Mr. (Not Quite) Perfect by Jessica Hart Page B

fault!’
    ‘I just took him to the pub.’
    Allegra had sent him off for another styling session with Dickie the night before. Max had grumbled, but he’d gone along and without Allegra there had been able to come to an understanding with Dickie. Make the whole process as quick and painless as possible, he had suggested, and they could go and have a decent drink.
    ‘Can you believe it?’ he went on. ‘The guy’s been in London for ten years and he’s never had a decent pint.’
    ‘You took Dickie to a pub? ’ Allegra had stopped dead and was looking at him in horror.
    ‘You told me to be nice to him,’ Max reminded her.
    ‘Making him go to a pub and getting him drunk on beer isn’t being nice!’
    ‘He had a great time. I’m taking him to a rugby game next.’
    Allegra opened and closed her mouth, unable to get out a coherent sentence. ‘Dickie...rugby...?’
    ‘I don’t know why you’re all so terrified of him. He’s a perfectly nice guy once you get past all the affectation.’
    ‘That’s it. My career is over.’
    ‘Don’t be silly,’ said Max, taking her arm and steering her across the road at the lights. ‘Dickie likes me. Although if I’d thought about it, ending your career might have been a good move. I’d never have to waltz again.’
    * * *
    ‘Darcy’s going to be here any minute. Are you almost ready?’
    Allegra put her head around the door to the kitchen, where Max was putting the final garnish to the romantic vegetarian meal for two that they had planned together.
    At least, she had planned it and Max had reluctantly agreed to cook it. ‘I don’t see why I can’t just give her pasta with a tomato sauce,’ he’d grumbled.
    ‘Because this is a special occasion. You want Darcy to know that you’ve made a real effort to cook something that she’ll really like.’
    Eventually they had settled on a pear, walnut and gorgonzola salad to start, followed by mushroom strudels with a tarragon cream sauce, and then margarita ice cream with chocolate-dipped strawberries. Allegra had been pleased with it, but after several practice runs, she had strudel coming out of her ears and she couldn’t face another chocolate-dipped strawberry, which wasn’t something she ever thought she would say.
    ‘I’m all set,’ said Max. ‘I just need to change.’
    ‘I’ll make the living room look nice,’ Allegra volunteered. Max was supposed to be thinking about that as well, but when she had suggested it he had just looked blank.
    At least everything was tidy, the way it always was when Max was around. Allegra set out candles and plumped up the cushions before putting on the playlist of romantic music she had compiled specially. Max didn’t have a clue about music or romance, so she’d known better than to suggest that he did it.
    She was lighting candles when he came back. ‘It’s a bit gloomy in here, isn’t it?’ he said, looking around. ‘Darcy won’t be able to see what she’s eating.’
    ‘It’s not gloomy. It’s romantic .’
    Allegra straightened from the candles and studied Max, who had replaced his checked shirt with one in a dark mulberry colour that shrieked expensive and stylish. He was wearing new black jeans too, and all in all he was looking mighty fine. So fine, in fact, that she forgot about the match burning in her hand.
    ‘Ouch!’ Allegra shook the match from her hand and sucked her finger. ‘Is that the shirt Dickie picked out for you?’ she asked, covering her sudden confusion by bending to pick up the match.
    ‘Of course.’ Max plucked at it in distaste. ‘You wouldn’t catch me buying a red shirt, but Dickie insisted.’
    ‘He was right. You look good,’ said Allegra honestly. She tossed the blackened match into the bin and turned back to face him. She had herself back under control. ‘If I could just make one teeny change...?’
    Without waiting for Max to agree, she walked over and undid another button at his throat. Ignoring his protests, she