Wags To Riches (13 page)

“I am not jealous” Adam says.  “He just annoys me.  Especially when he’s dancing with you”.  He looks into my eyes and I think I could just melt right now.  And I feel really guilty for liking that bloke a little bit.  “Oh let’s go and get a drink” he says and takes my hand.  We start making our way to the bar, but as we walk past the exit doors we can hear a woman’s voice shouting in the corridor outside. 

“That sounds like Sharon” I say startled.

“It does doesn’t it?  We’d better see what’s happening” Adam says and we quickly go through the exit into the corridor.  Sharon and Tony are stood there and they are in the middle of a
massive
row.  Sharon is screaming at Tony and her face is bright red. 

“So!  If there was nothing going on Tony that night - what the fuck was she doing going into your hotel room in the middle of the fucking night?” Sharon was screeching “and don’t say she didn’t because she was bloody well seen!” she adds, jabbing him in the chest with her forefinger as we hurry up to them both – I’m a bit behind Adam as I can’t run very fast in these shoes.  Well I didn’t pick them to run the 400 metres in.

“What the
fuck
is going on?”  Adam asks angrily.  “We can hear you shouting from in there!” he adds, gesturing towards the doors.

“Why don’t you ask him?  Ask him about that slag Sarah Smythe!” Sharon shouts, pointing at Tony who rolls his eyes skywards, folds his arms and leans back against the wall.

“I didn’t do anything alright?” he says tersely, “but Sharon seems to think otherwise”.

“Too bloody right I do – you – you lying bastard!” Sharon yells.  “Well – you know what you can bloody do!” and pulling at her wedding ring finger, removes her huge rock of an engagement ring, flings it at Tony’s feet and runs off down the corridor.

Tony picks up the ring, looking aghast.  “Look Sharon – can’t we just
talk
about this you crazy bitch?” he yells as he runs off after her.

“Blimey” I say, watching them go, “What was all that about?”

Adam sighs.  “They go off like this every so often – Sharon thinks Tony has been with another woman - they have a screaming row – then they kiss and make up.  They’ve not had a row for a while actually” he adds casually, “I think they were due for one”.

“Do you think they’ll be all right?” I ask.  “Do you think we should go after them?”

“Nah.  They’ll be fine.  They’ll sort it out.  They always get back together”.  He puts his arm around me and we start to walk back towards the doors.  “At least this time they weren’t in cars”.

“How do you mean?” I ask.

“Last time they had a row, training had just finished and Tony was chasing Sharon in his Porsche and he crashed it.  Car ended up being written off.  Tony was fine though,” Adam adds hastily as my jaw drops.  “Well – he was until Terry got hold of him and gave him a right bollocking for going off like that”.

“Goodness!” I say alarmed.

“Don’t worry about it” Adam says reassuringly, “Like I say, they’ll be fine.  It’s better to leave them to sort it out themselves now – now we’ve stopped them killing each other” he adds smiling.

“Who’s Sarah Smythe anyway?” I ask.  “Do you know her?”

“I do – she’s a Page Three girl,” Adam replies.  “I went out with her once, a while ago but she’s a bit too fake for my liking.  I think the only thing that was real about her was her feet and even then she had fake toenails!”

“Do you think she was in Tony’s hotel room?” I ask.

“I doubt it” Adam replies, “Tony loves Sharon, but he doesn’t help himself because if it’s the night I’m thinking of, well, he was flirting with Sarah in the bar all night.  Still -not my business”.  He opens the door for me and we go back to the bar. 

“I’ll get these – why don’t you find us somewhere to sit down?” I say.

“Okay” Adam replies, “I’ll have a glass of champagne please” and he goes off to find us some seats.

“Yes Madam, what can I get you?” the bartender asks.

“Two glasses of champagne please” I say.

“Certainly” he replies and he goes down to the other end of the bar to open a fresh bottle.

“You must be Gail” a woman’s voice says behind me and I turn round, only to end up face to face with Nicola, Adam’s ex.  Oh God here we go.  Well - I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt.  You never know - she might just be trying to be nice, trying to be friends.

“Hello!  Yes - I’m Gail” I say brightly.  “And you’re Nicola right?”

