You Can't Hurry Love

Chapter Thirty-Five

DECEMBER 17th

'I swear I died and went to heaven last night.'

I catch Ben fanning himself with the back of his hand as I dart through into the kitchen, racing to get myself ready for the big night. I was quickly running out of time and my date for the evening was going to be here any minute.

'So, I was milling around outside the front of the theatre last night . . . you know, just in case anyone wanted to come and talk to me about my wonderful performance, and guess who I saw?'

'Who?' I ask noncommittally as I check my reflection in the mirror for what felt like the tenth time in an hour, flattening a curl that was sticking up from the top of my head.

My plans of looking like a sophisticated Ava Gardner had somehow flown straight out the window and I was deeply resembling Queen's Brian May . . . all frizz, no curls. Not what I needed for a classy night out.

'Emma, freaking, Thompson!'

'No way!' Isaac screams, his head suddenly appearing around the bathroom door, sporting a half-shaved beard. 'That's insane! Did you speak to her?'

'I did!' Ben squeals back at him, almost glowing from Isaac's reaction. 'I said hi and she kind of . . . nodded at me.'

'Do you think she watched the show?'

'I assume so. I mean, I didn't actually see her leave the theatre. I just kind of turned around and she was there, but she could have done.'

He jumps up from the arm of the sofa and shrieks frantically as the sound of Isaac's shaver resumes.

'Oh my God, Emma Thompson saw ME perform! Dot, isn't that cool?'

'Er, yeah . . . yeah, it's cool,' I call over my shoulder as I lick my hand and wipe it over the fretful curl. It was no use, I needed a backup plan and fast. 'Has anyone seen my hat? The green one with the pearl brooch on the front?'

'Last time I saw it, it was hanging up by the door,' Isaac answers loudly from behind the wall.

'Thanks.'

'DOT!' Ben continues, his euphoric expression turning sour at my lack of interest. 'I just told you I met Emma Thompson last night and you're not even a little bit impressed?'

'I am, I am! I'm just running late that's all. Mum managed to rope me into going carolling with her and her crazy friends earlier and now it's put me behind schedule.'

'Ah, I forgot you have a hot date with your new gentleman friend. No wonder your knickers are in such a twist!' Ben cackles evilly and I flash him a look of annoyance as I ram my hat on my head, covering up the mass of curls perfectly.

'It's not a hot date,' I vent, ready to let rip at Ben, but Isaac cuts in before I have a chance.

'Why were you carolling?'

He'd finally emerged from the bathroom, all fresh faced and raring to go for an evening of 'Lorna', clutching a makeup bag in one hand and what looked suspiciously like a mannequin's head in the other and for a moment or two I was completely distracted.

'Just something they were doing for charity, I don't know. I thought it would be fun, but mum stood me next to Belinda. Do you remember her?' The boys shake their heads at me, and I grimace. 'Probably a good thing. She was the one with her face stuck in the fishbowl that night we saw them all in the club. Anyway, if you'd had to listen to 'Hark! The Herald Angels Sing' sung in soprano in your ear, you'd be feeling a bit stressed out too.'

The sound of the doorbell rings throughout the flat and I jump back, grabbing my bag and making a beeline for the door before Ben could get there first. 'He's here!'