The Decoy Date

Chapter Twelve

This dress is definitely not as good as the one I'm wearing for the wedding. Imogen looked at herself in the bedroom mirror, turning this way then that way trying to get a better look around the back. When Charlie had asked her to go to the exhibition opening at The British Museum, she'd gone into her wardrobe and found nothing suitable to wear; she didn't own any dresses other than the one she was wearing to Daisy's wedding and she didn't want to mess that up and none of her other clothes were right for a black tie event, either too scruffy or too faded. With no other option she'd turned to the internet.

At the fifth site she visited she found what she was looking for, it was a lace dress like the one for the wedding but in black with three quarter length sleeves and a thin brown belt around the waist. In the pictures it looked perfect on the model and for the first time in her life she bought a dress on impulse. However now it had arrived and she had it on, she was regretting the purchase. It was a lot shorter than she'd expected, cutting into her thighs halfway up rather than just above the knee and it was a lot tighter than she'd expected, hugging her body like a glove and sticking to all of her curves. Studying herself in the mirror, she couldn't see past the pair of legs protruding from the bottom of frilly lace or the bulge of her hips as they blossomed from beneath the thin belt holding her waist in.

The doorbell rang three floors below her making her jump. "Too late now anyway." Imogen sighed, slipping her flat ballet pump shoes on – high heels and alcohol were a definite no-no; besides following recent performances she wasn't planning on drinking much at all tonight – and grabbed the black clutch she'd borrowed from Jess. One last glance in the mirror wasn't the confidence booster she was hoping for, heading downstairs nerves built uneasily in her stomach before she reached the door and took a deep breath, opening it wide.

Charlie was stood in a black suit and crisp white shirt, she smiled as she thought he looked incredibly dapper, as he turned back towards her she saw he had on a thin, black neck tie and was a little disappointed not to see him in a bowtie. As he gazed at her shock was replaced by a slow sexy smile and speechless awe, his eyes met hers and he began to grin.

"What do you think?" She waited nervously for his reaction and hoped she hadn't over done it with the dress; why hadn't she just gone with the black trouser suit, it was a lot more elegant. His eyes swept over her again as he searched for the right words.

"You look stunning, absolutely beautiful. I'd have worn something similar myself, but I think that would have taken everyone's attention away from the exhibit." Imogen burst out laughing and took the arm he offered her, she was instantly more relaxed by the time they got into the black cab waiting on the curb.

"I thought you might be wearing a tuxedo, I'd readied my Dick Van Dyke cockney impression but I can't really do it now you're not wearing a penguin suit." They had set off through the streets of North London towards Euston Station and to the museum beyond.

"I loved the film when I was growing up, Molly and I used to pretend we could tidy our rooms by clicking our fingers like the children in the film and then every time there was a chalk drawing on the pavement we used to run and jump into it, hoping we'd get inside it. It's a jolly holiday with Mary!"

"I know Daisy and I actually wrote a letter hoping we could get a nanny like Mary Poppins but we never did. Every time I see Dick Van Dyke I burst out laughing at that awful cockney accent he did. Meery Poppins!" She made an awful cockney impression that matched the Americanized version in the film, they continued comparing impressions and songs throughout the taxi ride and in next to no time were pulling up outside the museum.

Charlie got out of the cab and held the door open for her, she followed and waited as he paid the driver. Once again he held out his arm for her but this time she took his hand in hers and intertwined her fingers with his. They were supposed to be dating after all. They made their way up red-carpeted stairs and walked into the main reception where their tickets and bags were checked and their coats taken. The red carpet led through a set of glass doors and she and Charlie followed a few other sets of guests through.