Mini Shopaholic (Shopaholic #6)

‘Have you always made friends with the wives of your bosses?’ I can’t help asking. ‘Or husbands?’

‘Not really.’ She looks almost amused. ‘They wouldn’t have seen me as … friend material, I don’t think.’

I’ve seen pictures of Lady Zara Forrest, the wife of Bonnie’s previous employer. She runs a spa in Notting Hill and is always doing interviews. I can’t really see her hanging out and chatting with Bonnie.

‘Well, I suppose it’s more natural for you to be friends with other people in the company,’ I say quickly. ‘It seems to have a really good atmosphere …’

‘Yes,’ says Bonnie. ‘Although of course, as Luke’s personal assistant, I’m in a tricky position. I have to be guarded on some matters. So it’s natural that there’s a little distance between me and the others.’ She smiles. ‘It’s always been that way.’

She’s lonely.

It hits me with a thud. Of course, she might have a massive social life outside work – but somehow I don’t think so. Luke once told me how available she is over the weekend, how she always replies to emails within the hour and how helpful it is to him. Maybe it is great for him. But what about her?

‘Well, I’m really glad we’ve got to know each other better,’ I say warmly. ‘I told you we’d be a good team. I’m working on the air-conditioning situation, by the way.’

Luke keeps his office far too cold. I’m not surprised Bonnie’s shivering.

‘Thank you!’ She dimples. ‘And is there anything else I can do for you?’

‘There must be something …’ I take a few sips of coffee, mulling it over. ‘Oh yes! You know that new shower gel Luke’s using? Doesn’t it smell awful?’

‘Shower gel?’ Bonnie seems thrown. ‘Well, I couldn’t comment …’

‘You must have smelt it. The rosemary and ginseng one? I hate it, but he says it wakes him up. Well, if you said you hated it too, he might stop using it.’

‘Becky, dear.’ Bonnie peers at me. ‘I couldn’t possibly mention something as personal as shower gel.’

‘Yes you could! Of course you could! Believe me, Luke respects your views on everything. He wouldn’t get offended. And that blue tie of his with the cars on it. Can you tell him that’s hideous, too?’

‘Becky, really …’

‘Come on.’ I smile winsomely at her, wife-to-PA. ‘You must hate that tie, too.’

‘Well …’ Bonnie looks uncomfortable. Of course she does.

I unwrap my little biscuit and crunch it, pondering. A new, radical thought has come to me. There’s another major way I could get her to influence Luke for me. Possibly.

‘Bonnie … are you an only child?’ I say at last.

‘No, I have a brother.’

Perfect!

‘Well, if you get the chance … could you possibly mention your brother to Luke and say how having a sibling has been really important to you? And maybe ask him if he wants any more children after Minnie and say how lovely it would be if he did? And how he should get a move on?’

Bonnie looks thunderstruck.

‘Becky! This really isn’t my business … I really couldn’t …’

‘Yes you could!’ I say encouragingly. ‘I so want another baby, and I know he does too, deep down, and he’d totally listen to you.’

‘But—’

‘Just if you get the chance,’ I say reassuringly. ‘If it comes up in conversation. Shall we get the bill?’

As we leave the restaurant, I give Bonnie an impulsive hug.

‘Thanks so much for everything, Bon. You’re the best!’

I should have hooked up with Bonnie ages ago. Next I’ll get her to tell Luke we need to go to Mauritius.

‘Not at all.’ She still looks a bit flustered, but smiles at me. ‘And please don’t worry about the party. I’m sure Luke doesn’t suspect anything.’

‘I’m not so sure.’ I glance up and down the street in sudden paranoia. ‘Did I tell you he bumped into me after our lunch? I told him I’d gone for Botox but he didn’t believe me, and now he keeps giving me these little looks, as though he knows I’m up to something—’ I stop at Bonnie’s expression. ‘What?’

‘Now it makes sense!’ she exclaims. She draws me aside, out of the flow of people on the pavement. ‘Becky, that day we met, Luke came back to the office and asked me if any designer-clothes shops had opened in the area. I assumed it was some kind of retail research. But now I wonder if he thought you were secretly …’ Bonnie trails off tactfully.