Read Cupcakes at Carrington’s (Carringtons Department Store 1) for Free Online Page B

may.’
    When I make it back to the personal shopping suite, Malikov and his entourage aren’t there.
    ‘What happened? Where’s he gone?’ My heart sinks.
    ‘I’ve just got back from escorting him to his car.’ James is grinning from ear to ear.
    ‘But what about these gifts?’ I say, glancing at the stash in my arms.
    ‘Oh, he said he’d collect them next time.’
    ‘Next time? I take it you got a sale then?’ I nod hopefully.
    ‘Damn right,’ he replies.
    ‘And?’ I prompt, putting the purses and jewellery on the circular sofa before crossing my fingers.
    ‘A Louis, two Balenciaga and –’ he pauses to pull a face and make quote signs – ‘the exclusive under-shoulder bag that our very own Princess Kate was carrying on the telly.’ James laughs and I grin with excitement. This must be more than we’ve sold in months – it’s almost like the boom days. ‘Oh, and a pair of Union Jack cufflinks,’ James rolls his eyes. ‘And get this …’ James leans into me with a hushed voice, the electricity between us is almost tangible. ‘He was hinting at both Chiavacci Kelly bags. And he wants to be treated like royalty.’ James and I both smirk at the same time.
    ‘Yes, really sorry about that, it won’t happen again,’ I say, knowing I overstepped the mark.
    ‘Well, I think we can overlook it this time. Your royal innuendo sure got him hooked, and just imagine if he buys the Chiavaccis?’ My pulse races.
    ‘Oh my God … well done,’ I whisper back, my mind working overtime to try and calculate my share of the commission. The Balenciagas alone cost well over £1,000 each!
    ‘And it’s all down to you.’
    There’s a moment of silence between us.
    ‘Hardly. I didn’t do anything,’ I say, loving his modesty. ‘You were the one who organised everything.’
    ‘Yes, but you were the one who reeled him in,’ he says seriously, as a whiff of his delicious citrusy aftershave teases my nostrils. ‘Our dream holiday is definitely on now,’ he grins. Then James realises that his hand is still on my arm, and he blushes before taking it off.
    ‘Sorry,’ he says awkwardly, and turns to go.
    ‘Don’t be,’ I mutter, but he’s already striding off towards the door.

5
    ‘ T hree cheers for Ciaran, and Tina of course.’ I’m in the canteen and Tina has just announced her engagement. After an initial stunned silence – they’ve only been seeing each other for a few months – we’re all necking plastic cups of Asda buck’s fizz, even though it’s only lunchtime.
    The radio has been switched off and Ciaran is standing in the middle of the floor. ‘Guys, I’m overwhelmed. Not only because she said yes …’ he pauses momentarily to glance at Tina, who’s grinning like the cat that’s got the whole damn dairy. And it’s no wonder. Ciaran hired a suite at a posh hotel in London and they spent the weekend there so he could propose, so Lauren told me. I guess this is what Ciaran’s been up to, then, planning the proposal. Sam will be thrilled. As queen of hearts, she loves a good wedding, even if the bride is not her most favourite person.
    As we all smile at Tina, and the girls from Lingerie start cooing over the rock that’s clinging to her finger like a fridge magnet, someone shouts, ‘Yeah, only because the diamond is the size of a sugar lump,’ at which everybody except Tina laughs. James is standing next to me. His cup is empty so I make my way over to the bench table at the far end of the canteen to find another bottle. As I turn I almost bump straight into him.
    ‘Looks like we had the same idea,’ he says, holding up his plastic cup. I quickly turn back to the table to wrestle the cork from the bottle. Seeing me struggling, he reaches his hand over mine and effortlessly eases the cork free. A froth of white bubbles cascades down the rim of the bottle and I suddenly feel the effects of the daytime alcohol.
    ‘Georgie, stay for a moment,’ James says. But our names are