Miranda's Big Mistake by Jill Mansell Page B

talent, and laid-back personality, he was every advertiser’s dream.
    â€˜I’m not interested in gory details. I meant, why was she with you?’
    â€˜Probably because she fancies me.’ Miles Harper winked. ‘Oh dear, don’t tell me you’re jealous.’
    â€˜Daisy Schofield was meant to be at a cocktail party. She cancelled, said she was ill. Or rather you did,’ Miranda pointedly remarked, realizing that the mystery man who had spoken to Elizabeth Turnbull on the phone must have been him. She frowned. ‘You lied. Wasn’t that a bit of a mean thing to do?’
    â€˜You went to the party, I take it?’
    â€˜Yes.’
    â€˜Was it dull?’
    Miranda hesitated. She’d been okay; she’d met Greg. But if she hadn’t, it would have been crashingly dull.
    â€˜There you are then.’ When she didn’t immediately reply, Miles Harper shrugged, unconcerned. ‘That’s why she didn’t go.’
    â€˜But she was a celebrity guest.’ Miranda wanted to make him understand. ‘You wouldn’t like it if you organized a charity event and nobody else bothered to turn up.’
    â€˜Oh.’ He had the grace—at last—to look ashamed. ‘I didn’t know it was for charity.’
    Miranda wasn’t sure whether or not she believed him.
    â€˜Anyway, what are you doing here?’ Changing the subject, she wriggled the angora sock on to her foot. ‘When I saw the two of you in the pool, I thought you were Tabitha’s latest toyboys.’
    Miles laughed.
    â€˜Johnnie dragged me along, that’s all. He’s an old mate of mine and Tabitha’s his godmother. Five minutes after meeting her,’ he went on, ‘I realized the middle of the swimming pool was the safest place to be. I’m telling you, that woman has seriously wandering hands.’
    â€˜Weren’t you scared she might jump in after you?’
    â€˜She told us her hairdresser was on his way over, so she mustn’t get her hair wet. That,’ he told Miranda with a crooked smile, ‘was when I dived in.’
    â€˜If you can handle a Formula One racing car, I’d have thought you could cope with a middle-aged nymphomaniac.’
    Miles considered this for a second.
    â€˜The difference is, Tabitha doesn’t have brakes.’
    Downstairs once more, with her soggy clothes bundled into a Harrods’ shopping bag, she was formally introduced to Johnnie, Tabitha’s godson. He dutifully apologized for giving her a ducking. Miranda in turn admired the splendid bump on his forehead, inflicted by the melon. Then it was time to roll up the sleeves of her borrowed white sweatshirt and help Fenn with the defoiling of Tabitha.
    â€˜Aunt Tab, we’re off.’ Johnnie poked his dark head around the bathroom door as Miranda massaged conditioner into Tabitha’s scalp.
    â€˜Have fun, you two. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.’ Tabitha’s head was bent over the basin. ‘And where’s Miles? I haven’t had my goodbye kiss yet.’
    â€˜His manager called. He’s outside, on the phone.’ Johnnie’s wink indicated that Miles had legged it to the sanctuary of his car. ‘By the way,’ he addressed Miranda, ‘we’re off to a party at the Unicorn Club tonight. Miles wondered if you’d like to come along.’
    Astonished, Miranda stopped massaging. She felt her cheeks go pink with pleasure.
    Miles Harper was actually inviting her to a party?
    Well, maybe not asking her himself, but getting his friend to invite her.
    Golly, was that exciting or what?
    She had been beaming idiotically at Johnnie for a couple of seconds before her brain clicked in, reminding her why she’d been in such a good mood this morning and why she was already looking forward to tonight.
    Talk about rotten timing.
    â€˜I’d love to.’ Miranda’s insides crumpled with regret.