Chapter 29
29
‘Oh why won’t this bloody computer do what it’s told?’ Kate screamed as she punched the keys in front of her, trying to get the system back into life.
‘There, there, calm down. We need to have you focused and controlled for the big show tomorrow,’ Lynn spoke, putting some letters in Kate’s in-tray.
‘I can’t keep calm. Joel’s meeting some bimbo for lunch,’ Kate spoke, looking at her watch.
‘What? I thought he’d moved in? I was expecting lots of gushing over how wonderful he is to look at over a bowl of cornflakes.’
‘He’s only staying temporarily, until he’s better.’
‘Recovered from the beating Matthew so obviously organised. I mean, it would take four men to get the better of Joel, wouldn’t it? He’s six foot and pure muscle, isn’t he?’ Lynn carried on.
‘You don’t think that too, do you? What is it with everyone? Matthew had nothing to do with it. And we know you watch too much CSI and stuff.’
‘Have you asked him?’
‘I haven’t seen him. I don’t want to see him.’
‘Bet you a pricey cocktail at the bar tomorrow night that he did.’
‘Lynn! ’
‘Sorry. So what’s all this about a bimbo? Who is she?’
‘I don’t know, someone called Marina that he used to go out with when he was with the modelling agency.’
‘Ooh, the agency in charge of finding models for those underwear commercials, yum; he should go back to modelling.’
‘Lynn, he isn’t a piece of meat, you know,’ Kate remarked, not enjoying Lynn’s unashamed drooling over Joel.
‘No, sorry, getting a bit carried away. You were saying, the bimbo…’
‘He’s meeting her for lunch at one at Piccolo’s Pizza.’
‘Ooh, pizza, lucky her. All Darren bought me on our first date was a packet of crisps and a pickled egg.’
‘It isn’t a first date; it isn’t any date. It’s just two old friends meeting up to catch up.’
‘And she’s a model and he’s gorgeous.’
‘I need to see her, don’t I? I need to see what she looks like,’ Kate spoke.
‘Duh! No! We need to see her. Get your coat because it’s almost one,’ Lynn said, tapping at her watch.
‘No, I can’t. It’s nothing; she’s just a friend,’ Kate replied.
‘Yeah, a friend, who’s blonde and thin and probably has a face full of Botox.’
‘We’re not going to make it into town by one,’ Kate said as she hurried to put her coat on.
‘No and let’s hope they aren’t sat right at the back of the restaurant,’ Lynn answered.
‘This is mad; we shouldn’t be here,’ Kate spoke as she and Lynn approached the pizzeria.
‘I want to see what she looks like even if you don’t. ’
‘I’m not sure I do. She’s a model; she’s going to be?—’
‘Oh my God, they’re in there; they’re sat near the bar. What the hell is she wearing?’ Lynn asked as she pressed her nose up against the window.
‘Out the way! Let me see!’ Kate demanded, pulling at Lynn’s arm and looking in through the window herself.
‘Now that is what I call a spray-on dress! If she didn’t have the figure for it, that would be nothing short of desperate.’
Kate swallowed as she saw Joel sat with a tall, blonde-haired woman in her twenties wearing a very short, tight, red dress. He raised his head and looked over in the direction of the entrance and Kate hurriedly backed away from the window and pulled Lynn with her.
‘Well, now you know what she looks like,’ Lynn said.
‘Yes, I do and I wish I didn’t,’ Kate responded with a sigh.
‘It probably is just two friends meeting up over lunch but she was doing that thing the Lady Dragon does when she’s about to leap on her prey.’
‘What thing?’
‘The licking the top lip thing. Haven’t you ever noticed her doing that?’
‘Maybe once or twice.’
‘When she’s been talking to Joel, I bet.’
‘Why didn’t he invite me to lunch to meet her?’ Kate enquired, looking back into the window.
‘Duh! Because he used to date her and you can’t make your mind up who you want. It’s a Joel day today, is it? Because yesterday, I was sure you were leaning towards Matthew,’ Lynn spoke.
‘That’s not fair,’ Kate remarked .
‘It’s no wonder he’s taking someone else to lunch; the poor guy probably doesn’t know whether he’s coming or going.’
‘He does, we?—’
‘I just wonder what’s going to happen when this Knowing Me Knowing You show has finished. No weekends away, no limelight – back to reality,’ Lynn carried on.
‘I don’t enjoy the limelight.’
‘Speaks the woman who paraded on stage in nothing more than her underwear and a feather boa.’
‘What are you trying to say, Lynn?’
‘Look at him! In there, with Elle Macpherson! You said it yourself, why isn’t he having lunch with you?’
‘It’s complicated.’
‘A pound, please?’
‘What?’
‘We agreed, I get a pound every time you say those words.’
‘We did not.’
‘Well, we should.’
‘Don’t you start; I’ve got Hermione on my back enough as it is.’
‘Probably because we can’t see the problem. He likes you, you like him, what’s complicated about that?’
‘You don’t understand.’
‘No I don’t – God, quick, hide!’
‘What?’
‘Joel’s coming out. Do something!’ Lynn hissed.
Kate turned around and faced the menu board, hiding her face as best as she could and hoping that Joel didn’t notice her.
Lynn had pulled a notebook from her bag and had her head buried in it, pretending to be highly interested in the contents.
