From Notting Hill to New York . . . Actually Read Online Free PDF Page A

mixture of awe and jealousy.
    ‘Then this seems like the perfect moment to intro duce our own Oscar-winning guest. Ladies and gentlemen,’ she says into thecamera, ‘may I welcome Mr Colin Firth to the
Wake Up Britain
sofa.’
    Everyone applauds as Colin bounds over towards us. He kisses Loretta, shakes Julian’s hand and then he turns towards me. He’s about to kiss my cheek when I hear a shout from across the studio. ‘Stop! She’s not Jemma, I am!’
    Colin, and everyone else in the studio, turns in the direction of the high-pitched wail to see a woman dressed in fitness clothes scuffling with two security guards.
    ‘Cut to ads,’ someone hisses from the floor.
    ‘We’ll be right back in a couple of minutes with more from Colin,’ Julian says calmly and professionally to camera.
    My kiss, my kiss!
is all I can think as I’m escorted from the building by two security guards, to find Oscar waiting for me outside. Damn, I almost got a kiss from Colin Firth …
The
one and only Mr Darcy!
    ‘Where in heaven’s name have you been, Scarlett?’ he asks, hurrying over to me. He casts an admiring glance at the two uniformed officers as they depart back into the building. ‘I was quite worried about you. One minute you were there, and the next –
poof
! I turned around and you were gone! Did you get lost? No one noticed you wandering around alone, did they?’
    I quickly explain toOscar what’s happened as we begin to walk away from the studio gates.
    ‘You did
what
!’ he exclaims when I get to the part about the fitness demo. ‘On live TV?’
    I nod in embarrassment. ‘It all happened so fast, Oscar, I didn’t really know what I was doing. Do you think anyone saw?’
    Oscar’s eyes open wide. ‘Did anyone
see
, Scarlett? Only the few million people that watch
Wake Up Britain
every morning! But how did the real fitness woman get in, if they thought you were her?’
    ‘Apparently she had a pass. Once she was finished with the police, she headed straight over to the studio. She got through easily enough, but when she saw me pretending to be her, she just lost it.’ I lower my head. ‘Oscar, I’m so embarrassed. What was I thinking?’
    Oscar laughs. ‘That reminds me of the old Scarlett, getting carried away with a movie star like that. You don’t do enough of that kind of thing these days.’
    ‘What, falsely impersonate someone on live television? Then it’s just as well.’
    ‘No, live for the moment! You’ve got stuck in your ways since you moved in with Mr Boring.’
    I shake my head at him. ‘Stop it, Sean’s not boring and you know it. Remember David?’
    David was my fiancé before I met Sean. He was … well,quite set in his ways, and he had a particular obsession with DIY.
    ‘True, compared to your ex he’s a prize catch, even
I
have to admit that. But you’ve settled into this coupledom thing far too well, in my opinion.’
    ‘What’s wrong with being part of a couple? I happen to like it.’
    ‘Ah, but does it like you?’ Oscar says knowingly, as finally a taxi comes into view and he expertly hails it down.
    And as we climb into the taxi and whizz across town towards the gym, I sit and ponder just what his comment could mean.

Four

    ‘Where are you going?’ I calldown the stairs.
    ‘Things to do,’ Sean calls back, as he gathers up some papers from the living room.
    ‘This early?’
    ‘Yes.’
    I sigh. Sean has been acting very mysteriously lately. He isn’t the most open of people at the best of times, especially where his business is concerned. But recently there have been phone calls that ‘need to be taken outside’ and times, like today, when he has had to ‘dash out’ for reasons he won’t explain.
    ‘When will you be back?’ I ask, pulling my dressing gown protectively around me.
    ‘Usual time, I hope. Depends on what comes up at the office.’ Seanlooks up the stairs at me. ‘Haven’t you got the day off today?’ he asks. ‘I thought you were going