Read Online Welcome to My World by Miranda Dickinson - Free Book Online
Authors: Miranda Dickinson
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happy.’
Two noisy children dashed past their table with a large dog, its fur dripping from a recent foray into the lake. Stella wrinkled her nose in disgust. ‘It could be worse, Harri. You could own one of those .’
‘A dog or a child?’
Stella pulled a face. ‘Either. Eeuwch . I am never having kids or dogs. Imagine spending your life trailing after that lot. Horrible, messy creatures – why in the world anyone would want that mayhem in their lives is beyond me.’
A harassed-looking woman appeared, stopping at their table and gripping it with both hands like a desperate lunatic from the asylum. ‘Have you seen them?’ she demanded, her eyes wide from too many late nights and hectic days.
‘Two screaming brats and a mangy mutt? They went that-a-way,’ Stella replied, and the woman hurried away.
‘Stella, you’re awful. Poor woman.’
‘Two words, Harri: “contraception” and “vet”.’
Harri shook her head. ‘You’re unbelievable. And I know you don’t mean it.’
Stella inspected her nails. ‘Oh, yes, I do. You wouldn’t catch me and Stefan signing up for that nightmare scenario.’
‘Ah, Stefan. How is the latest flame?’
Stella’s eyes lit up. ‘Gorgeous, H. Not gorgeous like Jase or Andy, of course, but with Stefan it’s the whole package, you know what I mean?’
‘I think I can guess.’
‘He’s caring and thoughtful – and his house is just to die for!’
Hmm. What attracted you to the millionaire Stefan, Stella? ‘Right, I see.’
Harri’s sarcasm was not lost on Stella. ‘His money isn’t the important thing, whatever you think. Honestly.’
‘Perish the thought.’
‘You’re such a cynic. This could be true love and all you can do is mock me. Just because you’re all loved-up, doesn’t give you the monopoly on happy-ever-afters.’
‘Sorry.’
Stella took a sip of her coffee and pulled a face. ‘This stuff doesn’t get any better, does it?’
Harri smiled. ‘Shh. Ralph will hear you.’ She looked round to see if the short, white-haired proprietor of the Vale Edge café was listening. Thankfully, he was engaged in an extremely animated conversation with the leader of a group of local ramblers, who were laying siege to most of the picnic tables around where Harri and Stella sat.
‘I don’t mind if he does. It’s high time our Ralphy learned about decent espresso.’ Stella flapped her hands as a thought blew into her mind. ‘Ooh, ooh, I meant to tell you, Stefan finally solved the problem of who you remind me of.’
Harri wasn’t aware this was a problem. ‘Oh?’
Clapping her hands Stella smiled triumphantly. ‘Amy Adams.’
‘I do not look like Amy Adams.’
‘Yes, you do. All that annoyingly gorgeous red hair of yours and your amazing blue eyes – you’re the total spit of her.’
Harri shook her head. ‘Just because I have auburn hair and blue eyes does not make me Amy Adams. Anyway, last month you thought I looked like Debra Messing and last year you said I was a dead ringer for Julianne Moore. Aren’t you just working your way through red-headed actresses?’
‘Nope. Not this time. Stefan and I were watching Enchanted and he said, “She looks like your friend Harri.”’
‘Hang on a minute – you were watching a Disney film with Stefan?’
Stella jutted her chin out. ‘He happens to be a fan of animation. There’s nothing wrong with that.’
Harri held her hands up to call a truce. ‘Hey, if your fabulously wealthy boyfriend wants to revere the House of Mouse, then who am I to question him?’
‘Exactly. So when does this form thingy have to be back with the magazine?’ Stella asked, expertly swinging the conversation back.
‘As soon as possible. They really like him, Stel.’
‘I told you they would. Of course, you could always just forget to send it back . . .’
The thought had crossed Harri’s mind, but now the magazine knew about him they were likely to pursue Harri for information. It was too late
Two noisy children dashed past their table with a large dog, its fur dripping from a recent foray into the lake. Stella wrinkled her nose in disgust. ‘It could be worse, Harri. You could own one of those .’
‘A dog or a child?’
Stella pulled a face. ‘Either. Eeuwch . I am never having kids or dogs. Imagine spending your life trailing after that lot. Horrible, messy creatures – why in the world anyone would want that mayhem in their lives is beyond me.’
A harassed-looking woman appeared, stopping at their table and gripping it with both hands like a desperate lunatic from the asylum. ‘Have you seen them?’ she demanded, her eyes wide from too many late nights and hectic days.
‘Two screaming brats and a mangy mutt? They went that-a-way,’ Stella replied, and the woman hurried away.
‘Stella, you’re awful. Poor woman.’
‘Two words, Harri: “contraception” and “vet”.’
Harri shook her head. ‘You’re unbelievable. And I know you don’t mean it.’
Stella inspected her nails. ‘Oh, yes, I do. You wouldn’t catch me and Stefan signing up for that nightmare scenario.’
‘Ah, Stefan. How is the latest flame?’
Stella’s eyes lit up. ‘Gorgeous, H. Not gorgeous like Jase or Andy, of course, but with Stefan it’s the whole package, you know what I mean?’
‘I think I can guess.’
‘He’s caring and thoughtful – and his house is just to die for!’
Hmm. What attracted you to the millionaire Stefan, Stella? ‘Right, I see.’
Harri’s sarcasm was not lost on Stella. ‘His money isn’t the important thing, whatever you think. Honestly.’
‘Perish the thought.’
‘You’re such a cynic. This could be true love and all you can do is mock me. Just because you’re all loved-up, doesn’t give you the monopoly on happy-ever-afters.’
‘Sorry.’
Stella took a sip of her coffee and pulled a face. ‘This stuff doesn’t get any better, does it?’
Harri smiled. ‘Shh. Ralph will hear you.’ She looked round to see if the short, white-haired proprietor of the Vale Edge café was listening. Thankfully, he was engaged in an extremely animated conversation with the leader of a group of local ramblers, who were laying siege to most of the picnic tables around where Harri and Stella sat.
‘I don’t mind if he does. It’s high time our Ralphy learned about decent espresso.’ Stella flapped her hands as a thought blew into her mind. ‘Ooh, ooh, I meant to tell you, Stefan finally solved the problem of who you remind me of.’
Harri wasn’t aware this was a problem. ‘Oh?’
Clapping her hands Stella smiled triumphantly. ‘Amy Adams.’
‘I do not look like Amy Adams.’
‘Yes, you do. All that annoyingly gorgeous red hair of yours and your amazing blue eyes – you’re the total spit of her.’
Harri shook her head. ‘Just because I have auburn hair and blue eyes does not make me Amy Adams. Anyway, last month you thought I looked like Debra Messing and last year you said I was a dead ringer for Julianne Moore. Aren’t you just working your way through red-headed actresses?’
‘Nope. Not this time. Stefan and I were watching Enchanted and he said, “She looks like your friend Harri.”’
‘Hang on a minute – you were watching a Disney film with Stefan?’
Stella jutted her chin out. ‘He happens to be a fan of animation. There’s nothing wrong with that.’
Harri held her hands up to call a truce. ‘Hey, if your fabulously wealthy boyfriend wants to revere the House of Mouse, then who am I to question him?’
‘Exactly. So when does this form thingy have to be back with the magazine?’ Stella asked, expertly swinging the conversation back.
‘As soon as possible. They really like him, Stel.’
‘I told you they would. Of course, you could always just forget to send it back . . .’
The thought had crossed Harri’s mind, but now the magazine knew about him they were likely to pursue Harri for information. It was too late
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