Rumours and Red Roses Read Online Free PDF

Marina.’
    ‘Oh, come on. Are you sure that’s the only reason? I’ve asked Jane and Aisha and that gorgeous black guy from the record shop. It’s a real mixed crowd. Don’t go all snobby on me, Becky.’
    ‘I am not snobby,’ she said at once, even though it had crossed her mind that, whilst she and Marina got on fine as work colleagues, she was way out of Marina’s life league and it was maybe wise not to get too close socially. The way Marina spoke for one. It ought not to matter in this day and age when even people on television had regional accents but it sort of mattered a little. It mattered to her. She felt a touch out of her depth with Marina.
    Marina was only in her mid twenties and she already had her ownplace, a roomy first-floor flat in a trendy area at the bottom of the hill out of town with a view of the river. What Becky would give to have something similar but she didn’t hold it against Marina, although the fact that Marina was also very pretty and drove a brand new shiny little car, a present from her doting daddy, was harder to take. Becky had passed her driving test years ago but had never owned a car, partly because she couldn’t afford to blow all her hard-earned savings and partly because she was still nervous behind the wheel.
    ‘As I keep telling you, there will be a real mix of people there. My oldest brother Nick is coming up from London for the weekend.’
    ‘Is he the financial guy who’s forty and gay?’
    ‘Right. His partner’s had to go off to the States for a month so poor Nick’s all alone and feeling fragile. He needs cheering up. But, apart from that, there might be someone coming whom I particularly want you to meet. He’s called Simon and he’s just like you, not a party animal. He took a lot of persuading before he said yes and I’m still not convinced he’ll turn up. I’ve had to resort to getting his mother on the case. She says she’ll persuade him.’
    ‘I don’t care if she does. No matchmaking.’ Becky grimaced. Marina meant well but her idea of the ideal man was not quite the same as Becky’s. ‘I’m not coming if you’re going to start trying to palm me off with somebody. That’s really embarrassing.’
    ‘I’ll be terribly discreet. Hang on there before you write him off. He’s thirty-nine and such a darling.’ Marina grinned. ‘I’d have him myself but he thinks I’m just a child. He was at school with Nick and he’s a bit at sea with the girls. I can’t think why. He’s not bad-looking. And, no, he’s not gay.’
    ‘It sounds like he needs somebody to mother him,’ Becky said with a sigh. ‘Forget it, Marina. I can’t be bothered with the hassle of starting all over again. And with my track record …’
    ‘Third time lucky. Now, look, you …’ Marina was like a dog with a bone and by the end of the break she had managed to get what she set out to get: a qualified acceptance.
    Irritated that she could be so easily manipulated, Becky was certain she would live to regret it but she hadn’t been out in ages, since everything had gone pear shape with her love life, and if nothing else she needed a break and an excuse to buy something new.
    No dressing up, Marina had specified, just jeans with heels and afancy top will do. That sounded ominous – just jeans – and would definitely mean a new pair, Tesco’s finest very likely because she was strapped for cash this month after chipping in to an over-the-top electricity bill. Her mum wore jeans but they were a scary size ten and there was no way she could fit her ampler shape into them.
    The silver shoes on their glass shelf stared accusingly at her when she returned to the shop floor. They had spanking great heels and glittery bits along the top strap.
    Cinderella slippers.
    They were utterly gorgeous and, because she had nice slender feet, one of her better features, the shoes would look a lot better on her than the girl who had bought a pair this morning.
    All afternoon she