Brooke
Saturday February 16 2008
The party was in full swing, and Brooke had had a lot of fun giggling at other people’s costumes and taking their mockery over her own costume with good humour.
‘Does Lee Hardwick really think he looks like George Michael?’ she smirked, as she and Whitney Houston stood watching the office lothario, with his highlighted hair and fake tan, try his best to impress Kate Bush with his decidedly dodgy dance moves.
‘Of course he does. He thinks he can dance like him, too.’ Whitney, aka Saffron, rolled her eyes. ‘Talk about deluded.’ She sighed. ‘It’s a shame, but most of the men here look no better dressed as eighties pop stars than they do every day at work. It’s hard to believe, but most of them actually look even worse.’
They both watched in amusement as Boy George and Cyndi Lauper, who had been smooching with increasing passion over the last hour, finally gave in to their lust and headed upstairs to one of the hotel rooms.
‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,’ Saffron said enviously.
‘Don’t we just.’
‘There must be someone here we can cop off with. What about Simon Le Bon over there?’
‘He’s not supposed to be Simon Le Bon. He’s supposed to be Limahl.’
‘Who?’
‘Dunno,’ Brooke admitted. ‘I only recognise him cos my mum likes him. She says he sang a beautiful song that used to make her cry. Something about a never-ending story.’
‘Oh. My mum had a massive crush on Spandau Ballet.’
‘Which one?’
‘All of them I think.’ Saffron shrugged. ‘Now there’s some eye candy,’ she said suddenly, nudging Brooke. ‘Shame he’s married. The best ones always are.’
Brooke followed her gaze and her heart fluttered as she saw Danny in his Adam Ant costume, standing in the corner chatting to Prince and Tina Turner. Even to her biased eyes he was easily the most attractive man in the room, with his dark hair, brown eyes, and chiselled cheekbones.
‘I’dStand and Deliverfor him any day,’ Saffron said with a giggle. ‘He’s a properPrince Charming.’ She nudged Brooke mischievously. ‘Get it? We’d make sweetAnt Musictogether for sure.’
‘What are you on about?’
‘Haven’t you heard any Adam and the Ants songs? My mum had all the albums. In fact,’ she added gloomily, ‘she’s obsessed with 1980s music. I grew up hearing nothing else. I was a deprived child.’
‘Yeah, yeah, all right. Anyway, stop drooling over him. Like you said, he’s married.’
‘Stop being aGoody Two-Shoes! All right, all right.’ Saffron threw up her hands in surrender. ‘I’ll stop, promise. Can’t think of any more Adam Ant hits anyway. Don’t you think he’s fanciable though? Come on, you must see?—’
‘He’s married to my cousin,’ Brooke said dully.
Saffron’s eyes widened. ‘Seriously? You’re related to him? Ooh, lucky you.’
‘Only by marriage. And what’s lucky about it?’
‘Well, you must get to see him socially, outside work.’
‘Why should I care about that?’
‘All right, keep your hair on.’ She laughed and lightly patted Brooke’s heavily lacquered hair, which was stuck up at all angles and finished off with a floppy red bow. ‘How long did it take you to get this look right anyway? Bet you used a whole can of Silvikrin on that.’
‘And then some. I should have bought a wig,’ Brooke said. ‘At least I could have just taken that off tonight. I have a feeling it’s going to take at least three showers before my hair feels normal again.’
‘Ooh, hold up, he’s coming over.’ Saffron’s eyes gleamed as Danny approached. ‘Are you going to introduce me to your cousin-in-law?’
‘Sure.’ Brooke gave her a sweet smile. As Danny arrived at her side she said, ‘Danny, this is Whitney Houston. She was just admiring your tassels.’
