‘And then finally we have Angelica Fox, the French supermodel. She is wearing a gorgeous orange explosion of a dress and has asked for golds and blues for her mask. Short blonde hair and, brown eyes, she likes a heavy, glamorous look. Should be fun!’
Gem held her hand to her ear and nodded. I hadn’t realised she was wearing an earpiece.
‘OK, we are on. Eva is being walked down to us right now. Benji!’ she shouted.
He whipped his head around the curtain. ‘Yup?’
‘Eva is in with us in five, so you’ve got two hours.’
‘Got it,’ he said, disappearing to take his position.
‘Are you good to go?’ Gem asked, tightening her apron. I nodded. ‘Let’s do it then.’
There was a knock on the door and one of the runners led Eva Mavareaux in, and the Hollywood conveyor belt cranked into action. I smiled continuously, taking coats, gowning up the celebs, helping Gem with everything she needed, and then Benji, before doing any tiny touch-ups. Everything I’d heard about Gem was true. She was a master at work, using the lightest touch and delivering amazing results. Rosie had a very specific vision for her panther mask, and Gem nodded, understood what she was after, and reached for a different make-up kit to start building it, as if she’d always planned to do it that way. Black fur, embedded with jewels. We were two clients in and I was desperate for the loo, but wasn’t sure if I could leave. I walked Rosie through to wardrobe, robed up Angelica and caught Gem’s eye.
‘Is it OK if I nip to the ladies?’ I asked, wincing.
‘Of course!’ Gem laughed. ‘Can you ask one of the runners to grab us some coffees while you’re out there?’
I nodded and ran out the door, where the runners were waiting. ‘Can we get two flat whites please?’ I asked, and one of them was off before I’d even got the words out. I legged it down the corridor, no time to dawdle, checking my phone as I washed my hands.
Holly:Done – hand delivered by yours truly, your personal postwoman. He didn’t read it while I was there, obvs, so I have nothing else to report, other than he was looking FIT.
My heart leapt. She’d sent that message an hour ago, so Tony would have read my letter by now and know how I feel.Oh God, oh God, oh God…
Me:Eeeek It’s like being back at school! Excuse me while I DIE xx
My reply went straight through with a double blue tick asOperation Tonygot underway. At least now he knew how I felt and it was his move. The message I’d sent him was underneath Holly’s and was also now blue ticked. Aha. It had finally gone through, and he’d read it – or someone had.Am I too late?As I stared at the screen, my message switched out for the wordtyping… oh no. He was sending a reply. Argh! I didn’t have time to chat now – I had to get back to Gem. So he’d got my message and read my letter – a double declaration – and he was only just getting round to replying now.
I switched my phone off and ran back down the corridor, almost rolling my ankle as I skidded round the final corner, flying headfirst into none other than Mr Smarm School himself… Blake Thomas. He was flanked either side by runners, with both his gilet, and that supercilious smirk of his, firmly in position.
‘What the…? Watch it!’ His eyes narrowed as he realised it was me. ‘Abi? What areyoudoing here?’ he said, incredulous, brushing himself down.
‘Hey, Blake, nice to see you too,’ I replied, trying to stay civil. ‘I’m working in the VIP lounge with Gem Adams. I’m a make-up artist, remember?’
‘Well, duh, of course I remember. It was only last month,’ he scoffed, rolling his eyes at the runners, who looked at each other awkwardly. He was so used to having an audience to join in and back him up. ‘Gem Adams, eh? Sweet gig. I didn’t think we’d be mixing in the same er… circles again, after… London.’
‘Well, surpriiiise!’ I said, with a smile. ‘I was head-hunted to be here. I actually thought you might have had something to do with it when the booking came through.’
Blake looked unsure whether to take the credit or not. It was so obvious standing opposite him now that he’d had nothing to do with it. Of course he hadn’t. He wasn’t the type to give someone else a leg-up. He was more of a leg-over kind of guy.
He smiled, cautiously. ‘Why would it be anything to do with me?’
‘Oh, I don’t know… I thought it might have been your way of apologising.’
‘Did I do something to apologise for?’ He either had very flexible morals, or a very short memory.
‘Yes. You forgot to mention you were married.’
Blake held his hands up and looked relieved. ‘Oh that. Fair enough, you got me. I should probably have told you about Cora.’
‘And your kids?’ I said, one hand on my hip.
‘Yes, yes, and the kids. Sorry about that. Does that make you feel better?’
I could see the runner was back with our coffees and waiting outside Gem’s room. I didn’t have time for this conversation – I had to get back. ‘Not really, no. There were a couple of other things I thought you might apologise for, but don’t worry about it.’
I went to walk past and he blocked my path.
