Shopaholic on Honeymoon Read Online Free PDF Page B

They stock all the shoes, equipment, heart-rate monitors … did you get a biomechanical assessment in the UK?’
    I look at her blankly. A bio-what?
    ‘Talk to the guys across the street, they’ll get you set up.’ She hands me a carrier bag holding my clothes. ‘You must be super-fit. I’ve worked out with Sage Seymour’s trainer. She’s hardcore. And I’ve heard about the team regimen. Didn’t you, like, go to Arizona for training?’
    This conversation is unnerving me a tad. Hardcore? Team regimen? Anyway, I mustn’t lose confidence. I’m perfectly fit enough to run a race, even if it is in LA.
    ‘I haven’t been on the regimen
exactly
,’ I admit. ‘But obviously I have my own … er … cardio … programme … thing …’
    I’ll be fine. It’s just running. How hard can it be?
    As I head back out to Rodeo Drive, I feel a swoosh of exhilaration as the warm spring air hits me. I’m going to love living in LA, I just know it. Everything people say about it is true. The sun shines and the people have super-white teeth and the mansions look like film sets. I’ve looked at several houses for rent and they
all
have pools. It’s as if a pool is a normal thing, like a fridge.
    The street around me simply glistens with glamour. It’s lined with expensive, shiny shopfronts and perfect palm trees and rows of luxurious-looking cars. Cars are a whole different thing here. People drive by in their colourful convertibles with the roof down, looking all relaxed and friendly, as if you might stroll up to them while they’re pausing at the lights and start a conversation. It’s the opposite of Britain where everyone’s in their own self-contained metal box, swearing at the rain.
    Sunlight is glinting off all the shop windows and sunglasses and expensive watches on people’s wrists. Outside Dolce & Gabbana, a woman is piling a whole load of bags into a car, and she looks just like Julia Roberts, except with blonder hair. And a bit smaller. But apart from that, just like Julia Roberts! On Rodeo Drive!
    I’m just trying to edge closer to see what bags she’s got, when my phone buzzes, and I pull it out to see
Gayle
on the screen. Gayle is my new boss at Dalawear, and we’re having a meeting tomorrow morning.
    ‘Hi, Gayle!’ I say in cheerful, professional tones. ‘Did you get my message? Are we still on for tomorrow?’
    ‘Hi, Rebecca. Yes, we’re all good this end …’ She pauses. ‘Except for one hitch. We still didn’t get your reference from Danny Kovitz.’
    ‘Oh, right.’
Drat
. Danny is one of my best friends and is quite a famous fashion designer. He promised to give me a reference for Dalawear, only it’s been ages now and he hasn’t done anything about it. I texted him yesterday and he promised he would send an email within the hour. I can’t believe he hasn’t.
    Actually, that’s not true. I can totally believe it.
    ‘I’ll call him,’ I promise. ‘Sorry about that.’
    The truth is, I never should have asked Danny for a reference. But I thought it sounded so cool, having a top fashion designer on my résumé. And I’m sure it helped. They couldn’t stop asking me about him in the interview.
    ‘Rebecca …’ Gayle pauses delicately. ‘You do know Mr Kovitz? You have met him?’
    She doesn’t
believe
me?
    ‘Of course I know him! Look, leave it with me. I’ll get the reference. I’m really sorry for the delay. See you tomorrow.’
    I end the call and instantly speed-dial Danny, trying to stay calm. There’s no point getting cross with Danny; he just wriggles and becomes all plaintive.
    ‘Oh my God, Becky.’ Danny answers the phone as though we’re mid-conversation. ‘You would not believe what I need for this trek. It’s like, who knew you could get freeze-dried lasagne? And I have the
cutest
little tea kettle, you
have
to get one.’
    This is why Danny is even more distracted than usual at the moment. He’s about to start training to do some celebrity charity