Cally shook her head. ‘He’s one of America’s most eligible bachelors.’
‘Then what is his problem?’ Lindsay frowned.
The other woman laughed. ‘He doesn’t have one, except maybe that he just hasn’t met the right woman yet. You could be her, Lindsay. Just think what a blow that would be to Joel’s pride!’
‘I’m not out to hurt anyone, Cally,’ Lindsay said wearily. ‘I just want to forget any of this ever happened.’
‘Do you think you can?’
‘No.’
‘I’m beginning to feel guilty because I’m so happy,’ Cally grimaced, kissing Lindsay on the cheek by way of departure. ‘You’ll never get over the selfish swine completely,’ she said huskily. ‘But once the love stops being so intense it doesn’t hurt so much. Take my word for it,’ she added ruefully.
Lindsay had always suspected the other woman’s feelings had been more deeply involved with Joel in the past than she had admitted to, and Cally had just confirmed it. But Cally had had four years to get over her love for him, while she only had as many days if she were to go to the other woman’s dinner party on Saturday and see him with another woman with any degree of confidence. The way her heart ached at the moment she didn’t think she was going to make it.
‘I’ll try,’ she nodded. ‘And I’ll call you about Saturday,’ she promised.
‘I really would like you to come,’ Cally encouraged before leaving to meet her husband.
Lindsay was engrossed in her work when Malcolm Reader left Joel’s studio an hour later, the older man coming over to talk to her as Joel took into his studio the model that had been waiting outside to begin her session with him.
‘Nice life if you can get it,’ Malcolm Reader mocked lightly, sitting on the edge of Lindsay’s desk.
‘I’ve heard that you have,’ she said dryly, looking up at him guilelessly.
He chuckled softly. ‘The beautiful Mrs Robin has heard of my reputation, hmm?’
Lindsay nodded. ‘And all of it exaggerated, no doubt,’ she mocked.
‘Very little, I’m afraid,’ he drawled derisively.
She had to laugh at his honesty, feeling humour when a few minutes ago she had thought she would never laugh again. ‘That’s interesting to know,’ she smiled.
‘Only interesting?’ He looked disappointed. ‘Most women are eager to find out the truth for themselves.’
‘I’ll be happy to take your word for it,’ she teased lightly, liking this man in spite of his outrageous sense of humour.
‘Pity,’ he drawled. ‘Did you give some thought to my dinner invitation?’ He quirked dark brows. ‘As I recall you hadn’t answered me when we were interrupted.’
Her amusement instantly faded. ‘It’s very nice of you to ask me, Mr Reader——’
‘When a beautiful woman calls me “Mr” then I know I’m going to be turned down!’ he grinned ruefully. ‘And I was hoping you would show me the highlights of London.’
‘I don’t know that many,’ she shrugged. ‘And I’m sure you’ve been to London before?’
‘Many times,’ he nodded. ‘It’s a fascinating place.’
‘Surely no more so than New York?’
‘In a different way,’ he replied thoughtfully. ‘And I find most of my enjoyment of London by seeing it through the eyes of other people.’
‘Women’s eyes,’ she teased.
‘Women’s eyes,’ he confirmed with a smile. ‘Have you ever been to New York?’
Lindsay shook her head. ‘I’ve never been out of England.’
‘Joel should have brought you with him, I would have enjoyed showing you my home town.’
If she had been invited by Joel to go on his business trip maybe she wouldn’t have left him. But although their last night together had been spent in a frenzy of lovemaking Joel hadn’t once suggested she accompany him. ‘Someone had to run the office while he was away,’ she said with forced brightness.
‘I guess so,’ Malcolm Reader conceded. ‘Although it seems a pity we couldn’t have met earlier.’
If they had met before he would now know her to be Joel’s ex-mistress. The two of them had never broadcast their living arrangements, but they had made no secret of it either, admitting it if asked directly. If they had gone to New York together then Malcolm Reader would know exactly what she was. And somehow she didn’t want him to know.
‘Is there already a man in your life?’ Malcom was asking her now.
Lindsay looked up with a start, having been lost in thought. ‘Sorry?’
‘Am I stepping on some lucky man’s toes by making the dinner invitation?’ he explained.
‘No!’ She blushed as she realised how sharply her denial had come out, almost guiltily. ‘No, it isn’t that,’ she said more calmly. ‘It’s just——’
‘It’s okay, Lindsay,’ he chuckled as he stood up. ‘I Can take no for an answer without putting you on the rack. I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t making an absolute idiot of myself if I kept asking. And I will keep asking, Lindsay,’ he added seriously. ‘You’ll find I’m not a man who gives up easily.’
‘That’s okay,’ her own voice was light, ‘because I don’t give in easily either.’
He smiled his appreciation of her show of independence, little knowing that she was all the more determined not to be charmed by him because she had so recently been hurt by a man with even less charm than him. ‘Good girl,’ he straightened. ‘But I’ll be seeing you soon.’
It was a promise, not a threat, and Lindsay was left with the feeling that Malcolm Reader was a man with as much strength of will as Joel, that he wouldn’t give up easily either, although perhaps his method of getting his own way would be more subtle than Joel’s. But Cally had been right about one thing—Malcolm Reader certainly didn’t have a problem!
‘Planning to replace me already?’ Joel rasped harshly.
Lindsay looked up at him coolly, although her heart rate accelerated considerably, having been unaware of the model leaving and Joel watching her. ‘Hardly,’ she drawled. ‘Although Mr Reader seems a very charming man,’ she added challengingly.
‘Oh, he is,’ Joel scorned. ‘Maybe he could even charm you into living with him. But if you think I’m a bastard you should—God, I’m sorry,’ he groaned as he saw her pale. ‘I didn’t mean it that way. Lindsay? Lindsay——!’ he questioned sharply as she suddenly stood up to collect her jacket and handbag.
‘I’m going to lunch,’ she told him stiffly. ‘I know it’s a little earlier than my usual time, but I—I feel as if I need the break now. I’ll be back in an hour,’ she added firmly as she heard her voice begin to quiver with emotion.
‘Lindsay——’
‘An hour, Joel.’ She couldn’t even look at him as she rushed from the office and out of the building, not looking back once as she hurried down the street, not even sure where she was going, just needing to get away, away from Joel and his power to hurt her with every word he spoke.
Never before had Joel chosen to hurt her the way he was doing at the moment, seeming to hit out at her on purpose, something he had never done before today. Oh, he had a temper, a whiplash tongue at times, but his remarks had never been personal before; never designed to hurt and go on hurting.
She