Wags To Riches (7 page)

and I can’t help smiling.

“Can I have a look at it?” Brenda says, coming out of the kitchen and looking at the magazine over my shoulder.  “I’m going for my break now so I’ll have a quick read with my cup of tea”.  Reluctantly, I give her the magazine, making a mental note of the title so I can buy it on my way home from work and Brenda goes out, leaving just me and Alex in the office.

“You okay?” Alex asks.

“Yes I’m fine” I say quickly, “It’s just a bit weird hearing Brenda talk like that about someone I’ve just starting seeing you know?”

“It’s bound to be” Alex says soothingly, “But I hate to say it Gail, you are going to have to get used to things like that and a lot worse – girls hanging round him, flirting and trying to get him into bed”.

“Thanks Alex” I say dryly.  “No, I know you’re right, it goes with the territory doesn’t it?  Can’t be all nice handbags and posh cars”.

“Well, I don’t mean to be the voice of doom or anything” she says hastily.  “I’m just saying you need to be ready for things like that.  But never forget, you’re the one that’s actually going out with him, not them” and I smile.

“He looked well fit in the photos!” I say and Alex grins at me.  “Guess what it said under one of the photos of Adam?” I continue, “It said ‘Adam’s good looks have made him a hit with the ladies!’”

Alex laughs and rolls her eyes.  “Well they certainly have in this office” she says.

“Well, I’m not going to date a minger am I?” I say laughing.

“Oh I don’t know, do you remember that guy you went out with a few times who had his own burger van?” Alex asks.

“Don’t remind me,” I say shaking my head.  “Anyway he wasn’t that bad.  It wasn’t his fault he stunk of chip fat.  He had a problem with the deep fat fryer”.

“Yeah – it made him stink!” Alex says and laughs.  “Did you fancy going shopping this Saturday?” Alex asks as the phone starts ringing.

“Yeah that would be good” I reply as I answer the phone.  “Good Afternoon this is Delightful” I say and start sorting out what will most likely be the first of many queries this afternoon.

****

Later that evening Adam calls me.  Hurray!  “Hello gorgeous, how are you?” he says.

“Sorry – I think you’ve got the wrong number!” I reply.

Adam laughs.  “I don’t think so!” he replies.  “Have you had a good day?”

“It’s been okay.  One of the guys at work was reading a magazine and you were in it,” I say casually.

“Was I?” Adam says sounding surprised.  “Oh - it wasn’t
Score!
was it?”

“Yeah it was actually,” I say.  “I bought a copy on the way home from work”.

“I did that interview a few weeks ago.  I’ve not actually seen it.  Is it all right?” he asks.

“It’s great!” I say enthusiastically as I sit down on the floor and open the magazine.  “There’s a nice picture of you leaning against a wall, looking all mean and moody and not only that, but under the picture there’s a caption saying ‘Adam’s good looks have made him a hit with the ladies’ too!”

“Oh no!” Adam groans.  “Seriously?”

“Seriously!  Now, what I want to know is - who are all these ladies Adam?” I ask lightly, but in reality I am
so
dreading the answer.

“I don’t know!  There’s only one that matters and I’m talking to her right now” Adam replies and I can’t help but beam down the phone.

“I’ve got a favour to ask her actually” Adam continues, “and you don’t have to if you don’t want to”.

“What is it?” I ask, “I’ve not got to act as goalie while you practise penalty kicks have I?”  A mental image of myself in the local park doing mad dives in the mud while trying desperately to catch the ball spring to mind and it isn’t a particularly attractive one.

“No, it’s nothing like that” Adam says laughing.  “Gail, you do say some mad things sometimes!  No, what it is, one of the lads on the team – Tim Winters, is getting married in a few weeks - the Saturday after Valentine’s Day actually and I wondered if you would like to come with me and be my guest.  It doesn’t matter if you can’t get, it’s just I’d really like you to come with me”.

“I’d love to!” I say immediately.  Wow!  How exciting!

