“Does Becky know her?” says Brianna in surprise. “Is this a real person?”
Everyone suddenly looks interested.
“No!” I gabble in alarm. “No! Not at all! She isn’t…I mean…I was just…thinking. Why don’t we broaden the design? We could have blond and brunette versions too.”
“Nice idea,” says Brianna. “What do you think, Danny?”
For a heart-stopping moment I think he’s going to say “No, it has to be redhaired because Venetia is redhaired.” But thank God, he nods.
“I like it. Pick your own bitch.” He suddenly gives a huge, catlike yawn. “Is there any more coffee?”
Thank God. Disaster averted. I’ll take a blond version home and Luke will never know about the original.
“We need this!” says Carla, pouring out the coffee. “We were up all night. Danny finalized the design at around two A.M. Then we found an all-night silk screener in Hoxton, and they made up the prototypes for us.”
“Well, we appreciate your efforts,” says Eric ponderously. “On behalf of The Look, I would like to thank you, Danny, and your team.”
“Gratitude accepted,” says Danny charmingly. “And I would like to thank Becky Bloomwood, whose brainchild this collaboration was.” He starts applauding, and reluctantly I smile back. You can never stay cross with Danny for long. “To Becky, my muse,” Danny adds, lifting the fresh cup of coffee that Carla has poured for him. “And the little musette.”
“Thanks.” I lift my cup back toward him. “To you, Danny.”
“You’re his muse?” Jasmine breathes beside me. “That’s so cool!”
“Well…” I shrug nonchalantly. But inside I’m pretty chuffed. I have always wanted to be a fashion designer’s muse!
It just shows. Whenever life seems total rubbish, it always turns around. Today has been approximately a million times better than I expected. Luke isn’t leading a double life after all. Danny’s design is going to be a sell-out. And I’m a muse!
By the end of the day I’ve changed my clothes a few times, because fashion muses do like to experiment with their looks. I finally decide on a pink chiffon empire-line dress which I can just squeeze over my bump, with one of Danny’s prototype Tshirts layered on top, together with a green velvet coat and a black feather hat.
I must start wearing more hats if I’m going to be a muse. And brooches.
At five thirty Danny appears at the entrance to personal shopping and I look up in surprise. “Are you still here? Where’ve you been?”
“Oh…just hanging out in menswear,” he says casually. “That guy Tristan who works there…he’s pretty cute, huh?”
“Tristan’s not gay.” I give Danny a look.
“Yet,” Danny says, and picks up a pink evening dress from our Cruisewear department. “This is gross. Becky, you should not be stocking this dress.”
He’s totally hyper at the moment, the way he always gets when he’s finished a design. I remember this from New York.
“Where are all your ‘people’?” I ask, rolling my eyes. But Danny doesn’t even get the irony.
“Drawing up contracts,” he says vaguely. “And Stan took the car to go sightseeing. He’s never been to London before. Hey, shall we have a drink?”
“I’ve got to go home.” I glance reluctantly at my watch. “I have this reunion thing tonight.”
“Just a quick drink?” Danny wheedles. “I’ve barely seen you. Hey, what’s with the hat?”
“Do you like it?” I touch it, a little self-conscious. “I just felt like feathers.”
“Feathers.” Danny’s surveying me with an interested frown. “Great idea.”
“Really?” I glow with pride. Maybe he’ll base his whole new collection on feathers, and it’ll be my idea! “Hey, if you want to draw a little sketch of me or anything…” I say casually, but Danny isn’t listening. He’s walking around me, an interested frown on his face.
“You should wear a feather boa,” he says suddenly. “Like, an oversize one. Like…huge.”
An oversize feather boa. That’s so brilliant. It could be the next big thing! It could be the new Fendi baguette!
“There are feather boas in accessories!” I say. “Come on!” I grab my bag and zip it up, first making sure the manila folder is safely in there. I’m going to shred it as soon as I get home. When Luke isn’t looking.
We head down the escalators to the ground floor, where the accessories department is located.
“We’re closing….” begins Jane, the accessories manager, but then she sees it’s us.
“Sorry,” I say breathlessly as Danny heads to a stand displaying feather boas and scarves. “We won’t be long. It’s just we’re having a key fashion moment here….”
“There,” says Danny, garlanding me with colorful feather boas. “Like, the biggest feather boa you ever saw.” He’s tying eight boas together into a massive sausage-shaped one. “This is a great look.”
I feel a frisson as he drapes the boa round me. We’re making fashion history, right here! We’re setting a whole new trend! Next year everyone will be wearing huge Danny Kovitz boas. Celebrities will wear them to the Oscars, high street shops will rip them off….
“The Giant Boa,” Danny says as he ties back a stray feathery strand. “The Giant. It’s fabulous. Take a look!” He swivels me round to face the mirror, and I gasp.