cruise, and you must sleep with one of them!’
Lisa and Joy exchanged a look. Clodagh just didn’t get it, did she?
Too late, Clodagh saw that she’d done something wrong. ‘Oh,’ she admitted, stung raw by her own stupidity. ‘They’re meant to be unattractive, aren’t they? Who wants a drink?’
‘Clodagh, can I introduce you to –’ Ashling said. Marcus had arrived at the table. ‘Marcus, this is my best friend Clodagh.’
As Marcus shook Clodagh’s hand, she felt marginally better. He was nice and friendly, not like those two bitches, Joy and Lisa.
‘I’m just buying a round,’ Clodagh smiled at Marcus. ‘Can I get you something?’
‘Only a Red Bull. I don’t drink before I go on stage,’ he explained kindly.
‘OK, I’ll get you a proper drink afterwards.’ Stiffly, she asked Joy, ‘What would you like?’
‘Red Square.’
‘Red… um?’ Clodagh had never heard of such a drink.
‘It’s vodka and Red Bull,’ Ashling explained. ‘I’ll have one too.’
‘And me,’ said Lisa.
And so will I, Clodagh decided. When in Rome… Hey, who was he?. A tall, dishevelled man had arrived and was hovering uncomfortably on the edge of the group. Gorgeous! Not really her type – a bit too unkempt – but all the same… Then she noticed Lisa attach herself to him like she had suckers.
‘Would, um, Lisa’s boyfriend like a drink?’ Clodagh asked Ashling.
‘Who? Oh, him, he’s not Lisa’s boyfriend, he’s our boss.’
‘Well, would your boss like a drink?’
Ashling swallowed a sigh and with bad grace said, ‘Mr Devine, this is my friend Clodagh, she’s going to the bar.’
Jack smiled at Clodagh, shook her hand and said, ‘Call me Jack.’ Then he insisted on buying the round.
Ashling couldn’t help an eruption of jealousy. Why couldn’t he be nice to her? Then she switched her focus to Marcus and immediately felt better. Before the gig began he was approached by a steady stream of fans. Female fans, mostly. As she watched the girls go up to him, she swelled with pride that he was her boyfriend. She couldn’t help being pleased with herself for bagging him. He could have had anyone, she thought, and he picked me.
It was Clodagh’s night, no doubt about it. The comedians – intimidated by Lisa, sick of the sight of Joy and respectful of Ashling being Marcus’s girlfriend – swarmed around Clodagh with her swishy new hair, gorgeous face and tight, white trousers. Ted’s dark little face was miserable, but he was hopelessly out-numbered.
Clodagh, blazing a trail through Red Square after Red Square, was having a blast. During one of the breaks, Ashling overheard her saying to a cluster of men, ‘I was a virgin before I got married.’ With a twinkle in her eye she added, ‘A long time before, mind.’
Everyone fell into convulsions and Ashling couldn’t help a shameful little thought, It wasn’t that funny. She pushed it away – it wasn’t Clodagh’s fault she was beautiful. And it genuinely was nice to see her enjoying herself so much.
Then Clodagh crossed her legs and all eyes flickered to the movement. Unselfconsiously she eased her embroidered mule off her foot and let it swing idly on her big toe. Ashling watched several sets of eyes – all male – scud back and forth in time with it, looking mildy hypnotized.
Ted’s act went down a storm and when he came back to the table, alight with triumph, Ashling watched Clodagh rub his