ushered swiftly past our table with three other men in suits on their way to a more secluded area of the restaurant, and both Oscar and Sean get very excited when there’s a rumour that Kylie Minogue is having dinner here this evening. But after several trips to ‘the little boys’ room’, neither of them is able to verify that rumour.
As we leave the restaurant laterthat evening, the waiting press lift their heads for a split second to see if we’re anyone interesting, then promptly ignore us when they realise we’re not. But I don’t care; I just feel incredibly happy and grateful to have such lovely friends and family.
‘When will I see you again?’ I ask Maddie as I hug her goodbye.
‘Soon, Scarlett, soon. We’ve only got a few more places to visit, then we’ll be back home again.’
‘You’re so lucky doing this,’ I say wistfully. ‘I wish I could travel more. Sean’s always away on business, but I never get to go anywhere or do anything exciting any more.’
‘I thought you were quite happy these days, making a home with Sean and running the business on your own without your dad on your back all day?’
‘I am. But …’
Maddie grins. ‘Don’t tell me you’re starting to get itchy feet again! How long did it take this time?’
‘What do you mean?’ I ask, looking at her suspiciously.
‘Come on, I’ve known you since we were kids, Scarlett, and every time you get what you want in life, you’re happy with it for a while before you have to start looking around for a new challenge.’
‘Perhaps,’ I shrug. But, deep down, I knew she was right.
‘Try andbe happy with the business, won’t you?’ Maddie continues. ‘It’s going great guns now. You’ve done a great job managing it since your dad has been in New York, and you know it. But more importantly, be happy with Sean. Look what he did for you tonight. That took masses of organisation and planning.’
I smile as I look back at the doors of The Ivy and reflect on the dinner. ‘Yes, of
course
I’m happy with Sean, why wouldn’t I be? He’s lovely to me.’
‘Good.’ Maddie hugs me again. ‘I’ll see you soon, Scarlett. Keep enjoying life, won’t you? Remember just over a year ago, how you were chasing around after a dream? Now you’ve got what you always wanted, you need to keep embracing it every day.’
There’s a smile on my face as I watch Maddie and Felix drive away in a taxi back to their hotel. But it’s a fixed smile that fades as soon as they’re out of sight.
Because secretly, even though I know Maddie’s right and I should be making the most of everything I’ve got, I also know that, whatever anyone else thinks, there’s still something missing from my life.
Six
After the excitement of mybirthday meal, life settles down for a while. Sean stops being all secretive now that his big surprise is out in the open, and we continue with our day-to-day lives in Notting Hill: Sean working long hours wheeling and dealing in companies – he’s a bit like Richard Gere in
Pretty Woman
, but without the 1990s soundtrack and dodgy haircuts – and me managing the popcorn-machine company with the help of Tammy and Leon.
I’d been reluctant to hire anyone at first when Dad had left for the States; it had always just been me, him and Dorothy for as long as I could remember. But it had soon become clear that I couldn’t manage the business on my own, so I’d advertised and Tammy and Leon had come to me from a very well-respectedagency after a long application process. They were a young married couple, and had both recently lost their jobs in different companies in the City. We’d hit it off immediately when they’d mentioned at the end of their interview that they were about to go and see a movie I’d been waiting for ages for Sean to take me to. When I’d joked about this to them, they’d asked if I’d like to accompany them that night. I knew it wasn’t professional, and I should have said no, but I
As we leave the restaurant laterthat evening, the waiting press lift their heads for a split second to see if we’re anyone interesting, then promptly ignore us when they realise we’re not. But I don’t care; I just feel incredibly happy and grateful to have such lovely friends and family.
‘When will I see you again?’ I ask Maddie as I hug her goodbye.
‘Soon, Scarlett, soon. We’ve only got a few more places to visit, then we’ll be back home again.’
‘You’re so lucky doing this,’ I say wistfully. ‘I wish I could travel more. Sean’s always away on business, but I never get to go anywhere or do anything exciting any more.’
‘I thought you were quite happy these days, making a home with Sean and running the business on your own without your dad on your back all day?’
‘I am. But …’
Maddie grins. ‘Don’t tell me you’re starting to get itchy feet again! How long did it take this time?’
‘What do you mean?’ I ask, looking at her suspiciously.
‘Come on, I’ve known you since we were kids, Scarlett, and every time you get what you want in life, you’re happy with it for a while before you have to start looking around for a new challenge.’
‘Perhaps,’ I shrug. But, deep down, I knew she was right.
‘Try andbe happy with the business, won’t you?’ Maddie continues. ‘It’s going great guns now. You’ve done a great job managing it since your dad has been in New York, and you know it. But more importantly, be happy with Sean. Look what he did for you tonight. That took masses of organisation and planning.’
I smile as I look back at the doors of The Ivy and reflect on the dinner. ‘Yes, of
course
I’m happy with Sean, why wouldn’t I be? He’s lovely to me.’
‘Good.’ Maddie hugs me again. ‘I’ll see you soon, Scarlett. Keep enjoying life, won’t you? Remember just over a year ago, how you were chasing around after a dream? Now you’ve got what you always wanted, you need to keep embracing it every day.’
There’s a smile on my face as I watch Maddie and Felix drive away in a taxi back to their hotel. But it’s a fixed smile that fades as soon as they’re out of sight.
Because secretly, even though I know Maddie’s right and I should be making the most of everything I’ve got, I also know that, whatever anyone else thinks, there’s still something missing from my life.
Six
After the excitement of mybirthday meal, life settles down for a while. Sean stops being all secretive now that his big surprise is out in the open, and we continue with our day-to-day lives in Notting Hill: Sean working long hours wheeling and dealing in companies – he’s a bit like Richard Gere in
Pretty Woman
, but without the 1990s soundtrack and dodgy haircuts – and me managing the popcorn-machine company with the help of Tammy and Leon.
I’d been reluctant to hire anyone at first when Dad had left for the States; it had always just been me, him and Dorothy for as long as I could remember. But it had soon become clear that I couldn’t manage the business on my own, so I’d advertised and Tammy and Leon had come to me from a very well-respectedagency after a long application process. They were a young married couple, and had both recently lost their jobs in different companies in the City. We’d hit it off immediately when they’d mentioned at the end of their interview that they were about to go and see a movie I’d been waiting for ages for Sean to take me to. When I’d joked about this to them, they’d asked if I’d like to accompany them that night. I knew it wasn’t professional, and I should have said no, but I
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