“That’s right.  I go out with Michael, midfield player for Grandmere” she says as she looks me up and down appraisingly.

“Yes I’ve been told” I reply coolly, slightly taken aback by the unannounced inspection.

“Well he is the best player on the team” Nicola says with a twinkly little laugh.

  I smile.  “Well, in your opinion he is” I say.  “I would beg to differ, but then I’m biased”. 

“Where did you meet Adam?” she asks suddenly.

“In the supermarket” I reply, and thank the bartender who has just passed me two glasses of champagne.

Nicola raises an eyebrow and her lip curls slightly into almost a kind of snarl.  “Oh how sweet!” she says.  “I could tell that about you – just by looking at you!”

“How do you mean?” I ask warily, my heart starting to pound.

“Well – you obviously – how can I put this – eat very well” she says smiling a glacial smile at me.  “But then we can’t all be naturally slim can we?”  She gives another twinkly little laugh. 

My hands clenched tightly around the stem of the glasses I’m holding.  I can’t believe what Nicola had just said!  “Sorry?” I say.

“Oh no offence darling” Nicola says lightly “I appreciate for some girls it can be very hard to lose weight.  I do sympathise”.

“Really?” I say and smile.  I’m fighting the urge to throw the champagne in her face.  What a cow!  Don’t start with the Auden – I’m not having it.  “Well, weight can be lost” I say sweetly, “but style is something you’re born with.  You’ve either got it or...” and I look Nicola up and down just as she had done me a moment ago “you haven’t” and walk off trembling with rage.  How dare she?  Naturally slim my arse!  You mean she never bloody eats and I’m normal.  Cheeky cow! 
I’m not fat!

I make my way over to where Adam has found us a table and put the glasses down with such force that some of the champagne slops over the sides.  “Sorry” I say shortly.

“It’s fine” Adam says hastily, looking concerned.  “What’s the matter?  You look really pissed off!”

“Oh I just met your wonderful ex at the bar that’s all,” I say sitting down.

“Why – what’s she said?” Adam asks.

“Oh she basically called me fat” I say angrily and Adams eyes widen.  “And she also demanded to know where you and I had met – not that it’s any of her business whatsoever!”  I add and tell Adam what Nicola said.  “And do you want to hear what I said to her?” I say and take a large gulp of champagne.  I tell Adam and he bursts out laughing.

“Good for you Gail!” he says grinning.  “You tell her!”

“I will!” I say and laugh.  I don’t know why I’m getting so worked up actually.  She’s only jealous because her boyfriend – let’s be frank - is a bit of a dog.

We finish our champagne just as the DJ puts on Perry Como’s
Papa Loves Mambo
and Adam stands up. “Come on Gail” he says, reaching for my hand, “Let’s go and have a dance”.  He leads me back on to the dance floor that is now absolutely packed with famous people and I feel really nervous – what if they all laugh at my dancing?  It’s different when you are in a club and you don’t know anyone.  I try dancing in a very subtle and understated way for a few seconds, still holding Adam’s hand and Adam leans in towards me.

“Gail – what are you doing?” he asks.

“I’m trying to dance elegantly,” I mumble.  “I don’t want to show myself up in front of all these famous people”.

“Oh stuff that – come on - give it some hip wiggle!” Adam says and holding my hands, steps backwards, wriggling his hips in a really exaggerated manner and I laugh as Sheena and Terry who are dancing nearby, look on in interest.

“How many have you had laddie?” Terry shouts as he spins a surprised Sheena round enthusiastically

“Not as many as you Terry evidently!” Sheena says dryly and Adam laughs heartily.

“See Gail – Terry’s not bothered is he?  Come on Gail – let yourself go!” Adam says to me.  Oh sod it – why not?  Who gives a shit what people think anyway?  Fuelled with Dutch courage from the champagne, Adam and me end up doing some kind of improvised salsa/samba routine, wriggling and giggling along with the music and having a really good laugh.  And nobody is bothered about my dancing - everyone is too busy dancing and having a good time themselves!  Across the dance floor I can see Gina dancing with Tim who is seriously getting down – stamping his feet and waving his arms round like some kind of bull fighter.  Gina catches my eye, nods at Tim and then rolls her eyes grinning.  I grin back while secretly thanking my lucky stars that I’m
not
dancing with Tim.

