The Bad Boy's Redemption. Joss Wood

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      ‘Sometimes you can’t help it,’ Mak insisted.

      ‘Mak, it’s just an idea, and if he says no then it’s no harm, no foul. As grateful as I am to him rescuing me from the club, I have no intention of trailing after him, dragging my tongue on the floor, appreciative of any attention he’ll give me. I won’t beg, I still have my pride. And if he says yes then I’ll keep my emotional distance.’

      ‘Mmm. Not sure if you have ever been able to do that, Lu.’ Mak stood up and rested his hands on her bare shoulders. He pulled her in for a hug. ‘And, talking about clubbing, I am so very, very sorry about the other night, Lu. God, I lie awake thinking...’

      Lu shook her head. ‘Don’t Mak. I’m fine.’

      ‘You’re fine because someone else was looking out for you.’ Mak rested his chin on the top of her head. ‘Your dad would have had my head.’

      ‘I’m a big girl, Mak; I’ve been looking after myself and the twins for a long time,’ Lu told him. ‘I don’t need you to look after me. I’m taking charge of my life, getting used to being on my own. I’ve got to get my head, my life, together. I can do it, Mak!’

      Mak grinned down at her determined face. ‘May I point out that the only person in this room who sounds doubtful about that is you, sweetheart?’

      ‘It’s taking some practice,’ Lu admitted.

      ‘It always does.’ Mak stepped away from her and reached across the counter for her mobile. ‘So, call him.’

      Lu yelped. ‘Not now! Um...I need to think about what we can do together.’

      ‘I have double tickets to a cooking demo by that celebrity pastry chef you’re so gaga about.’

      ‘Rupert Walker?’ Lu squealed. Oh, wow! She’d casually mentioned to Mak that she’d like to see the demo, and Mak, good mate that he was, had arranged tickets.

      ‘I was going to go with you, but I think you should take Will. You can torture him instead.’

      ‘I don’t think it’s his thing. But I’d love to go.’ Lu’s eyes widened as Mak scrolled through the numbers on her phone, pushed the green button and handed it to her.

      ‘It’s ringing. Ask him.’

      ‘Makhosi, you son of a...! What am I supposed...?’ Mak thrust the phone in her direction and the next moment Will’s deep voice had her toes curling.

      ‘Hey, Lu. What’s up?’

      ‘Um...hi. Feel free to say no, because I certainly don’t expect you to say yes—’

      Will laughed. ‘That sounds ominous.’

      Lu glared at Mak, who was rolling his finger silently to tell her to get on with it.

      ‘I was given tickets for a celebrity baking demo on Monday night and I was wondering if you’d like to go with me.’ Lu expelled the words in a whoosh. She pictured herself jumping into a cavernous pool and finding it empty of water. Splat!

      ‘Ah...um...it’s really not my thing...but OK. Shall I pick you up?’

      Oh, dear Lord, there was water in the pool and she was floating. Yay!

      Lu pulled a tongue at Mak’s satisfied face as they made arrangements. Turning away from his smirky expression she allowed a broad smile to cross her face.

      I am woman, hear me roar, she thought. Well, it wasn’t quite a roar but it was definitely more than a whimper. Go me!

      * * *

      An hour later Lu pulled her SUV into an empty space in the parking lot of the Stingrays’ Rugby Union corporate offices. She’d been about to end her conversation with Will when he’d told her he was with Kelby Cotter, the Rays’ CEO, and that he wanted to have a word. Kelby had asked her to meet with him to discuss a photography project she might be interested in. Might be interested? She itched to pick up her camera and get to work!

      At this moment she’d walk into the fires of hell if there was photography work there, and any project that had the Rays’ name attached to it would be a huge boost to her non-existent career.

      Lu got out of the car and looked down at her short black skirt, her tangerine T-shirt and slightly scuffed wedges, and wondered if she should have splurged on another, more businesslike outfit. Heavy silver bracelets ran up her arm and ethnic silver earrings hung halfway to her shoulders. She’d forgotten to put on make-up. Lu sighed. She’d meant to but, as per normal, it had slipped her mind.

      Lu was directed to the PR executive’s office by a receptionist who looked like a high-class model. Perfect hair, perfect nails...super-slim. Lu resisted the urge to wipe her clammy hands on her skirt and again wondered why she was being shown to an office in the PR and Publicity Department.

      She readjusted the strap of her shoulder bag and knocked on the door. Two seconds later a large, rugged teddy bear of a man opened the door and smiled down at her. He held a sandwich in one hand and shrugged his apologies.

      ‘Lu? Sorry—first moment I’ve had free to eat lunch,’ he explained. ‘Kelby Cotter.’

      He raised the half-sandwich for another bite and gestured Lu to a seat in front of a very feminine, very messy desk. He swallowed his last bite, took a swig of water from the bottle on his desk and scrabbled amongst the papers.

      ‘Got it.’ Kelby flicked the memory card from her camera at her and Lu snapped it out of the air. ‘Amazing photos of Will. Can I have them?’

      Surely he could have asked her over the phone whether he could use them? She should ask him to pay for them. Her brain whirled. But if she gave them to him and asked for the credit then that would help to raise her profile. ‘Uh...sure.’

      Kelby tipped his head at her and let out a rumbling laugh. ‘You can’t just give your work away, Lu!’

      ‘So you’ll buy them from me?’

      Kelby named a figure that had Lu’s eyes widening. It seemed that the Rays paid their photographers very well indeed.

      Emboldened by his kind eyes, Lu asked why the CEO was dealing with publicity and PR issues.

      ‘Fair question. My head of PR flew to Cape Town to be with her terminally ill mother. I’m overseeing the department until she returns, and it’s easier to work in her office than move all her stuff to mine.’ Kelby leaned back in his chair and folded his hands across his portly stomach. ‘I have two other offers for you. Both of them involve you getting paid.’

      Lu blushed and felt like an idiot. And excited. And nervous if these projects had anything to do with Will Scott. ‘OK. That sounds interesting.’

      ‘I browsed through the other photos on the media card Will gave me and I was blown away by some of your images. They are utterly fantastic.’

      ‘Thank you,’ Lu said, her brain racing to remember what images he was talking about. Some photos of the twins and their friends, the baby photo shoot, some beach scenes.

      ‘My СКАЧАТЬ