‘Hi, Lynn,’ Joel greeted, immediately seeing her.
‘Oh hi Joel, didn’t see you there. I was just?— ’
‘Kate, fancy you being here,’ Joel said.
‘Oh, yes, well, Lynn has to organise a partners’ lunch and she er, wanted to get some menu ideas for catering and I was coming to town anyway to post some letters and, here we are,’ Kate spoke, hurriedly turning to face him, red from the neck up.
‘Well, I could have picked up a menu from here for you. You should have called me,’ Joel said.
‘Oh well, I didn’t think and Lynn, you didn’t think of that either, did you?’
‘No, I didn’t.’
‘So, are you having a nice lunch?’ Kate continued.
‘Well, we’ve only just ordered, but everything that’s come out of the kitchen smells great. I just left my phone in the car,’ Joel said and he opened the door and reached in for it.
‘Oh well, we won’t keep you. We have to go to the deli next,’ Kate said, backing away up the street and pulling Lynn with her.
‘OK, well I’ll see you later,’ Joel called.
‘OK, bye,’ Kate replied, waving her hand and smiling a ‘life is wonderful, I’m getting on without him’ smile.
As soon as he was out of earshot, Kate let out an exasperated breath.
‘How stupid do I feel? Do you think he knew we were spying on him?’ Kate enquired.
‘Er, I would say – yes, definitely,’ Lynn spoke with a nod.
‘Great.’
Joel smiled as he watched Lynn and Kate walk up the street in the direction of Randall’s. He dialled a number on his phone and made a call.
‘Mione, it’s Joel. Yes, she was here.’
That evening, Kate was still reeling from the embarrassment of being caught in the act of snooping. She had busied herself bathing Bethan and getting her ready for bed while Joel made dinner. But now they were on their own there was no avoiding it.
‘So, what did you have for lunch?’ Kate asked bravely.
‘I had pasta, carbonara sauce,’ Joel informed.
‘Was it nice?’
‘Yes, very nice.’
‘And what did Marina have?’
‘She had salad.’
‘Should have guessed,’ Kate muttered under her breath.
Salad! And she probably only ate a third of it.
‘So, did you and Lynn get all the menus together?’ Joel continued.
‘What?’
‘For the catering for the partners’ lunch.’
‘Oh yes, yes, she has four or five to look at now,’ Kate answered.
She silently cursed herself for being so dim but smiled at Joel, trying to maintain face.
‘Good.’
‘Yes, good. So are you seeing Marina again?’
‘Yes, she’s going to come to Knowing Me Knowing You. She doesn’t actually live far from the hotel,’ Joel informed.
‘Oh, that’s nice,’ Kate replied.
No it wasn’t, it was shit.
‘So how was your day? Is Miranda behaving herself?’
‘She hasn’t spoken to me since you came to see her. Well, just a vague good morning and a one-line sentence about client matters. It seems all the files of mine she altered have been corrected, so Lynn says. She’s installed some alert system which tells her when Miranda is logging in to my client matters. Lynn’s wasted as a secretary really; she would be an asset to MI5.’
‘That’s good.’
‘So what did you say to Miranda to make her have a change of heart?’
‘I can’t possibly say.’
‘Come on Joel, you have to tell me.’
‘I don’t.’
‘You want this?’ Kate asked, grabbing Joel’s plate of Thai curry and holding it away from him.
‘That’s not fair. Give me the food.’
‘Tell me what you said to her.’
‘All right, all right, put the plate down.’
She waited for an explanation.
‘I told her I knew she wore a wig. I rang my old client, the one I told you about and she gave me the name of her wig maker. You should have seen Miranda’s face when I mentioned the company name; she went white. I thought she was going to be sick. I told her if she kept hassling you at work or if she told anyone at the contest that I was an escort, I would let every one of her colleagues and every one of her clients know her little secret,’ Joel told her.
‘Oh my God! She really wears a wig? I can’t believe it! She’s so proud of her hair; she flaunts it so much,’ Kate exclaimed in shock.
‘Well there you go. So hopefully, our secret is safe and you can get on with your work without her trying to sabotage it.’
‘Thank you.’
‘You don’t have to thank me; I did it for my own benefit as well: that 40 per cent of the prize money,’ Joel answered.
‘Do you really think we can win?’
‘Yes, don’t you? ’
‘It started out being something I was pushed into and now I can’t imagine my life without the show,’ Kate said with a sigh.
‘You’re going to miss being blindfolded and being asked what you would do if my mother-in-law’s brother was cheating on me?’ Joel asked.
Kate thought for a moment.
‘That would be so gross.’
‘Decided what to do with the money yet?’
‘Pay back Aunt Jess the money she lent me, get her out of my life for good, clear my credit cards and throw the rest at the mortgage, I guess.’
‘You could sell the house and buy your farm in France.’
‘How many chickens do you think I’d get?’
‘Enough to keep you in omelettes for the rest of your life.’
‘Ah, but I would need someone to cook them for me.’
‘That could be arranged.’
Kate smiled at him.
‘Eurostar is getting cheaper all the time, especially for weekend breaks,’ Joel replied, starting to eat again.
Kate swallowed, sensing the meaning in his reply. He didn’t want her.