‘Ah.’ Tarquin’s brow clears. ‘Generous chap.’ He has an ancient school name-tape poking out of his dinner jacket, I suddenly notice. It says ‘W. F. S. Cleath-Stuart’. Which is his father.
‘Tarkie.’ I beckon him over. ‘Piece of fluff.’ I push the name-tape back inside his collar and wink at Suze, who just shakes her head with a rueful grin.
We watch as Luke threads his way slowly through the throng, chatting and nodding to people as he goes. As he pauses to talk to Matt from Brandon C, I suddenly notice Minnie reaching for Matt’s cocktail glass and putting it to her lips. Matt hasn’t even noticed.
‘Minnie!’ I charge forward and grab it. ‘No! You don’t drink cocktails! Luke, did you see what she did?’
Once upon a time, Luke would have hit the roof. Now he just swings her up and frowns at her mock-sternly.
‘Come on, Minnie. Don’t you know the rules? No gambling and no drinking. Got it? And no online shopping. Not till you’re at least … three.’
‘Happy Daddy!’ Minnie pokes him with a glittery cocktail umbrella.
‘Now, you go to Grana for a minute.’ He puts her down and shepherds her towards Mum. ‘I just need to have a little chat with Mummy.’ As he leads me off the dance-floor I feel a bit surprised. What does he need to chat about?
It’s not the Valentino dress, surely. It can’t be. I’ve told him it was a present from Mum.
‘I was going to leave this till later,’ he begins as we reach a quiet spot in the Midsummer Night’s Dream glade. ‘But why not now?’
‘Absolutely.’ I nod, slightly apprehensive.
‘Although you’re probably in the loop already.’ He rolls his eyes ruefully. ‘I mean, you obviously know about Sage Seymour being a client.’
‘We party-planners make it our business to know everything.’ I smile sweetly. ‘Even secrets our husbands were trying to keep from us.’
‘And you’ve spoken to her.’
‘Several times, actually.’ I flick my hair back nonchalantly. ‘We got on really well. She said we should have a drink some time.’
Suze nearly died when I told her. She said, could she come along and be my assistant?
‘So … you know everything?’ persists Luke. He’s clearly driving at something, but I’m not sure what.
‘Er …’
‘You don’t know everything.’ He’s scanning my face as though trying to work it out.
‘Maybe I do,’ I parry.
Damn. Why don’t I know everything?
‘The estate agents just called and left a message with Bonnie.’ He appears to change tack completely. ‘They’ve found us a rental place. But of course, it all depends.’
‘Right.’ I nod wisely. ‘Of course. It all depends. On … many things.’
I’m tempted to add, ‘On cabbages and kings.’
‘Becky …’ Luke gives me a strange look. ‘You have absolutely no idea what I’m talking about, do you?’
Oh, I can’t keep the pretence up any longer.
‘No!’ I exclaim crossly. ‘I don’t! Tell me!’
‘You have no inkling of what I’m about to say.’ He crosses his arms, looking as though he’s enjoying himself.
‘It’s probably really boring,’ I shoot back. ‘So I do know but I forgot, because it’s so dull.’
‘Fair enough.’ He shrugs. ‘Never mind. Not really important. Shall we go back?’
God, he’s maddening.
‘Tell me.’ I glare at him. ‘At once. Or you can’t have a party bag. And they’re really good party bags.’
‘OK.’ Luke relents. ‘Well, to recap on what you probably already know …’ He shoots me a grin. ‘I’ve started working for Sage Seymour.’
I feel a little twinge of glee. My husband’s working for a movie star! It’s so cool!
‘And she likes the idea of having someone from outside the film business giving her a fresh take on things. In fact, she likes it so much …’ Luke pauses, his mouth twitching, ‘… that she’s asked me to go and work for her in LA for a little while. I’d work with her team, make some contacts, and maybe, if things go really well, open a media division of Brandon Communications. Becky.’ His face changes to alarm. ‘Are you all right? Becky?’
I can’t speak. LA?
Hollywood?
‘And … and we’d all go?’ I stutter as soon as I’ve got my voice back.
‘Well, that was my idea. Gary can take care of things here for a while, so I was thinking three months. But obviously your job is a big consideration.’ He looks anxious. ‘I know it’s been going well for you, I know you were hoping to make it on to the board …’
My job. Fuck. He doesn’t even know about my job.
‘You know what, Luke?’ I say as earnestly as I can. ‘We’re a partnership. A team. And if my career has to take a back seat for a while … so be it. That’s what marriage is all about. Plus, they have shops in LA, don’t they? And I’ve got a green card, haven’t I?’
‘Well … great!’ He lifts his glass towards me. ‘Looks like we have a plan.’
He really means it? Just like that?
‘So … we’d be in Hollywood,’ I say, just to be sure. ‘For three months.’
‘Yup.’
‘I’ve never been to Hollywood.’