Fortune: The Original Snogbuster. Megan Cole

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СКАЧАТЬ studied her. ‘Do you really think that?’

      ‘Uh? Yeah!’

      Brad said nothing as he stared out to sea.

      

      Sapphire smoothed down her dress, checking herself for the umpteenth time in the mirror. The short, strapless number from Miss Selfridge was a bit daring for her, but her mum had encouraged her to buy it on one of their rare shopping trips. ‘You’ve got such a lovely figure, darling!’ Leonie had told her. ‘You should show it off more.’

      Showing it off is what I am doing tonight, Sapphire thought. She had to admit the dress looked pretty good, and even better with the black heels her mother had insisted on buying her as well. Shaking her blow-dried hair over her shoulders, Sapphire applied a coat of lip-gloss, took a deep breath and walked out.

      The house was strangely silent for a party and Sapphire had heard no guests arriving. Maybe they’re all being brought in on Brad’s yacht, she thought. As she reached the staircase, she saw Maggie standing at the bottom. On catching sight of Sapphire, the friendly housekeeper let out a happy gasp.

      ‘Don’t you look like a princess! Come down here so I can have a proper look at you.’

      Careful not to trip up, Sapphire slowly made her way down the stairs.

      Maggie’s eyes lit up in approval. ‘Such a darling dress. Don’t you think so, Raphael?’

      Sapphire jumped. She hadn’t realised the rude boy from yesterday was standing in the hallway. His green eyes seemed to burn into her as he gave her a contemptuous look.

      ‘I will see you later, Maggie.’

      ‘Don’t mind him,’ Maggie said as Raphael stalked off. ‘That’s just Raphael’s way.’

      Well, I don’t like his way, Sapphire thought. It’s rude. ‘Why is he here, Maggie? He doesn’t seem to fit in.’

      Maggie chuckled. ‘Brad found him on the street in Rome, busking. He’s a music student, a rare talent, Brad says. They got talking and when Brad found out Raphael was busking to pay his way through college, he invited him to be his chauffeur for the summer instead. Brad likes nurturing young protégés.’

      ‘I don’t think Raphael likes me very much,’ Sapphire ventured.

      Maggie smiled. ‘Don’t take it personally. Raphael’s…complicated. He doesn’t find it easy to relate to people.’

      ‘Right,’ said Sapphire. Like that explained anything. Maybe he just didn’t like brunettes or something. She asked a question that had been troubling her instead.

      ‘Maggie, where are all the other guests?’

      The housekeeper smiled knowingly. ‘All good things come to those who wait.’

      

      The three girls were waiting expectantly in the drawing-room. Madison had already surveyed Sapphire’s outfit with distaste. Now she looked Simonetta’s black silk jumpsuit up and down.

      ‘You say it’s Gucci? Looks fake to me.’

      Simonetta made a ‘pff’ sound, giving Madison the once-over back. ‘I didn’t realise it was prom night.’

      Madison looked down at her baby-blue sequinned mini-dress. ‘Er, hello? This is Dolce and Gabanna.’

      ‘They must have been having an off day,’ Simonetta sniffed.

      It was a minute past seven when Brad walked in. ‘Girls, you look fabulous. Shall we?’ He gestured towards the door. In curious silence they followed him out of the house and down the garden path towards the beach. Hundreds of candles lit their way and at the end of them, Sapphire could see a gazebo ablaze with fairy lights and more candles. In the gathering gloom it looked magical. Brad led them inside, to where an ice bucket containing a bottle of champagne stood in one corner, along with four glasses.

      ‘When’s everyone else arriving?’ Madison asked, her eyes scanning the sweeping gardens.

      Brad smiled. ‘Everyone’s here.’

      ‘But…’ Madison looked in confusion at Brad and then at Sapphire and Simonetta. ‘I don’t understand.’

      There was a long silence before Brad spoke again. ‘Girls, I’m going to cut to the chase. I’ve brought you here under false pretences.’

      Sapphire’s heart began to quicken. The atmosphere could be cut with a knife as the three girls listened to what he had to say.

      ‘It is my fiftieth birthday party,’ Brad said. ‘That much is true. But the reason I only invited the three of you is…’ He stopped, seemingly stuck for words. ‘That is to say…The reason you’re here is because I thought it would be a good chance to meet my…’

      He looked at them all, face serious.

      ‘A good chance to meet my daughters.’

       Chapter ten

      There was a stunned silence.

      ‘O. M. Fricking G!’ Madison crowed. ‘I always knew that loser Frank was way too un-cool to be my dad!’

      Sapphire was barely aware of Madison’s shrieks. Her heart was pounding, blood rushing through her ears as she tried to take it in. Brad Masters, her father? He couldn’t be! Her father was Bill! She thought of the cherished photo up in her bedroom. Suddenly the image of Bill’s face in her mind seemed blurred, as if her whole world was slowly sliding away from her.

      ‘You’re not my dad!’ she cried, aware of the tears pouring down her cheeks.

      Brad took a step towards her, his face pained. ‘Sapphire…’

      ‘Don’t touch me!’ she yelled and turned to run out of the gazebo. She pelted up the garden path, kicking her heels off halfway, stones and grass scratching her feet. As she rounded the corner, she ran into something warm and solid.

      ‘Whoa there!’ said Cam. He grabbed hold of both of her arms and then saw her tear-stained face. ‘Hey, are you all right?’

      Sapphire wriggled out of his strong grip and ran. When she got through the front door, she whirled up the stairs to her bedroom. The photo was sitting there on the bedside table – Sapphire picked it up and clutched it to her chest.

      ‘You’re not my dad!’ she shouted out towards the open window. Curling up in a ball on the bed, she started sobbing.

      A few minutes later she became aware of another person in the room. Maggie was standing there, her pleasant, wrinkled face full of concern. ‘Oh, duckie,’ she said. ‘Mr Masters asked me to come and see if you were OK.’

      The kindly tone of her voice set Sapphire off again. ‘He’s not my dad, he can’t be!’ she sobbed. ‘Bill is my dad. He rode a motorbike and СКАЧАТЬ