Shopaholic Takes Manhattan (Page 92)
- Page 1
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 14
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 15
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 16
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 17
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 18
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 19
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 20
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 21
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 22
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 23
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 24
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 25
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 26
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 27
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 28
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 29
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 30
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 31
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 32
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 33
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 34
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 35
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 36
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 37
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 38
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 39
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 40
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 41
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 42
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 43
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 44
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 45
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 46
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 47
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 48
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 49
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 50
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 51
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 52
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 53
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 54
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 55
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 56
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 57
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 58
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 59
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 60
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 61
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 62
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 63
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 64
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 65
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 66
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 67
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 68
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 69
- Page 69
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 70
- Page 70
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 71
- Page 71
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 72
- Page 72
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 73
- Page 73
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 74
- Page 74
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 75
- Page 75
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 76
- Page 76
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 77
- Page 77
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 78
- Page 78
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 79
- Page 79
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 80
- Page 80
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 81
- Page 81
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 82
- Page 82
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 83
- Page 83
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 84
- Page 84
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 85
- Page 85
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 86
- Page 86
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 87
- Page 87
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 88
- Page 88
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 89
- Page 89
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 90
- Page 90
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 91
- Page 91
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 92
- Page 92
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 93
- Page 93
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 94
- Page 94
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 95
- Page 95
- Page 95
- Page 96
- Page 96
- Page 96
- Page 96
- Page 97
- Page 97
- Page 97
- Page 97
- Page 98
- Page 98
- Page 98
- Page 98
- Page 99
- Page 99
- Page 99
- Page 99
- Page 100
- Page 100
- Page 100
- Page 100
- Page 101
- Page 101
- Page 101
- Page 101
- Page 102
- Page 102
- Page 102
- Page 102
- Page 103
- Page 103
- Page 103
- Page 103
- Page 104
- Page 104
- Page 104
- Page 104
- Page 105
- Page 105
- Page 105
- Page 105
- Page 106
- Page 106
- Page 106
- Page 106
- Page 107
- Page 107
- Page 107
- Page 107
- Page 108
- Page 108
- Page 108
- Page 108
- Page 109
- Page 109
- Page 109
- Page 109
- Page 110
- Page 110
- Page 110
- Page 110
- Page 111
- Page 111
- Page 111
- Page 111
- Page 112
- Page 112
- Page 112
- Page 112
- Page 113
- Page 113
- Page 113
- Page 113
- Page 114
- Page 114
- Page 114
- Page 114
- Page 115
- Page 115
- Page 115
- Page 115
- Page 116
- Page 116
- Page 116
- Page 116
- Page 117
- Page 117
- Page 117
- Page 117
- Page 118
- Page 118
- Page 118
- Page 118
- Page 119
- Page 119
- Page 119
- Page 119
- Page 120
- Page 120
- Page 120
- Page 120
- Page 121
- Page 121
- Page 121
- Page 121
- Page 122
- Page 122
- Page 122
- Page 122
- Page 123
- Page 123
- Page 123
- Page 123
- Page 124
- Page 124
- Page 124
- Page 124
- Page 125
- Page 125
- Page 125
- Page 125
- Page 126
- Page 126
- Page 126
- Page 126
- Page 127
- Page 127
- Page 127
- Page 127
- Page 128
- Page 128
- Page 128
- Page 128
- Page 129
- Page 129
- Page 129
- Page 129
- Page 130
- Page 130
- Page 130
- Page 130
Shopaholic Takes Manhattan (Shopaholic #2)(92)
Author: Sophie Kinsella
“You don’t think throwing away opportunity is a crime?” says Luke furiously. “Because as far as I’m concerned…” He shakes his head. “Jesus, Becky! We both had it all. We had New York.” His hand clenches into a fist. “And now, look at us both. All because you’re so bloody obsessed by shopping—”
“Obsessed?” I cry. Suddenly I can’t stand his accusing gaze anymore. “I’m obsessed? What about you?”
“What do you mean?” he says dismissively.
“You’re obsessed by work! By making it in New York! The first thing you thought of when you saw that piece wasn’t me or… or how I was feeling, was it? It was how it affected you and your deal.” My voice rises tremulously. “All you care about is your own success, and I always come second. I mean, you didn’t even bother to tell me about New York until it was all decided! You just expected me to… to fall in line and do exactly what you wanted. No wonder Alicia said I was tagging along!”
“You’re not tagging along,” he says impatiently.
“Yes, I am! That’s the way you see me, isn’t it? As some little nobody, who has to be… to be slotted into your grand magnificent plan. And I was so stupid, I just went along with it…”
“I haven’t got time for this,” says Luke, standing up.
“You’ve never got time!” I say tearfully. “Suze has got more time for me than you have! You didn’t have time to come to Tom’s wedding; our holiday turned into a meeting; you didn’t have time to visit my parents…”
“So I don’t have a lot of time!” yells Luke suddenly, shocking me into silence. “So I can’t sit around making mindless tittle-tattle with you and Suze.” He shakes his head in frustration. “Do you realize how fucking hard I work? Do you have any idea how important this deal is?”
“Why is it important?” I hear myself shrieking. “Why is it so bloody important to make it in America? So you can impress your complete cow of a mother? Because if you’re trying to impress her, Luke, then I’d give up now! She’ll never be impressed. Never! I mean, she hasn’t even bothered to see you! God, you buy her an Herm`es scarf — and she can’t even rearrange her schedule to find five minutes for you!”
