Say yes, Alice. The only possible answer is a big, fat yes.
Alice stared at the message from her boss, thinking thoughts so lusty and steamy she could hardly sit still.
All it took was a few words on a screen—Missing you like crazy.
Surely this wasn’t normal. Maybe it was some kind of post-divorce reaction? Perhaps, after almost a decade of struggling inside a failing marriage, she was finding Liam’s attention just too exciting. The whole situation was getting out of hand. Their relationship was heating up way too quickly.
With this much fire, someone could get burned. And guess who it would be?
Not the boss!
She should be cooler and calmer about the whole thing. She wasn’t a teenager. She was an adult in her thirties and she should be able to manage a relationship in a super-cool and controlled adult way—ultradiscreet at work and totally in control outside.
Taking a deep breath in and out, she scooped up her hair, gave it a little twist and used the butterfly clip from her top drawer to secure it away from her collar.
Not that it helped to make her feel any cooler or calmer. This was a fire that wouldn’t be easy to tone down. Maybe she should speak to Liam. She could suggest they take things more slowly, talk more, rather than rushing straight into bed.
Right. Taking another deep breath, and with one eye on Shana, she began to type a carefully worded, super-polite and admirably restrained reply to Liam’s request.
‘I’ve printed out these spreadsheets for you to look over,’ the company accountant told Liam.
‘Good, Merv; thank you.’
Merv began to set his work on Liam’s desk and, as he did so, three emails appeared on Liam’s computer screen. One was from Alice.
‘They’ll be fine,’ Liam said a touch impatiently as Merv carefully made sure that each document was placed neatly and precisely and in exactly the right order.
‘You might like to take a closer look at the projections for wages over the next six months, Mr Conway.’
‘Yes, yes, sure.’ Liam’s eyes darted back to the screen.
‘From these figures I’d suggest you consider leasing more of our IT equipment rather than owning it.’
Liam’s hand hovered over the mouse, eager to click on Alice’s response. ‘I’ll consider that. Yes, thank you, Merv.’
‘And then there’s the—’
‘I’ll give this report my thorough attention and then get back to you.’
At last Merv got the message. ‘I’ll leave it with you, then.’
Within a split-second of his turning to leave, Liam clicked on Alice’s message.
If you could bring Indian curry and white wine, the green plates will be ready and waiting. 6.30?
A.
P.S. I’ll take care of dessert.
P.P.S. And the midnight snacks.
P.P.P.S. And breakfast.
Liam grinned. Maybe now he could stop the lovesick-teenager act and get back to running his business. Attending to this report from the Cairns accountant was only a small part of his duties.
His Sydney office coordinated a nationwide operation ranging from harbour tours and opera-house concerts to Kakadu tours and Snowy Mountains skiing holidays. If he was to succeed at making the Cairns business just as big and successful, it was time to focus, man. Focus.
He reached for his diary to check the calls he needed to make.
And at the same moment the telephone rang.
‘Yes, Sally?’
‘An urgent call’s come through for you from Sydney, Mr Conway.’
‘Thanks. I’ll take it straight away.’
Rita James, his personal assistant in his head office in Sydney, was always super-calm and efficient, but today, just saying hello, she sounded worried.
‘What’s the problem, Rita?’
‘I’m afraid there’s bad news about Mrs Conway, Liam.’
Julia!
The news hit him with the force of a physical blow.
‘Mrs Conway’s housekeeper just rang to say that she has been admitted to hospital and her condition’s serious.’
Oh, God, no.
He’d been dreading something like this, had feared it might happen while he was away in the north.
‘Do you have a phone number? Can I speak to Julia?’
‘I’m afraid she isn’t well enough to take calls.’
‘Then I’ll have to speak to the housekeeper. I don’t know why Harriet didn’t telephone me first. I gave her my new contact details.’
‘Well, she was calling from the hospital and she sounded very upset. Perhaps she didn’t have your Cairns number with her.’
‘Whatever. It doesn’t matter. I’ll have to get on the first available plane.’ He was struggling to stay calm. ‘I assume there’s someone responsible to take care of Jack?’
‘I believe he’s staying at the home of one of his school friends.’
‘Right.’ Liam’s mind whirled. ‘Do you have the details of the hospital? The ward?’ Julia had to have the very best attention.
He jotted down the information Rita gave him.
‘I’m sure she’s in good hands,’ she said, clearly trying to soothe him.
‘Yes, I suppose you’re right. Well, thanks for letting me know, Rita. I’ll—no doubt, I’ll see you soon.’ Liam disconnected, ran his hands down his face and pressed his fingers against his eyelids. Hell!
This was not the first time Julia had been rushed to hospital, but that thought did nothing to ease his worry. It was always a nightmare.
Releasing a heart-rending sigh, he touched the button connecting him to Alice’s extension.
‘Alice, I’m sorry. I’m going to have to—’
‘Alice isn’t here.’ It was Shana’s voice.
‘Oh.’ Liam massaged his temple where an ache had started. ‘Do you know where she is?’
‘She took off in a hurry. Said something about emergency shopping.’
He sighed again. ‘OK. When she comes back, tell her to call me.’ Then he rang through to the front desk. ‘Sally, can you book me on the first possible flight to Sydney? Yes, I want the next available flight. I have to be there tonight.’
Hot orange with pink polka dots.
Alice grinned at her reflection as she stood before the mirror in her new underwear. This fun ensemble should be a good test of Liam’s liberal attitude to colour!
She’d bought it on the way home from work. Of course, she’d felt a little guilty about leaving early, but she knew she could make up for lost time tomorrow and the early mark seemed justified. After all, tonight was her first official date with Liam and surely that called for a quick detour via the shopping mall to buy scented candles.
Candlelight, wine, a leisurely meal and conversation were on the agenda