No.
Is she about to cry?
‘Elinor,’ I say desperately. ‘Elinor, I’m sorry, but he had to know—’
‘No.’ She won’t meet my eye. ‘No, Rebecca. You have undermined everything. Goodbye, Minnie.’
To my utter horror, she grabs hold of her bag with shaking hands and walks out.
‘Ladeeee!’ cries Minnie. ‘No go!’
I watch, paralysed, unable to bring myself to go after her. Only when I hear the heavy front door slam do I move. A horrible guilt is growing inside me, and I can’t stop myself lashing out at Luke.
‘Happy now?’ I round on him. ‘So you’ve destroyed your mother’s life. I hope you feel good.’
‘Destroyed her life? I don’t think so.’
‘You have! All she wants is to make amends and be part of the family and see Minnie. Don’t you get that, Luke? She doesn’t want to buy your love. She wouldn’t let me tell you about the party. She was watching the whole thing from a hiding place, but she wouldn’t come out. And then you went overboard, thanking Suze and Tarkie. They knew it was Elinor. They felt terrible.’
‘So everyone knew except me,’ says Luke tightly. ‘Of course they did.’
‘Ladeeee!’ wails Minnie, as Luke’s BlackBerry bleeps with a text. ‘Where Ladeee?’ She gets down from the table, looking determined. ‘Find Ladeeee.’
‘Minnie, Lady had to go to her own home,’ I say hurriedly. ‘But I’ll tell you a bedtime story about Lady, how about that? And then you can go to sleep and then tomorrow we’ll do something nice—’ I break off, noticing a weird flicker pass over Luke’s face. ‘What is it?’
Luke says nothing. He’s just gazing at his phone. He glances at me, then focuses on his screen again. OK, I don’t like this.
‘What?’ I say. ‘Tell me!’
Silently, Luke turns his phone round. I squint at the screen and see a picture of Minnie, standing in our drive, in a sexy, grown-up pose.
‘It’s on the USA Today website,’ he says, and my heart plummets.
‘Let me see.’ I grab the phone and wince at the image. They’ve managed to make Minnie look all grown-up and knowing and … awful. I’m sure they’ve touched up her mouth so she looks like she’s wearing make-up.
‘That was Sage’s fault,’ I say, handing the phone back. ‘She encouraged Minnie. I stopped her as soon as I saw what they were doing. Who sent it to you?’
‘Aran. But I think he got our numbers mixed up, because the message is to you. He seems to think you’ll be pleased. It’s “all raising the family profile”, as he puts it.’
There’s an accusing note to Luke’s voice, I suddenly realize.
‘Pleased?’ I echo in horror. ‘Of course I’m not pleased. I was livid! I told them to stop! Luke, you can’t think—’ I stop at his expression. He’s staring at his phone again, with a look of revulsion.
‘Aran’s just sent me another text for you by mistake,’ he says. ‘You really must tell him your correct number.’
‘Oh,’ I say nervously. ‘What does he say?’
‘He’s set up the meeting you discussed with the producers of Even More Beautiful,’ says Luke in an odd, toneless voice. ‘He’s told them you’re super-excited, and they can’t wait to meet you.’
I don’t believe it. I told Aran I wasn’t interested.
‘That’s nothing,’ I say hurriedly. ‘Don’t worry about it. It’s just a—’
‘I know exactly what it is,’ says Luke, still in the same odd voice. ‘It’s a reality show involving plastic surgery. Are you so desperate for fame, Becky? Are you willing to butcher your body to become a celebrity? Are you willing to leave Minnie and put yourself at risk of injury, or death, just so you can stand on the red carpet?’
‘No!’ I say, appalled. ‘Luke, I wouldn’t actually do it—’
‘So why are you having the meeting?’
‘I’m not! I told Aran I didn’t want to do it! This is all a mix-up.’
‘Why would Aran set up a meeting unless you’d expressed interest?’ His voice is inexorable.
‘I don’t know!’ I say desperately. ‘Luke, please believe me! I told Aran I wasn’t interested. I wouldn’t lie to you—’
‘Oh really? That’s a good one, Becky.’ He gives a short, ill-humoured laugh. ‘You wouldn’t lie to me. That’s a brilliant one.’
‘OK.’ I clutch my hair. ‘I know I fibbed about Minnie seeing Elinor. And Sage and Lois. But that was different. Luke, you can’t think I’d be willing to have plastic surgery on TV!’