“Oh great!” Adam says sounding pleased.  “Now it’s actually in a central London hotel so we’ll need to stay overnight, but I’ll sort all that out, don’t worry about it.  You’ll have your own suite and I think some of the other girls are having spa treatments the afternoon before so you can book a couple of treatments if you like as well and I’ll pay for them.  I’ll find out what’s available and then you can choose what you’d like.”

“Oh how nice!  I’ve never been to a spa before!” I say.  This is getting better and better all the time!  “I’ve always wanted to go to a spa!  I’ll book the Friday off work as well then”.

“That would be great.  As I say, I’ll let you know what treatments there are – I’ll give them a ring and I’ll let you know,” Adam says.  “It will be a good chance for you to meet some of the other girls as well”.

“Yes that’s true” I say, “Where is the wedding anyway?”

“It’s at the Dalton” Adam replies.

“The Dalton?”
I squawk in disbelief.  “Bloody hell!  Isn’t that supposed to be one of the poshest hotels in London?”  Good grief!

“Yes it should be really good” Adam says casually.

“I should say so!” I say, totally amazed.  “Is it a large wedding?” I ask.

“Pretty big yeah – I think they’ll be about 150 guests” Adam says.  “Oh and don’t worry about getting them a present or anything.  They’ve asked for donations to the local children’s hospital and I’ve already sent that.  Tim’s lucky really” Adam goes on, “being able to organise everything for one of the few Saturdays when there are no match fixtures.  I was wondering actually if you were free this Saturday because we are playing on the Tuesday after instead next week.  I thought we could go shopping for something for you to wear to the wedding, I can tell you all about it and we’ll go for dinner as well.  How does that sound?”

“That would be great!” I say delighted.  Shopping as well as staying in a posh hotel!  Let joy be unconfined!

“Okay, I’ll pick you up bright and early on Saturday, say about 9.00am?” Adam suggests.

“Great!  I’ll be ready!” I say and we hang up.  Oh that’s fantastic!  Oh blast, I’ve just remembered about Alex.  I’m going to have to let her down and I hate letting people down.  I’ll have to have a chat to her at work tomorrow and explain.

****

“That’s fine Gail, don’t worry about it” Alex says brightly the next day.  “Wow – fancy having a suite at the Dalton!”

“I know!” I say grinning.  “Are you sure you’re okay about Saturday though?  I feel terrible about letting you down”.

“No honestly Gail – it’s fine.  I shall have a wonder round the shops anyway as Dave is going to a football match.  I was going to ask you if you wanted to go out on Friday night anyway as I’ve just found out the band I’ve wanted to see for ages are playing at the Three Feathers.  Do you remember me telling you about them?” she asks me, “Itchy Skin and the Weevils?”

“Oh yeah - how could I forget a band with a name like that!” I say laughing.  “Are they playing on Friday then?”

“Yes - are you up for it?”

“Yeah – sounds great”.  Alex has been raving about this band for ages and they’re supposed to be really good, so hopefully it will be a good night.  Think I’ll wear my black dress and biker boots.

“Now ladies and gents, please welcome onto the stage one of the best up and coming bands around – let’s hear it for Itchy Skin and the Weevils!”  We all cheer and applaud, apart from Alex who makes a whooping sound as the band come out on stage.  The pub’s back room is
packed
tonight.  And me and Alex are right at the front for once!  Normally all we can see is the back of someone else’s head as neither of us are particularly tall and the odd glimpse of the lead singer leaping about. 

“Thank you, thank you very much” the lead singer says as he pulls his guitar strap over his head.  He’s quite nice looking actually, with mad dark hair that keeps falling into his soft brown eyes. 

“Get a load of him!  He’s gorgeous!”  Alex says to me as the band launch into their first song.  “I tell you – if I didn’t have Dave...”

“He is nice” I admit, starting to move my feet in time to the music, “The music isn’t bad either”.  All around us people are dancing and Alex waves her pint enthusiastically in the air while she’s boogieing on down.  I quickly down the rest of my Jack Daniels and coke, take a sharp intake of breath – I should not drink it that fast - and then join her.  A couple of times while we are dancing and mucking about, I notice the lead singer looking at me.  He probably can’t believe how bad my dancing is, but I don’t care, I’m having a good time.  The second time Alex notices as well, even though she is quite pissed by this point. 

