‘Good, well, this is Dr Delmari’s publicist, so she should be down as well.’
‘I see.’ The girl smiled at Charlie. ‘Then I guess it’s OK for her to accompany you through. You’ll find Dr Delmari in the hospitality suite next door to studio five, the door should be open.’
‘Thank you.’
‘What on earth are you thanking her for?’ Sarah muttered as they moved away from the desk. ‘She was clearly incompetent.’
‘Your name wasn’t down, so it was hardly her fault. Anyway no harm done; it’s just a good job that I stayed with you,’ Charlie couldn’t resist adding.
Sarah slanted her a narrow-eyed look but said nothing.
They found Marco talking to the station manager. He smiled over at Charlie as she walked through the door. Then he turned his attention to his publicist. ‘Sarah, this is a surprise! There was no need for you to rush down here.’
‘I wanted to, Marco. I’m so sorry I was held up,’ she said smoothly. Charlie noticed how her voice had softened now that she was talking to Marco. Then she flashed a winning smile at the station manager. ‘Sarah Heart,’ she said as she extended her hand. ‘Marco’s publicist.’
‘Pleased to meet you, Ms Heart.’
‘Call me Sarah, please,’ she practically purred.
‘Well, Sarah, we are just waiting for our DJ Sam Richmond to come through and have a word with Marco then we’ll go through to the studio.’
‘How is Sam?’ Sarah gushed. ‘It’s a while since I saw him.’
‘You’re a friend?’ the station manager asked.
‘Oh, yes, Sam and I go way back.’
He was probably ex-husband number three, Charlie thought darkly. According to gossip Sarah had been married and divorced four times, which was no mean feat by the age of thirty-eight. Ex-husband number four had been a top TV executive and a wealthy man. It was through his contacts and money that Sarah had started her business.
The DJ came in at that moment and Sarah made a performance out of greeting him and introducing him to Marco. She probably wouldn’t have bothered to include Charlie only Sam Richmond smiled at her and reached to shake her hand.
‘Oh, and that’s Charlie,’ she tagged on, her tone less than gracious. ‘She’s—’
‘My right-hand woman,’ Marco finished the sentence smoothly.
Charlie caught Marco’s eye and he smiled at her. Something about that smile made her feel warm and special. It was a delicious feeling. She almost had to shake herself to get rid of its dreamy effect.
A few moments later she was left alone in the hospitality suite as Sarah accompanied the men through to the studio. Charlie poured herself a coffee from a pot that was sitting on the sideboard and sat down in one of the comfortable armchairs to wait. She could see the others through the glass partition between her and the studio next door but she couldn’t hear what they were saying, she could only hear the record that was being played on air.
She found herself watching Marco, studying him as he talked. She liked the sincerity in his eyes as he listened to people, and she noticed that when he smiled he had a dimple in his cheek. As she glanced away her eyes connected with Sarah’s and she knew the other woman had caught her watching her boss. Hastily she looked away feeling guiltily uncomfortable…although for the life of her she couldn’t work out why.
She had just got up to replenish her coffee when Sarah joined her. ‘I’ll have one of those while you’re there,’ she told Charlie as she sat down. ‘White, no sugar.’
Charlie poured her the drink and handed it across. She noticed how Sarah didn’t even bother to say thank you. She really was quite rude, Charlie thought with annoyance.
Sarah watched as she sat back down in her chair opposite. ‘So…’ she murmured idly as she crossed her long legs and smoothed down the silky material of her skirt, ‘tell me, Charlie…how long have you been in love with Marco?’
The outrageously personal question was asked with such nonchalance that for a moment Charlie wondered if she had misheard. ‘What on earth are you talking about?’ She stared at the woman in astonishment.
‘I think you know,’ Sarah continued smoothly.
‘All I know is that you are asking me an absurd question!’
‘Am I?’ Sarah shrugged. ‘From where I’m watching it seems blindingly obvious that you have a thing for him.’
Charlie was so outraged that she could barely find her voice. ‘I’m not even going to deign to answer that!’ she finally muttered.
‘You know you aren’t his type, don’t you?’ Sarah smiled but her eyes were cold. ‘And I’m not just talking about the fact that Marco only seems to date women who look like super-models, I’m talking about the fact that Marco would never fall for a romantic. He’s far too practical for that. So I’m afraid that unless you take those rose-coloured glasses off when you look at him…I think you have a problem.’
The sardonic tone grated on Charlie. ‘I think the only problem around here is you,’ she said succinctly. ‘And I’ll thank you to keep your weird opinions to yourself.’
Sarah just laughed.
At that moment the music stopped and the radio interview started. Charlie tried to switch off from the preposterous accusations and concentrate on the conversation in the studio but Sarah’s words kept echoing around in her mind with disturbing emphasis.
How long have you been in love with Marco?
CHAPTER THREE
‘ARE you OK?’ Marco’s quiet tone cut across the silence in the car.
‘Absolutely fine.’ Charlie changed gear with a grating sound that exactly mirrored the way she was feeling inside.
‘You haven’t spoken much since leaving the radio studio.’
Because she couldn’t believe the audacity of Sarah Heart—imagine asking a question like that! If anyone was in love with Marco Delmari it was Sarah herself. The woman had been almost sycophantic towards Marco as they were leaving the station. She’d invited him over to her apartment for dinner on Sunday, ostensibly to discuss his American tour, but by the tone of her voice she’d had more in mind than business discussions…and Marco had accepted the invitation quite happily. But maybe the thing that had annoyed her most of all was the way Sarah had looked at her as Marco accepted Sarah’s invitation. There had been triumph and disdain in the other woman’s eyes, as if to say you will never hook a man like Marco Delmari.
‘Well, you know me, I’m always quiet,’ Charlie murmured as she realised Marco was waiting for a reply. ‘The interview went well,’ she said, trying to change the direction of her thoughts. She wasn’t in love with Marco and it didn’t matter what Sarah Heart thought.
‘Yes,’ Marco frowned. ‘Except for the questions about my love life; I didn’t think they were relevant.’
‘No, they weren’t, but I suppose he had to ask. People will be interested in your private life.’
‘You are starting to sound like Sarah,’ Marco said drily.
‘Sorry!’ The last thing she wanted was to sound like Sarah Heart!
‘That’s OK. Maybe on reflection she has a point.’
Charlie glanced over at him in horror. ‘No she hasn’t!’
Marco smiled. ‘From an academic’s point of view she hasn’t. However, I’m not aiming my book solely at academics. It’s for the mass market and I have to give Sarah her due, she is