Read Online Christmas at Tiffany's by Karen Swan - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Karen Swan
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Now, come on. We’ve got to get across town to Maddy Foxton. She’s doing the accessories for the Oscar show—’
‘Oooh, I didn’t know the Oscars were on,’ Cassie interrupted excitedly. ‘Will we get to go?’
‘No,’ Kelly said, her heels click-clacking down the stairs. ‘Because they happen in LA and not till after Christmas. I’m talking about Oscar de la Renta – one of the most venerable names in New York fashion.’
Cassie had never heard of him. ‘Oh.’
‘So we’ve got to get some shots of those and a press release ready before they go over to Oscar’s . . .’ They burst out of the building and started stalking down Seventh Avenue. Well, Kelly stalked. Cassie kind of clattered after her, trying to get to grips with speed-walking in heels.
‘Then we’re expected at the Harper’s offices to discuss their Christmas offer. I’ve got a meeting with Paloma Morriss at four – she’s previewing her new heel shape. We’d better show our faces back with Bebe after that, make sure she’s not threatening to jump – or push! After that, we’re pretty free. I’ve booked us both a kick-boxing session for six. Just wait until you see what it can do to your thighs.’
‘Oh good,’ Cassie panted, the sounds of her wheezing and the midtown traffic drowning out her disgruntled tummy. She briefly wondered whether Kelly had learnt how to do circular breathing, being able to walk and talk that fast at the same time.
‘And then we can go home?’ She was practically hallucinating about sofas.
‘Yeah, I thought you might need a rest.’ Kelly smiled as she looked at her. ‘So I’ve got La Cornue delivering dinner at eight, and then when you’ve recharged, we’re hooking up with Henry and hitting Mischka later on.’
‘What’s Mischka?’
‘Hot new club off Madison. You’ll love it.’
‘This place is the nuts!’ Kelly shouted to no one in particular as she expertly wove her way through the crowd from the bar, holding their drinks aloft. Cassie had been trying to keep up, but seemed to be permanently three people adrift and had had to stand with her arms pinned to her sides in the middle of a group of telecom salesgirls from Brooklyn on a hen party. Not that moving freely was much of an option. She was shoe-horned into a black dress with bondage straps criss-crossing her hips and, being bought from a sample sale, it was still far too small.
‘Come over here,’ Kelly laughed, handing her a tall, suspiciously pink drink.
‘What is it?’
‘Delicious!’ Kelly said, winking. ‘Cheers!’
They had been dancing for over an hour already – Cassie swaying like a potted palm to minimize foot movement in her vertiginous spike boots – and she had a raging thirst. She emptied the top third of the drink in a single gulp, surveying the frenzy around her with apprehensive eyes. She’d never been around so many white teeth and sharp shoulders in her life. Back home she had socialized among plus fours, gentle tweeds and melodic burrs that soothed like birdsong. Here, people kept talking about ‘collateralized debt obligations’ and ‘leverage ratios’. What did it all mean?
‘They won’t bite, you know,’ Kelly said, leaning towards Cassie as she apologetically moved herself left, then right, then left again to get out of other people’s way. Kelly took her by the elbow and made her stand on one spot.
‘Let them go round you,’ she said kindly. ‘They’re the ones moving.’
Cassie nodded uncertainly. There must be well over three hundred people in here, all wearing the same intense expressions as they scanned the crowd for friends and yet-to-be-met lovers.
‘So what do you think?’ Kelly asked, bopping her head to the beat and sipping her drink delicately.
‘I was just wondering whether they’ve got a coherent fire-evacuation policy.’
Kelly rolled her eyes. ‘I mean, what do you think about the music? The people? The scene?’
‘Well . . . it kind of reminds me of
‘Oooh, I didn’t know the Oscars were on,’ Cassie interrupted excitedly. ‘Will we get to go?’
‘No,’ Kelly said, her heels click-clacking down the stairs. ‘Because they happen in LA and not till after Christmas. I’m talking about Oscar de la Renta – one of the most venerable names in New York fashion.’
Cassie had never heard of him. ‘Oh.’
‘So we’ve got to get some shots of those and a press release ready before they go over to Oscar’s . . .’ They burst out of the building and started stalking down Seventh Avenue. Well, Kelly stalked. Cassie kind of clattered after her, trying to get to grips with speed-walking in heels.
‘Then we’re expected at the Harper’s offices to discuss their Christmas offer. I’ve got a meeting with Paloma Morriss at four – she’s previewing her new heel shape. We’d better show our faces back with Bebe after that, make sure she’s not threatening to jump – or push! After that, we’re pretty free. I’ve booked us both a kick-boxing session for six. Just wait until you see what it can do to your thighs.’
‘Oh good,’ Cassie panted, the sounds of her wheezing and the midtown traffic drowning out her disgruntled tummy. She briefly wondered whether Kelly had learnt how to do circular breathing, being able to walk and talk that fast at the same time.
‘And then we can go home?’ She was practically hallucinating about sofas.
‘Yeah, I thought you might need a rest.’ Kelly smiled as she looked at her. ‘So I’ve got La Cornue delivering dinner at eight, and then when you’ve recharged, we’re hooking up with Henry and hitting Mischka later on.’
‘What’s Mischka?’
‘Hot new club off Madison. You’ll love it.’
‘This place is the nuts!’ Kelly shouted to no one in particular as she expertly wove her way through the crowd from the bar, holding their drinks aloft. Cassie had been trying to keep up, but seemed to be permanently three people adrift and had had to stand with her arms pinned to her sides in the middle of a group of telecom salesgirls from Brooklyn on a hen party. Not that moving freely was much of an option. She was shoe-horned into a black dress with bondage straps criss-crossing her hips and, being bought from a sample sale, it was still far too small.
‘Come over here,’ Kelly laughed, handing her a tall, suspiciously pink drink.
‘What is it?’
‘Delicious!’ Kelly said, winking. ‘Cheers!’
They had been dancing for over an hour already – Cassie swaying like a potted palm to minimize foot movement in her vertiginous spike boots – and she had a raging thirst. She emptied the top third of the drink in a single gulp, surveying the frenzy around her with apprehensive eyes. She’d never been around so many white teeth and sharp shoulders in her life. Back home she had socialized among plus fours, gentle tweeds and melodic burrs that soothed like birdsong. Here, people kept talking about ‘collateralized debt obligations’ and ‘leverage ratios’. What did it all mean?
‘They won’t bite, you know,’ Kelly said, leaning towards Cassie as she apologetically moved herself left, then right, then left again to get out of other people’s way. Kelly took her by the elbow and made her stand on one spot.
‘Let them go round you,’ she said kindly. ‘They’re the ones moving.’
Cassie nodded uncertainly. There must be well over three hundred people in here, all wearing the same intense expressions as they scanned the crowd for friends and yet-to-be-met lovers.
‘So what do you think?’ Kelly asked, bopping her head to the beat and sipping her drink delicately.
‘I was just wondering whether they’ve got a coherent fire-evacuation policy.’
Kelly rolled her eyes. ‘I mean, what do you think about the music? The people? The scene?’
‘Well . . . it kind of reminds me of
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