zip up as far as she could. Oh, for heaven’s sake. She was a size twelve. If this was a size twelve, she was a pencil.
Jamie pulled a face. ‘Maybe it’ll be better with the jacket.’
As if. She put the jacket on and gazed at herself in the mirror above the fireplace.
‘You look like one of those Slimmers of the Year,’ he said helpfully, ‘wearing your old clothes to show how much weight you’ve lost.’
‘Oh God.’
‘Good colors though.’ As if that made everything better.
‘Disaster,’ said Ellie. ‘I’ll have to take the whole lot back.’ It was so frustrating. ‘What am I going to wear?’
‘How about my favorite? The one we bought on our honeymoon.’
‘I’ve worn it before. When we went to Claridge’s.’
‘Did we? I don’t remember that.’ Jamie’s eyes were sparkling with mischief; he was doing it on purpose.
‘When I went with Zack.’ Ellie eased herself out of the way-too-big dress and jacket.
‘And does that mean you can’t wear it again?’
‘No. I’d just like to wear something different.’
He looked mystified. ‘Why?’
‘Because we don’t all want to go around in the same clothes all the time, wearing them until they disintegrate.’ To make her point, she eyed his frayed jeans with one tanned knee showing through a series of horizontal rips.
‘It might be that.’ Jamie conceded the point with a grin. ‘Or it could be because you don’t want to wear your honeymoon dress while you’re having a weekend away with another man.’
Was he right? Was that the real reason? Ellie collected up the carrier bags of clothes and marched past him. Dumping them in the hallway, she went into the bedroom and returned wearing a sweatshirt and shorts. On the TV, the ad break was over and the second half of the chat show was about to start. ‘OK, you have to be quiet now,’ she announced. ‘I want to watch this. Roo’s going to be on.’
‘You mean you’d rather watch her than listen to me?’ Jamie pretended to look affronted. He’d always liked being the center of attention.
‘She’s real,’ said Ellie. ‘And you’re not.’
‘…From has-beens to heroes!’ Vince Torrance, who prided himself on his cheeky chappie persona and liberal use of irony, was making his introduction. ‘From lucked-out losers to record-smashing sensations! From the gutter to the stars… and now right here in this studio… ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Ceecee Milton and Daisy Deeva!’
At home in Primrose Hill, with a can of Fanta and a big packet of Kettle chips to hand, Ellie sat watching the show. Beneath that glib, shiny, exterior Vince Torrance was actually an intelligent man and an astute interviewer.
Reaching across the sofa for her phone, she pressed the call button. When it was answered, she said, ‘Are you watching?’
He knew it was on. She’d texted him earlier. ‘No,’ said Todd.
‘Put it on.’
‘What am I, a complete masochist?’ But he gave a giving-in sigh, not an annoyed one. The next moment she heard the sound of the TV echoing down the line.
‘Doesn’t she look fantastic?’ Incredibly, Roo had been persuaded to wear makeup tonight.
‘Yes, she does. Just explain something. How is this supposed to make me feel better?’
‘Sshh, I can’t hear what they’re saying.’ Ellie returned her attention to the TV, where Vince was making jokey comments about Roo’s time working in the charity shop.
‘…and this outfit you’re wearing tonight.’ He jokingly indicated Roo’s charcoal jacket and skinny white trousers. ‘I’m assuming that’s where you picked these things up.’
Roo nodded. ‘Yes, I did.’
‘Ah! OK.’ Wrong-footed, he laughed. ‘Well, that’s admirable. So forgive me, but this is quite a transformation for you. In the old days you were a pretty wild child, I think it’s safe to say.’
‘Oh, I was.’
‘And what’s brought this change about?’
‘I didn’t like myself very much,’ said Roo. ‘I decided it was time to become a nicer person.’
‘And now? Do you think you are nicer?’ Vince looked genuinely interested.
Roo rubbed her fingers through her spiky white-blond hair and shrugged. ‘I hope so. I think I am, yes.’
‘And you’ve written this phenomenal song, with all the proceeds going to St Mark’s Hospice. That’s something to be incredibly proud of. You must be over the moon, surely.’
Clearly embarrassed, Roo shifted in her chair. ‘Well, yes, we’re thrilled with the way it’s taken off.’
‘So is this the happiest time of your life?’ Vince was watching her closely, pushing. ‘It has to be! You must be unbelievably happy!’
For a moment Roo’s huge brown eyes swam with tears; she tilted her head back, gazed up at the