“I think he fancies you!” she shouts over the music.

“No he doesn’t Alex - shut up!” I say blushing.  Thank God it didn’t get to the end of the song and it go quiet as she said it.  That would have been
so
humiliating.  I can remember something similar happening to me on a dance floor in a club once.  I was shouting over the music to someone and then suddenly the track ended.  I’d just been telling them about my neighbour’s new puppy and their attempts to toilet train it for some God unknown reason and my ‘yeah, pissed all over the floor apparently’ was heard by everyone as I shouted it just as the music ended.  Everyone turned and looked at me and I’ve never felt so embarrassed in all my life. 

He is nice though – Itchy or whatever his name is.  But he’s not as nice as Adam.

All in all, it’s a really good gig.  They are a fantastic band.  Evidently everyone else thinks so too as the band end up doing two encores and we only just make it to the bus stop in time to get to the last bus home.  Well,
I
make it to the bus stop.  I have to ask the driver if he wouldn’t mind hanging on a second while Alex hurries to catch up with me.  It’s not an easy task to run when you’re wearing high heels and pissed.

“Aw thanks mate!” Alex slurred as we sit down.  “You’re a great mate Gail – I love you!” she continues and hugs me.

“Yeah thanks Alex, and don’t even think about being sick on this coat,” I say pushing her off laughing, as she giggles and leans her head on my shoulder.

She isn’t sick thank God.

****

The next morning, I get up at six, make myself some tea and toast and think about last night.  I love nights like that.  We had a really good time.  That lead singer was nice as well – he’s the sort of guy I would have normally gone for, but he pales into insignificance next to Adam.  Speaking of which, I must start getting ready otherwise he’ll be here and I’ll still be pottering round in my jim jams.  Today I have decided to wear my skinny blue jeans, black high heeled boots and my new gold jumper I got from the catalogue last week.  It’s really nice – it’s got three quarter length sleeves and a wide neckline.  Winter sunshine is streaming through the window so I decide to take my sunglasses as well, but it takes me that long to find them, it’s nearly time for Adam to arrive by the time I locate them at the back of the kitchen drawer.  Don’t know why I put them in there.  I grab my bag just as Adam’s car appears outside. I walk down to the car and Adam leans across to open the door for me.  “Morning!” he says,” You look nice!”

“Thank you” I say brightly, getting into the car.  I notice there’s a small carrier bag in the foot well of the passenger seat.

“Been shopping already?” I ask.

“No it’s for you.  I got it yesterday” Adam says, “Open it!”  I reach into the bag and pull out a cardboard box containing a mobile phone.

“Oh my God!”  I gasp.  “It’s an Alphabet phone!”  It’s a phone that the whole world seems to have gone mad for!  According to a newspaper article I read recently when I should have been working, they are already fetching several hundred pounds on eBay.  The phone is jet black and the buttons on the front are in the shape of a capital ‘G’.  I turn the phone over and saw my name written in Swarovski crystals on the back.
Fantastic!
“How did you manage to get one of these?” I ask in awe, “I thought everywhere had sold out completely!”

“I have my sources” Adam says, tapping the side of his nose and smiling at me.  “You can usually get hold of most things if you’re willing to pay for them.  It’s on Pay & Go and I’ve put £75 on it for you already, so just let me know when you need some more credit on”.

“Thanks very much, I think that should last me a while!” I say laughing.  “Thank you Adam” I say, giving him a kiss.  “It’s really kind of you”.

“Well you said you needed a new phone” Adam says.  “I can text you when you are at work now and distract you” and I laugh.  I fiddle about with the phone for most of the journey, looking at all the different menus and take a photo of Adam driving.  It’s a bit blurred, but I like it.  He looks lovely today, like he does every time I’ve seen him of course.  He’s wearing dark blue jeans, a white shirt and a very well cut black blazer.