if I’m moving on, then I have to try new things. Let’s do this.’ She forced a smile before pausing. ‘Wait, how much is it?’
‘It’s a promo – it’s free, dear,’ Kate said with a smile.
‘Brilliant.’ Megan beamed and made a beeline to Lucinda who had walked over to the concierge desk.
I pulled Kate aside, making sure Megan was out of earshot. ‘This isn’t free – it’s at least a hundred quid each.’
‘And the rest, but I’ve already paid, and didn’t your mother ever tell you that it’s nice to be nice, Charlotte?’ Kate grinned.
After an hour of Lucinda picking out clothes for us, we each had an impressive pile of designer gear, which we tried on in between taking sips of champagne.
‘These are just to try on again after hair and make-up, right?’ Megan said, holding up a gorgeous Balmain leather jacket while eyeing the hefty price tag. Her eyes bulged.
‘Yes, of course,’ Kate said with a laugh that I knew to be her fake one. ‘Now come on, it’s makeover time.’
After our bouncy blow-dries and glamorous make-up, our own clothes didn’t do us justice.
‘Girls, we have to have at least one of those dresses!’ Kate said, dragging us back to the concierge desk. Megan shot me a worried look so I mouthed the words ‘don’t worry.’
In the changing area, Lucinda had three garments each for us – the favourites we’d selected earlier on.
‘Oh, ladies, you all look fabulous,’ she gushed, taking in our hair and make-up. ‘I’ll go and get some drinks and nibbles; you ladies try everything on and we’ll have a look at you when you’re ready.’
Megan came out first, wearing a navy, lace-trim, satin slip dress. It was simple but really worked for her; her shiny honey-brown hair and similarly coloured skin set the dress off perfectly, and the bit of contouring and understated smoky eyes had worked wonders for her. I noticed she couldn’t help glancing at herself in the mirror. I smiled, pleased she was happy.
‘Much better,’ Kate said, looking her over.
‘You look beautiful, as you always do,’ I said, ignoring Kate’s blunt remark.
She smiled nervously. ‘I do love my hair and make-up. And this dress is amazing.’
Lucinda returned with three champagne flutes. ‘Lucinda, we’ll take that dress,’ Kate said, pointing at Megan.
Megan’s eyes filled with horror and she shook her head. ‘I . . . I can’t,’ she whispered, so just Kate and I could hear.
Kate, the champers obviously getting to her, waved off the remark. ‘It’s on me. You just have to have it. Today, think of me as your fairy sugar-mamma.’ I was surprised she didn’t hic at the end. I started to feel a little embarrassed on both Kate’s and Megan’s behalves and slipped into my cubicle to try on the teal Missoni maxi-dress I’d loved earlier while Megan continued to protest about Kate’s gift. With my hair and make-up done, it looked even better and it wouldn’t be long before the Emsworth, Haiden & Haiden summer ball. I popped my head around the curtain. ‘And this please, Lucinda.’
Next, it was Kate’s turn. She stepped out in a white, form-fitting Versace dress that ended just above her knee. It was plain apart from two gold rings – one on the shoulder and one on the waist. Her tanned skin and dark hair contrasted perfectly.
‘I think you have yourself a winner there,’ I said, but I needn’t have.
‘I know.’ She smiled while smoothing the dress down over her curves and admiring herself in the mirror.
‘You look like George Clooney’s wife,’ Megan exclaimed.
Kate smiled. ‘Shame he didn’t meet me first.’ With that, she turned back and went into her cubicle.
While we were waiting for Kate, I started to send James a text message, just to see what time he’d be back from the office. Yes, he was at the office on a Saturday. When I looked up, I saw Megan trying on the Balmain leather jacket and turning from left to right as she admired it through the mirror.
‘You love it, don’t you?’ I asked.
‘I do. I’ve never had anything so expensive on my body before. Not even my engagement ring is worth this much.’ She shook her head. ‘The leather is so soft.’
‘Well, if there was ever a time to treat yourself, now would be it,’ I said.
‘You have to have it. It’s like it was made for you!’ Kate said, bursting out of the fitting room.
‘So, what are we having, ladies?’ Lucinda asked.
‘I’m taking these,’ Megan blurted out, holding up the dress and the jacket in one hand and a credit card in the other. I glanced at Kate. ‘Don’t worry, the account is in Mike’s name, and he’s recently cleared the balance,’ Megan said, grinning.
‘I’m beginning to like you.’ Kate smiled, placing an arm on Megan’s shoulder.
An hour or so later, we were sipping Singapore Slings and dancing in one of the trendy bars that had popped up in Wilmslow. Megan was even seeming to enjoy herself, which meant I could relax a bit too.
‘All right, ladies?’ A doughy man in navy jeans and a white shirt invaded our dancing triangle. ‘Can I buy one of you gorgeous ladies a drink?’ I looked him over wondering if he’d be a good option for Megan to have a bit fun with. With his fleshy face and leering grin, he wasn’t.
I was about to shoo him away when Kate piped up. ‘Rule number one, you don’t just barge into a group of women having fun. Rule number two, you pick one girl and politely flatter her; you don’t chance all three.’ She shook her head and turned her back to him. ‘I bet he has the gall to complain about being single too!’ I started to feel a bit sorry for him.
‘Ooh, we have a feisty one here.’ He looked amused. ‘Okay then – you, I’ll buy you a drink.’ He prodded a finger towards her ample bosom and smirked as he cast a lewd eye over her perfect figure – a gesture she would definitely not appreciate.
Her nostrils flared. ‘How about you buy yourself a taxi home and a shirt that doesn’t gape around your swollen middle,’ Kate snapped, seemingly not taken with his charms.
He pulled a face and sauntered off, making a beeline for the next group of women.
‘Well, if that’s what the fish in the sea are like these days, I think I’ll stay single for the rest of my life,’ Megan said allowing her features to sag in defeat.
‘It’s not just the fish in the sea that pose a problem.’ Kate nodded towards the group of girls that our lecherous laddie had just approached. ‘It’s the competition. Look at them – it’s like a Victoria’s Secret works do over there.’
She was right: women seemed to have come on leaps and bounds recently in make-up artistry, creating cheekbones, eyebrows, and a flawless finish that defied nature and made Photoshopped magazine pictures seem plausible. Of course, for this one
