Best Friend...Future Wife. Claire Baxter

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СКАЧАТЬ up the messes left by their corporate clients.’

      ‘Now, now, Luke,’ Dawn said, wagging a finger at him. ‘You know he doesn’t mean it, Della. He’s trying to get you to bite, like he always did. Ignore him.’ She turned back to Luke. ‘Della is very good at her job so you leave her alone. She’s in line for a big promotion, too. Very highly thought of, our Della.’

      ‘And you’re not even a journalist any more,’ Lyn piped up. ‘You haven’t been for what, three years?’

      He smiled. ‘But I’m still allowed to defend the profession.’

      His mother was half right. Though he did enjoy teasing Della, he was semi-serious. He didn’t like to think of her on the side of some of the corporate creeps he’d encountered over the years. But this wasn’t the time or place to bring that subject up. He grinned at Della, and her lovely mouth gave him an answering smile before she turned away to help Jamie cut his meat.

      ‘You said you would explain about Yvonne,’ Dawn said. ‘Is she travelling alone? Or will you be going back for her? What’s going on?’

      ‘Ah.’ He took a mouthful of wine and let the rich, fruity flavour swirl around his mouth before swallowing. He put down the glass and leaned his elbows on the table, linking his hands. ‘I’m afraid I have some news. Yvonne and I have broken up. She won’t be coming here.’ He shrugged. ‘I don’t know where she is right now, and to be honest I don’t care.’

      He looked down at his plate while a silence settled over the table, each person absorbing his news. His grip tightened. It wasn’t news to him but it was still difficult to talk about.

      ‘You’re getting divorced?’ his mother asked eventually.

      ‘Yes. It’s already underway.’

      ‘But this is so sudden. Your last email said you were both fine.’

      He grimaced. ‘Well, we were. We just weren’t together. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but it’s been over for a while.’

      ‘Have you tried counselling?’

      ‘No.’ He snorted. ‘Believe me, there’s no point.’

      ‘Oh, Luke. What happened? You were so in love. I remember thinking when you brought Yvonne to meet us that I’d never seen you so happy.’

      ‘Mum, I’d rather not go into the details. We weren’t meant to be together. That’s all there is to it. Just accept it’s over, okay?’

      Dawn hesitated. ‘Of course, but I’m so sorry. Still, if it had to happen, it’s a blessing you didn’t have any children.’

      Luke’s jaw clenched, a muscle twitched. ‘I don’t consider that a blessing.’

      With a sigh, he reached for his glass and drank the remaining wine. He hadn’t intended to go there. He didn’t want to expose his emotions to the scrutiny of others, even his family, as much as he loved them.

      His mother broke the tense silence. ‘Where are your bags? Did you leave them at the airport?’

      ‘No, they’re at the hotel. I checked in on the way here.’

      ‘Hotel? Why would you want to stay at a hotel when you have a perfectly good room here?’

      ‘I didn’t want to put you to the trouble, especially as I sprung my visit on you.’

      ‘Rubbish. What’s this house for if not for our family? Check out of the hotel tomorrow and move in here. You need to be where we can look after you.’

      Luke smiled, but shook his head. He didn’t need or want looking after. He’d managed on his own for years. He was used to it. If his marriage had taught him anything, it was that he was better off alone.

      

      Later, instead of lingering over coffee and home-made chocolate mints as she was tempted to do, Della pushed back her chair. ‘I’m sorry to rush off, but I have to do some work tonight.’

      ‘Work?’ Dawn asked. ‘You work too hard. Are you sure you have to?’

      ‘Afraid so,’ she said. ‘We have a crisis we’re dealing with at the moment.’

      ‘Not the Dermont Chemicals fire?’ Frank said. ‘I heard about it on the radio.’

      She nodded. ‘That’s the one. Tom Dermont is my client. Lucky me.’

      ‘I hope they appreciate how much you do after hours,’ Dawn said. ‘But I doubt it.’

      Luke leapt from his seat. ‘Hey, you can give me a lift,’ he said. ‘Just into the city. Okay?’

      Damn. Work was only part of the reason she had to leave. She needed to get away from Luke. The effort of pretending not to care had made her chest ache. The news of his divorce had made it worse, and she wasn’t sure which was stronger—sympathy for his obvious pain or relief that he was free again. She felt shamed that it might be relief.

      ‘Um, do you really want to leave so soon?’ Della glanced at Dawn, hoping she’d press him to stay longer.

      ‘I expect you’re exhausted after all the travelling,’ Dawn said, rising to give her son a hug.

      So much for that idea. In the confusion of goodbye hugs and kisses, Della slipped out to the car. Her head was spinning with all she’d heard. Not only his divorce, but the fact he’d be living and working here in Adelaide.

      Not that any of it made a difference to her position. On the contrary, she was as determined as ever to keep her feelings hidden. She wouldn’t risk ruining a friendship she valued when he was clearly hurting and needing his friends. Once she’d absorbed everything that had happened today and had a good night’s sleep, she’d be ready, willing and able to be his friend. Though he hadn’t admitted it, and maybe he didn’t even know it, she was sure a big part of his homecoming was a need for emotional support.

      ‘Thought you’d left without me,’ Luke said as he opened the passenger door and slid in. ‘Nice car. Very nice. You have good taste, Shrimp.’

      She started the engine of the silver convertible. ‘What did you think I’d have—a Volvo? Nice and safe?’

      He laughed. ‘I can’t say I’ve ever thought about it, but if I had I’d have pegged you as having a…Mini.’

      ‘A Mini!’

      ‘A shrimp car.’

      ‘Oh, shut up.’

      ‘Nice driving,’ he commented after a few moments.

      ‘Thanks.’ She enjoyed driving. It was one of the things she was good at. Which probably explained why she’d been lured by the car.

      ‘So, what happened to your ideals, Della?’

      ‘My ideals?’

      ‘The ones we talked about when we were at university. You were just as keen to fix the world as I СКАЧАТЬ