Perfect Strangers

Josh stopped and looked at her as he entered the room.

‘Wow,’ he said finally.

‘You don’t look too bad yourself,’ she said.

That’s an understatement, she smiled to herself, unable to take her eyes off him. She knew from the Chariot party that Josh looked good in a suit, but tonight he looked like a matinee idol: clean-shaven, square-jawed, gorgeous.

‘So tell me, how did you manage this?’ she asked, feeling flustered. ‘I can’t imagine the boutiques on the Croisette lend thousand-euro gowns every day of the week.’

‘Well, we’re only technically borrowing it.’

‘Technically? Josh, you didn’t steal it, did you?’

Josh looked hurt.

‘You underestimate me,’ he said, smiling. ‘Look, I chatted up some bird with a Ferrari on the Croisette. Got her to drop me off at the boutique. I went in, bought the dress. You can wear it tonight and we’ll take it back tomorrow.’

She tried not to think about him chatting up a wealthy bimbo.

‘They’re going to know it’s been worn.’

‘As long as you don’t spill claret down it they won’t. I’m just going to take it back to the boutique’s manager and tell her you – or rather the girl in the Ferrari – dumped me. She isn’t going to quibble with Rudolfo.’

‘Rudolfo?’

Josh put on a hammy Russian accent.

‘I am Rudolfo, son of the oligarch Alexander who has one of the big, big yachts in the harbour,’ he laughed.

‘You didn’t,’ Sophie giggled.

‘I did.’

‘You are terrible.’

‘And you are beautiful,’ said Josh simply.

Blushing, she pulled the pashmina around her shoulders.

‘By the way, the scarf doesn’t have to be returned. Or the shoes – they’re for you.’

‘I can pay you back when we get back to London,’ she said quickly. ‘For the haircut, the shoes . . .’

He shook his head.

‘I said they’re for you.’

She stepped across and kissed him lightly on the cheek. ‘Thank you,’ she said, watching him looking uncharacteristically off guard.

She caught a glimpse of them in the mirror behind the door, and even she had to admit what a great-looking couple they made. Their eyes met in the reflection and she looked away.

‘I think we should go,’ she said quickly.

‘There’s no rush,’ said Josh, glancing at his watch.

‘There is, Josh,’ she said. ‘I just want to get this

over with. If Nick was supposed to be meeting this A at the party tonight, I just want to find her and then leave.’