Escape for Christmas Read Online Free

with that. Anyway, running her own very successful cake-making business and writing a bestselling cookery book seemed pretty feminist to her. Besides, wasn’t that the whole point of equality anyway? Women could have it all?
    If they could figure out what “it all”was, of course.
    “Cal’s signed until the end of December,” Angel reminded her, interrupting Gemma’s rather philosophical train of thought. “Anton’s really keen he signs again – and you too, of course. I really think you should. Another year isn’t long, Gem.”
    Anton Yuri was the main shareholder in Seaside Rock,Angel’s production company, and a Russian businessman so tough he made Putin look cuddly. Gemma wasn’t keen to fall out with him – she didn’t think being buried in a flyover would suit her – but she was even less keen to put up with another year of cameras and chaos.
    She shook her head. “No way. I’ve told you, Angel, I’m really through with all that. Besides, I’m thirty in two weeks’ time. It’s time for a change.”
    “Don’t say the ‘T’ word!” Angel, still a while away from the dreaded milestone birthday herself, shrank back as though the number was contagious.
    Gemma shrugged. “There’s no point hiding from it.”
    “There’s every point hiding from it! Why do you think Crème de la Mer make so much money? Anyway, you’re only as old as you feel.”
    In that case she was probably about one hundred and thirty, Gemma reflected gloomily. She felt tired and grumpy, and even if she bathed in Crème de la Mer she didn’t think that would change.
    “Do you want us to throw you a party?” Angel’s face was bright with enthusiasm. Salad forgotten about, she reached for her iPhone to start making notes. “We could feature it in one of the next episodes. Do you fancy hiring a fairground like that guy from One Direction did for his girlfriend?” Her finger hovered over the touchscreen. “We could ask his management who organised it.”
    “I hate fairground rides,” Gemma reminded Angel. “I got sick on It’s a Small World when I went on the school trip to Euro Disney.”
    “Ok then, how about fancy dress? That could be fun. We could have a theme.”
    Only somebody who was slim and gorgeous could possibly think fancy dress was fun. Such parties normally threw Gemma into a total panic, as she not only had to come up with a costume but also one that hid her fat bits and didn’t give her cleavage Jordan would kill for. Add to this the horror of being paraded before the entire nation and Gemma thought she’d rather spend a night saying Hail Marys with Mammy South.
    It was time to nip this in the bud before Angel got totally carried away and booked the Middletons to plan the party.
    “I’m having a low-key birthday,” she said firmly. “Just Cal and me.”
    “Spoilsport,” said Angel. “Be like that then. I was only trying to do something nice.”
    “And boost your ratings,” said Gemma.
    Angel raised her hands in mock surrender. “You’ve got me. But it could still have been fun. Being thirty is bad enough, in my opinion, and having a big party and lots of booze could take some of the sting out of it. When it’s my thirtieth Laurence had better do something spectacular to take my mind off it, that’s all I can say. He’s got enough time to plan it.”
    “I just want to be alone with Cal,” Gemma sighed. In the back of her mind an idea was starting to form, and she began to feel excited. But before she explored this any further she knew she had to make it very clear to Angel that she didn’t want the kind of party that would make one of Elton John’s seem modest. She gave her best friend a stern look. “I don’t want any secret parties. Not one. I mean it, OK?”
    Angel nodded, her attention diverted now by several people down in the street who were pointing eagerly up at the café window. She gave them a wave and a megawatt smile. Gemma gave up. Her best friend would never understand.