I break off, panting, into complete silence.
Oh fuck. I shouldn’t have said that.
I dart a look at Luke, and he’s staring at me, his face ashen with anger.
“What did you call my mother?” he says slowly.
“Look, I… I didn’t mean it.” I swallow, trying to keep control of my voice. “I just think… there’s got to be a sense of proportion in all this. All I did was a bit of shopping…”
“A bit of shopping,” echoes Luke scathingly. “A bit of shopping.” He gives me a long look — then, to my horror, heads to the huge cedar-wood wardrobe where I’ve been stashing all my stuff. He opens it silently and we both stare at the bags crammed to the ceiling.
And as I see it all, I feel a slight nausea overcoming me. All those things which seemed so vital when I bought them, all those things which I got so excited about… now just look like a great big pile of rubbish bags. I could barely even tell you what’s in any of the packages. It’s just… stuff. Piles and piles of stuff.
Without saying anything, Luke closes the door again, and I feel shame drenching over me like hot water.
“I know,” I say, in a voice barely above a whisper. “I know. But I’m paying for it. I really am.”
I turn away, unable to meet his eye, and suddenly I just have to get out of this room. I have to get away from Luke, from myself in the mirror, from the whole horrendous day.
“I’ll… I’ll see you later,” I mutter and without looking back, head for the door.
The bar downstairs is dimly lit, soothing, and anonymous. I sink into a sumptuous leather chair, feeling weak and achy, as though I’ve got the flu. When a waiter comes up, I order an orange juice, then, as he’s walking away, change my order to a brandy. It arrives in a huge glass, warm and reviving, and I take a few sips — then look up as a shadow appears on the table in front of me. It’s Michael Ellis. I feel my heart sink. I really don’t feel up to talking.
“Hello,” he says. “May I?” He gestures to the chair opposite and I nod weakly. He sits down and gives me a kind look as I drain my glass. For a while, we’re both silent.
“I could be polite, and not mention it,” he says at last. “Or I could tell you the truth — which is that I was very sorry for you this morning. Your British papers are vicious. No one deserves that kind of treatment.”
- Page 1
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 14
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 15
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 16
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 17
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 18
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 19
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 20
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 21
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 22
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 23
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 24
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 25
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 26
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 27
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 28
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 29
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 30
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 31
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 32
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 33
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 34
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 35
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 36
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 37
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 38
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 39
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 40
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 41
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 42
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 43
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 44
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 45
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 46
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 47
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 48
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 49
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 50
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 51
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 52
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 53
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 54
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 55
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 56
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 57
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 58
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 59
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 60
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 61
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 62
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 63
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 64
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 65
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 66
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 67
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 68
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 69
- Page 69
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 70
- Page 70
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 71
- Page 71
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 72
- Page 72
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 73
- Page 73
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 74
- Page 74
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 75
- Page 75
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 76
- Page 76
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 77
- Page 77
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 78
- Page 78
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 79
- Page 79
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 80
- Page 80
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 81
- Page 81
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 82
- Page 82
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 83
- Page 83
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 84
- Page 84
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 85
- Page 85
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 86
- Page 86
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 87
- Page 87
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 88
- Page 88
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 89
- Page 89
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 90
- Page 90
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 91
- Page 91
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 92
- Page 92
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 93
- Page 93
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 94
- Page 94
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 95
- Page 95
- Page 95
- Page 96
- Page 96
- Page 96
- Page 96
- Page 97
- Page 97
- Page 97
- Page 97
- Page 98
- Page 98
- Page 98
- Page 98
- Page 99
- Page 99
- Page 99
- Page 99
- Page 100
- Page 100
- Page 100
- Page 100
- Page 101
- Page 101
- Page 101
- Page 101
- Page 102
- Page 102
- Page 102
- Page 102
- Page 103
- Page 103
- Page 103
- Page 103
- Page 104
- Page 104
- Page 104
- Page 104
- Page 105
- Page 105
- Page 105
- Page 105
- Page 106
- Page 106
- Page 106
- Page 106
- Page 107
- Page 107
- Page 107
- Page 107
- Page 108
- Page 108
- Page 108
- Page 108
- Page 109
- Page 109
- Page 109
- Page 109
- Page 110
- Page 110
- Page 110
- Page 110
- Page 111
- Page 111
- Page 111
- Page 111
- Page 112
- Page 112
- Page 112
- Page 112
- Page 113
- Page 113
- Page 113
- Page 113
- Page 114
- Page 114
- Page 114
- Page 114
- Page 115
- Page 115
- Page 115
- Page 115
- Page 116
- Page 116
- Page 116
- Page 116
- Page 117
- Page 117
- Page 117
- Page 117
- Page 118
- Page 118
- Page 118
- Page 118
- Page 119
- Page 119
- Page 119
- Page 119
- Page 120
- Page 120
- Page 120
- Page 120
- Page 121
- Page 121
- Page 121
- Page 121
- Page 122
- Page 122
- Page 122
- Page 122
- Page 123
- Page 123
- Page 123
- Page 123
- Page 124
- Page 124
- Page 124
- Page 124
- Page 125
- Page 125
- Page 125
- Page 125
- Page 126
- Page 126
- Page 126
- Page 126
- Page 127
- Page 127
- Page 127
- Page 127
- Page 128
- Page 128
- Page 128
- Page 128
- Page 129
- Page 129
- Page 129
- Page 129
- Page 130
- Page 130
- Page 130
- Page 130