Mr. (Not Quite) Perfect by Jessica Hart Read Free Book Online

likely to storm off, so please just be nice!’ she said again as she led him between glass-walled offices and down to a studio, her sky-high heels clicking on the polished floor that she had told him was known as the runway. Apparently this was because everybody could see and comment on the outfits passing, something Max would rather not have known. He could feel all the eyes assessing his hair, his suit, his tie, his figure as he followed Allegra.
    She was in businesslike mode today in skinny trousers, an animal-print top and those fearsome-looking boots, but he had to confess he preferred it when she wore a dress. She looked less...intimidating.
    Plus, it showed off her legs, which were pretty spectacular.
    ‘I’m always nice,’ said Max.
    Allegra cast him a look over her shoulder. ‘You weren’t nice about the outfit I wore last night.’
    Max had been heating up a curry when she had appeared in the kitchen doorway, wearing the most extraordinary outfit. A riot of clashing colours and patterns, Max hadn’t known how to describe what she was wearing, but when she’d twirled and asked what he thought, he’d made the big mistake of telling her. Words like fruit salad and dog’s dinner had passed his lips.
    He wouldn’t be offering any more sartorial advice.
    ‘Here we are.’ Fretfully, Allegra pushed him into the studio. ‘Just...nod and smile. And follow my lead,’ she muttered under her breath, fixing a bright smile to her face and dragging Max towards a tiny, imperious figure with close-cropped grey hair, huge red spectacles and a red and white dotted bow tie.
    ‘You didn’t tell me I’d have to be careful not to step on him,’ Max murmured and Allegra hissed at him to be quiet.
    ‘Dickie, I’m so thrilled to be working with you,’ she said, practically curtseying.
    Dickie nodded regally, and they exchanged the obligatory air kiss before he turned his gaze to Max. ‘And oo iz thees?’ he said, his French accent so thick that Max thought he had to be putting it on.
    ‘Max Warriner,’ he said, stepping forward and shaking Dickie’s hand firmly before Allegra could pretend that he was a deaf mute. He sure as hell wasn’t going to kiss Dickie. ‘Good to meet you,’ he said briskly.
    Dickie looked at his hand as if he had never had it wrung before, and then at Allegra, who smiled apologetically.
    ‘Max is here for the Making Mr Perfect feature,’ she said, lowering her voice. ‘You know, the one with the complete makeover.’
    ‘Ah, oui ...’ Dickie eyed Max’s outfit, a perfectly serviceable suit and tie, and shuddered extravagantly. ‘I see ’e needs one!’
    ‘It’s the first date tonight,’ Allegra said. ‘He’s meeting Darcy King for cocktails at Xubu.’
    Xubu, as Max had heard at length, was the latest hot ticket, the place to see and be seen, and Allegra had been desperate to go. Fortunately—for her, if not for Max—Darcy King’s celebrity had opened the doors and Allegra was delighted.
    ‘I don’t see why you’re so happy,’ Max had said. ‘You’re not going.’
    ‘Of course I have to be there,’ Allegra said. ‘I’m writing the article. And the photographer will be there too.’
    ‘It doesn’t sound like much of a date to me,’ Max grumbled, but Allegra had brushed that aside.
    ‘It’ll be fun!’
    Fun . Max shook his head, thinking about it.
    ‘You can see how much work he needs,’ Allegra was saying to Dickie, who was circling Max with much rolling of eyes and shrugging of shoulders. ‘He’ll need a whole new look if he’s going to impress Darcy.’
    ‘I will do what I can,’ he said, plucking at Max’s jacket with distaste. ‘But zis, zis must go! And ze shirt—if you can call zat zing a shirt—and ze trousers...ze shoes too... Burn it all!’
    ‘Now hold on—!’ Max began, only to yelp as Allegra placed her heel firmly on his foot.
    ‘Don’t worry, Dickie. I’ll take care of it. Take off your jacket,’ she ordered Max out of the corner