Knowing Me Knowing You (39 page)

‘
In that case could you get me a vase please?
’
Kate asked, smiling at the bouquet.

The morning had passed quickly and as she hadn’t had Miranda breathing down her neck and passing her more files than she could handle
,
it had been very productive.

She had just stopped what she was doing and sunk her teeth into a large ham and salad sandwich when her phone rang.

Kate cursed but picked it up.

‘
Hello, Kate Baxter,
’
she answered.

‘
Oh Kate, it’s Ruby on reception, there’s a gentleman down here for you.
’

‘
Is it Joel?
’

‘
No, it’s a Mr Bruce Carmichael.
’

‘
Oh, does he look like a potential new client?
’

‘
I’m not sure but he asked for you by name.
’

‘
Oh OK, I’ll be down.
’

Kate put down her sandwich and picked up her executive folder and a pen. She checked her appearance in the glass door and hurried down the stairs.

‘
Mr Carmichael?
’
Kate greeted the suited individual who was sat in reception, his head bowed.

The person raised their head to greet her with a smile. It was Matthew.

‘
Kate, don’t be angry.
I knew, if I said it was me you wouldn’t see me, so I lied,
’
Matthew spoke, getting to his feet.

‘
I don’t want to see you. No matter what you’re calling yourself,
’
Kate said, turning around and heading back towards the stairs.

‘
Please Kate, I mean it when I say I’m sorry
.
I would do anything to have another chance. I know I’ve mess
ed up, with you and with
Bethan
.
I was a fool, I felt claustrophobic and I know that was stupid but
...
’

‘
You said all this on Sunday, I don’t need to hear it again especially not here,
’
Kate exclaimed, looking at Ruby and fearing her business was going to be all over
Randall’s
by tea time.

‘
I think you do.
I don’t think you believe I mean it.
’

‘
I don’t care if you mean it, it’s too late,
’
Kate responded.

‘
You’ve moved on with this Joel?
’

‘
No, I’ve moved
on with
Bethan
. Joel and I are -
Joel and I are
...
’

Ruby on reception was visibly pricking her ears up, waiting for the juicy bit of gossip to fall from Kate’s lips.

‘
Are what?
’

‘
It’s none of your business.
’

The door to reception swung open and Miranda entered dressed in a fur trimmed jacket, a boutique bag in each hand.

‘
Oh hello,
it
’
s
Matthew isn’t it? Yes, I remember you from the last office Christmas party
-
you were a wonderful dancer,
’
Miranda remarked.

‘
Hello,
’
Matthew greeted immediately smiling at the sight of an attractive blonde.

‘
We haven’t seen you around here for a while, what brings you back?
Business?
’
Miranda
asked
.

‘
Pleasure actually,
’
Matthew answered, looking at Kate.

‘
Excuse me,
’
Kate spoke and she left the two of them in reception and hurried up the stairs.

‘
Hello, hello, come in, come in.
Joel, get your clothes off, I’m ready for
your
inside leg,
’
Hermione exclaimed as she opened the door to Kate and Joel that evening.

‘
What’s going on? What’s all this about measuring and stuff?
’
Joel asked as he stepped inside.

‘
You haven’t told him? Oh dear, I’ll let you explain while I get the tape, the material and the pins,
’
Hermione spoke.

‘
Hello-Joel,
’
Cyrus greeted, tapping his foot in time.

‘
Hello-Cyrus, how-are-you?
’
Joel asked, tapping back.

‘
Fine-thank-you,
’
Cyrus replied.

‘
Come on,
’
Kate said, ushering Joel forwards.

‘
Hang on; you don’t get away that easily. What’s going on? What’s all this about measurements?
’
Joel
asked
.

‘
You don’t really want to know do you?
’

‘
Yes.
’

‘
It’s mad.
’

‘
I still need to know.
’

‘
Hermione has wedding dress material.
’

‘
What?
’

‘
I told you
you
wouldn’t want to know,
’
Kate replied, rushing into the kitchen and scooping up
Bethan
who was playing with the plastic tea set.

‘
Wedding dress material?
’
Joel said to Hermione.

‘
Yes I have a choice of two
.
T
raditional white or contemporary navy.
’

‘
Oh I don’t know about navy, it re
minds me of my school uniform
and that never suited me,
’
Kate spoke, bouncing
Bethan
up and down.

‘
Traditional white it is then.
’

‘
What did you get for Joel?
’

‘
Again, a choice
.
W
e have charcoal grey or we have a midnight blue,
’
Hermione informed, holding up the materials.

‘
Ooo
I like the midnight blue, hold it up against him,
’
Kate ordered, becoming excited.