We have a great time dancing and I could dance with Adam all night, but there comes a time when no matter how many glasses of champagne you have, you just cannot ignore the pain in your feet anymore.  It’s just after ten o’clock and I’ve hit that time.  The soles of my feet feel like they are bloody fire and I’ve got to take these shoes off.  “Adam” I say, leaning in towards him, “Much as I love these shoes, I’ve got to go and take them off – they’re killing me.  If you wait for me near the bar, I won’t be long – I’ll just need to nip upstairs to my room and get my other shoes”.

“Oh okay” Adam says and we make our way across the dance floor, where I leave Adam and I wind my way through the little tables and chairs to the exit.  I walk down the corridor past a couple hand in hand and laughing, towards the lift in the foyer.  I get in and there’s a sudden silence when the lift door closes.  As the lift moves upwards, I think about Nicola and what she’d said and I smile to myself.  At least I gave as good as I got.  Alex will be very proud of me when I tell her.

The lift doors open and I hobble painfully down the corridor to my suite.  As I open the door, I can see the city at night through the window and it looks amazing.  I’ve got to go on the balcony and have a look, but first I must take these shoes off.  I quickly unfasten the straps which have become over the course of the day, more and more like cheese wire and kick the shoes off.  God that’s better.
 
I can feel my feet heave a sigh of relief and I pad across the floor barefooted to the balcony.

  Wow.  What a view!  It’s like one of those pictures you used to be able to buy from Athena.  I can see lots of skyscrapers lit with little golden blocks of light and to the left, tiny car headlights moving on a distant road.
Suddenly I hear a knock at the door.  Who’s that? I wonder.  I go to open the door and find Adam leaning casually against the doorframe, holding a bottle of champagne in one hand and two crystal champagne flutes in the other.  His tie’s gone, his collar is undone, he’s barefooted as well and his hair looks even more delightfully funky and dishevelled than it did earlier.  He looks
gorgeous.
  “Hello” I say and grin at him.

“Hello.  Thought you might like a glass of champagne,” he says, raising an eyebrow enquiringly.

“Oooh - how nice!” I say.  “Won’t you come in?” I ask and Adam walks inside.

“See you took your shoes off too then?” I say as I close the door.

“Oh yes,” Adam says, “My shoes were starting to pinch too.  I’m happiest in football boots,” he replies as he puts the champagne and the glasses down on the table.

“You’ve got really nice feet” I remark as I step outside to stand on the balcony to look at the view again and Adam smiles.  I know it’s a weird thing to compliment someone on, but some blokes have got horrible feet.
  “Isn’t the view fantastic?” I call, turning back to face Adam who is busy opening the champagne.

Adam walks over to the balcony door with the glasses and looks me up and down.  “It certainly is” he replies.  “Quite sensational I’d say”.

“You are full of shit Adam Finchley, do you know that?” I say laughing.

“I know – but you love it!” Adam replies smiling as he walks up to me and hands me a glass of champagne.  I laugh and thank him for the champagne.  I didn’t realise how cold it was out here actually.  I’m freezing!

“Are you cold?” Adam asks, noticing me shiver, “Here – have my jacket” and slips off his jacket and puts it round my shoulders.

“Thanks” I say gratefully and Adam smiles at me.  We stand and look at the view for a while, drinking our champagne.  “This is so great Adam” I say.  “I’ve had such a good time today!”

“Good” Adam says, “I have too – I’m glad you’re here Gail” he says and moves closer towards me.  We look at each other and suddenly we are kissing each other furiously.  I’m so overwhelmed – I want him so much.  Somehow, we get back into the room and we break apart briefly - I put the glasses on the coffee table and Adam closes the balcony door and quickly pulls the curtains across the windows, before taking me into his arms again.  His hands move lightly over my back and I pull him even closer to me.  He unzips my dress as I unbutton his shirt and trousers as quickly as possible and we lie on the bed kissing passionately and suddenly we are naked.  “God - I want you” Adam whispers in between kisses.