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Chapter Twenty-Six
It was 10.30 a.m. on Sunday, and I was almost ready to leave for my appointment with super facialist Anoushka. As I’d hoped, we’d won the project to publicise her new £300 Caviar Facial. And because we never promote a treatment without trying it first, I’d booked in at her private clinic in Chelsea to test it myself (I know, it’s a tough job, but someone has to do it…).
Normally, I’d jump in an Uber. But I was conscious that I hadn’t driven my car for at least two months. In fact, as I always got a cab to and from work (another thing I vowed to do when I could, after years of commuting on the train with my head buried in someone else’s sweaty armpits), I often questioned whether I actually needed a car anymore.
I headed to the dressing room and selected a fitted black-and-white Reiss dress (after my trip to Italy, I’d been experimenting more with non-designer threads).Think I’ll switch up my handbag today too.I picked a white Prada from the shelf (no point letting a classic bag gather dust) and transferred the essential items from my work bag into it. Keys? Check. Purse? Check. Make-up bag? Check. Phone? Charging—will grab in a sec. Umbrella? Check. Notepad? Check. Tissues? Check. Mints? Check.
I gave myself the once-over in the mirror. My hair was tied up into my now-signature undone ponytail to keep it off my face. No make-up today, obviously, as I was having a facial. Whilst my skin wasn’t glowing right now and I looked a little tired from a few late nights last week, with the launch and then the Tinder dates, I wasn’t concerned as I’d be hidden away in my car. Plus, after an hour with Anoushka I was sure to look a million times better.
Better go. My appointment was at noon, so I should arrive in plenty of time, but it was always good to get there early. Even though Anoushka had moved since I had last seen her, I knew exactly where she was based, as I remembered passing that road on the way to a furniture shop Rich wanted to visit during the January sales, so at least finding it would be straightforward.
I picked my car keys off the side table, set the alarm, stepped outside, then unlocked the doors to my black Mercedes SLK. I placed my handbag on the passenger seat and then started the engine.
As I set off towards the South Circular, my mind started to wander. I made a mental note to check in with Marie today to find out how she was coping. I’d been doing this every few weeks, alternating between her, Henri and Geraldine. Each time, I wished I could do more to help, but at the very least, I wanted to ensure they knew I was thinking of them. As you’d expect, every day was a struggle without Albert, but they’d all said that keeping themselves busy at work and having everyone’s support helped to ease the pain a little. Yes, I’d message again later.
I spotted a new restaurant on the corner as I crossed Lavender Hill. My thoughts turned to the Savour London food festival I’d attended yesterday. Needless to say, I had gone alone, i.e., without Lorenzo. I hadn’t heard from him since the last message I’d sent inviting him to the event, so although it had taken longer than I would’ve liked for the penny to drop, I realised that he just wasn’t interested, so I wouldn’t be messaging him again.
The festival was cool. I didn’t stay long, as it doesn’t matter how confident you are, sometimes it’s just more enjoyable to have company, so you can marvel at how good the food/drink tastes or share the experience together. I walked around and tried a couple of prawn dishes from the pop-up restaurants. I was going to sit in on some celebrity chef demos, but I knew it would make me think about Lorenzo, so I headed home instead.
Enough mind-wandering. Better start getting myself into ‘work’ zone. You can never entirely relax when you’re having treatments with clients. You need to be ready to answer any questions they’re likely to throw at you.
Okay. Kings Road. If I remembered correctly, firstly, I needed to go down Sydney Street, which should be coming up shortly on the left.Yes, here we go.
So then, I do a right at the lights at the bottom of the road, then it should be a road on the right? I’ll know it when I see it.
As the lights turned green, I made a right.
Great, so it should be somewhere…here. I put on my indicator.
Oh?
Nope. It’snotthat road. I took off my indicator. Must be the next one. I sped up, then slowed down as I approached the next right, indicated, then stopped again.
Damn! It wasn’t that road either. I could have sworn that’s where it was. I sped up, then slowed down as I looked at the next road on the right and indicated.
Or maybe it was on the left, if Rich and I came from a different direction last time I was there? I clicked off the indicator and started steering the car to the left.
BANG!
I felt a big thud at the back of my car, shunting me forward into the steering wheel.
Shit.
I braked suddenly, pulled my handbrake up instinctively and then spun my head around to see what had happened.
Ouch. My neck! What the fuck?
My whole rear window was blocked out by the sight of the front of the huge metallic grey Range Rover that had gone straight into the back of me.
Without even thinking about my neck beginning to ache, I jumped out of the car.
A tall floppy-haired blond guy slowly climbed down from his giant car, smiling.
‘What the hell?’ I shouted. ‘You just ran into the back of me!’
‘Terribly sorry,’ he said as he looked at both cars to survey the damage. ‘Thankfully, doesn’t look like it’s had a big impact on your car, so not too much harm done,’ he said, stroking the rear of my SLK and then the front of his Range Rover. ‘Shall we exchange details and either let the insurance company sort it all out or arrange for one of the garages I know to fix it privately?’
How was he so calm? Surely there should be some sort of heated argument or something or he should deny any wrongdoing. And what an earth was there to smile about?