‘
What is going on here? I mean
,
I don’t think I proposed but you know, sometimes after a few drinks I might sa
y something a bit crazy but...
’

‘
Yes, we’re getting married! On TV,
’
Kate explained.

Joel just looked at Kate, none the wiser.

‘
Don’t panic, it’s for
Knowing Me Knowing You
. We have to perform some dumb catwalk fashion thing,
then
decorate a cake, make up some vows and then pretend we’re actually getting married and gaze into each other’s eyes and say them like we mean them. But we aren’t allowed to buy
outfits, we have to make them -
so Hermione’s doing just that,
’
Kate told him.

‘
Come to me big boy and let me put my tape around you,
’
Hermione beckoned, shaking out her measure.

‘
God, what a lot of trouble to go to,
’
Joel remarked, stretching out his arms for Hermione to measure.

‘
The last hurdle though and then it will all be over and we won’t have to go through any of it again,
’
Kate spoke with a sigh.

‘
Hmm, like you haven’t enjoyed any of it. All that free food and drink and a night in a romance lodge,
’
Hermione commented.

Kate’s face reddened and she couldn’t look at Joel. She was still having dreams about what had happened in the romance lod
ge -
erotic, sexy dreams she never wanted to wake up from.

‘
Joel, Joel,
’
Bethan
exclaimed, waving her hand at him.

‘
Free food and drink
good
.
S
itting in a plastic booth with a blindfold on, not knowing where the Love Dove is going to strike next, not so good,
’
Joel answered hurriedly.

‘
And open your legs a tad Sweetie,
’
Hermione said
a big grin on her face.

‘
Could you
make a waistcoat with this too?
I’m thinking white shirt, blue suit with waistcoat and a blue tie.
’

‘
Oh yes, I think that would look wonderful on you Joel, striking yet understated,
’
Hermione agreed.

‘
And what style is the bride going for?
’
Joel
asked
.

‘
Obviously something high fashion that covers all my lumpy bits,
’
Kate responded.

‘
Lumpy bits!
You want to compare lumpy bits? I’ll show you lumpy bits! I’ve had three kids and a hysterectomy,
’
Hermione spoke about to lift up her top.

‘
No! No, that’s fine, I believe you,
’
Kate replied with a laugh.

‘
Do you want to come in?
’
Kate asked as
she
and Joel stood outside her house.

‘
Do you want me to come in?
’

‘
Yes, I have two cheese and bacon pasta meals ready to be
microwaved
and a bottle of German wine in my handbag,
’
Kate informed him, putting
Bethan
down and letting her toddle up the hallway.

‘
How can I refuse an offer like that?
’
Joel asked her.

‘
I also have a takeaway menu if you would prefer that,
’
Kate replied.

‘
I think I might,
’
Joel answered.

‘
OK, well you have a look at it and I’ll get
Bethan
ready for bed,
’
Kate spoke.

‘
Well, I could have a go at that, if you didn’t mind.
’

‘
Oh, well I...
’

‘
It can’t be so hard that I won’t be able to do it,
’
Joel remarked.

‘
No, of course not, that’s fine. Her pyjamas are in the top drawer in her bedroom and nappies are on the side. Mr Crisps is up there and I’ll come up and read her a story in a minute.
Bethan
, shall Joel take you up to bed?
’
Kate asked her daughter.

‘
Yes please, Joel, Joel,
’
Bethan
exclaimed, excitedly jumping up and down as best as she could.

‘
Well, it sounds like I’m redundant. I’ll have a look at the takeaway menu then,
’
Kate said, getting the wine out of her bag and taking it into the kitchen.

‘
Come on then
Bethan
; let’s get you ready for bed,
’
Joel spoke, picking the little girl up.

Kate smiled and watched Joel take
Bethan
up the stairs, tickling her tummy and making her laugh.

She opened the wine and poured two large glasses. It had been strange being measured for a wedding dress. She remembered it vividly the first time round. She had trawled every wedding dress shop in a fifty mile radius looking for something perfect. She had tried off the shoulder, round neck, square neck,
halterneck
, sleeveless, short sleeves, long sleeves and backless. Nothing had felt right. Perhaps she should have taken that as an indication that the marriage wasn’t right. In the end, she had left it so late she had to settle for the only thing the
Highbridge
Wedding Apparel shop had in her size
. It had been nice though, slim-
fitting ivory with a long train trimmed with fur. But she hadn’t felt a thrill of excitement when she
’d
put it on and she certainly hadn’t had the tingle running down her back the way she had tonight when Hermione draped the wedding dress material around her. And it wasn’t even going to be a real wedding dress, it was just a costume.