In the Boss's Arms. Barbara Hannay

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СКАЧАТЬ Liam’s emergency be? A dying parent? A road smash? Why was it complicated? Why couldn’t he tell her? There was so much she didn’t know about this man.

      But she couldn’t ask those questions now. ‘Of course I’m fine,’ she said. ‘I’m sorry about—the emergency. I hope everything works out well.’

      ‘Thanks. I’m going to miss you. Got to go. Bye.’

      ‘I’ll miss—’ She didn’t get a chance to finish the sentence. Liam had already disconnected.

      She dropped the cell-phone onto her bedspread and sat in her darkened bedroom, numb with misery. She felt swamped by an irrational, unprecedented sadness and tears slipped down her cheeks.

      Just like that, she’d plummeted from the heights of happiness to the depths of disappointment. She felt awful. Being in love just wasn’t worth it. She’d felt empty and abandoned like this when she first suspected that Todd was cheating on her. How could she have found herself back in this ghastly place so quickly?

      For several minutes she gave in to the wash of emotions, wallowing in self-pity. This wasn’t fair. How could Liam be so offhand with her? He wasn’t like Todd, was he? She couldn’t bear it if he was.

      But eventually she pressed her knuckles to her streaming eyes and drew a deep breath. OK. She had to get a grip. After all, she was trying to handle this relationship like a mature adult and it was downright silly to fall in a heap over one broken date.

      Liam was dealing with what must be a very serious family emergency and she was crying like a spoilt child who couldn’t go out to play because it was raining.

      Using her hands to lever herself up from the mattress, she stood and went through to the bathroom, where she washed her face, and then she went into the kitchen to make something to eat—a grilled cheese sandwich and coffee.

      As she slapped sliced cheese onto bread, she decided that she should be grateful for this timely lesson. After her divorce she’d been determined to join the single-and-loving-it brigade. She’d vowed that she wasn’t going to rely on another person to make her happy or to give meaning to her life.

      And what had she done? She’d let a man become the centre of her life again.

      She hadn’t learned a thing from her divorce.

      Her first waking thoughts were for Liam, and so were far too many of her thoughts during the hours in between. And she drifted to sleep thinking of him.

      In other words she’d fallen head over heels in love, which was just plain foolish. Thirty-year-old women just didn’t fall in love with their bosses and dream of happily-ever-after. They had flings. That was what she’d had. A fling. Sex, not love.

      There’d been lots and lots of fabulous passion but no talk of love, no promises, no talk of the future at all. For all Alice knew, Liam could have a girlfriend in Sydney. And, as a contemporary, liberated, New Age woman, she shouldn’t mind.

       Ouch.

      Hot melted cheese dripped onto her hand and she grabbed for a dishcloth to mop it, and felt the threat of tears again. Darn it. She knew that she would mind. She would mind very much if Liam had another girlfriend.

      Oh, good grief, she’d be bitterly disappointed. Devastated.

      Chapter Seven

      ‘THEY haven’t changed the date of Valentine’s Day, have they?’

      Alice was in the middle of a phone call when she looked up to see Sally, the front-desk receptionist, walking through the doorway bearing a huge bouquet of red roses.

      Walking straight to Alice, Sally winked and set the flowers on her desk with a cheeky ta-da! flourish.

      Alice’s heart began to knock and she lost the train of her conversation with a hire-car rep in Mount Isa.

      Who on earth would be sending her flowers? They had to be from Liam. But would he make such a public gesture at work?

      Smiling broadly, Sally tapped her fingernail against the little envelope that was pinned to red satin ribbons.

      Alice knew she was blushing as she mouthed ‘thank you’ and she was grateful that her phone call meant that Sally couldn’t hang around while the envelope was opened. But just as the call finished, Shana walked in. Great.

      ‘Wow! Who sent you these?’

      ‘I’ve no idea.’ Alice tried very hard to sound cool as Shana fingered the envelope.

      ‘Aren’t you going to have a look?’

      ‘Of course.’ Darn. Her fingers were shaking as she struggled to pull out the tiny pin that secured the card.

      ‘I’ll bet they’re from the boss. Things are hotting up, aren’t they?’ Shana leaned close with a forced enthusiasm that did nothing to calm Alice.

      Her fingers fumbled with the seal on the envelope. She hadn’t heard from Liam since he’d dashed off to Sydney. These flowers must be from him. There was no other man in her life and no other explanation. She was going to be floating on happiness for days.

      She read the card and blinked.

      ‘Well?’ Shana’s cry was close to a squeal. ‘Come on, Alice, spill.’

      ‘They’re from Joe,’ she said, trying hard not to sound disappointed.

      ‘Joe? Who’s Joe?’

      ‘The pilot who collapsed in the plane.’

      ‘Oh.’ Shana couldn’t wipe the relieved smirk from her face. ‘How nice.’

      ‘Yes. It’s a very sweet note. He’s completely recovered now and he thinks I saved his life.’

      ‘I’m sure you did.’ Shana gave Alice a pat-you-on-the-head smile and continued on to her desk.

      Disappointment deluged Alice. She had so wanted these lovely flowers to be a gift from Liam. What was he doing in Sydney? Why had he cut her off?

      Mad with herself that it mattered so much, she returned her attention to Joe’s card. His message really was sweet. He claimed he’d been brought back to life by the kiss of an angel. Who else could it have been at that altitude? he’d asked.

      And then, further down, she saw another message in different writing:

      Alice, we want to thank you sincerely from the hottom of our hearts for saving Joe’s life. He is a precious husband and father and we still have him, thanks to you and Mr Conway.

       Jean, Gary, Jenny and Jana Banyo

      Alice touched a dark, velvety rose petal. At the time she’d helped Joe she hadn’t given a thought to his wife and children. She’d just done what had to be done. But everyone had families. Even the simplest action could have wide-reaching effects.

      The flowers were a lovely gesture and, as she got on with her work, she tried to convince herself СКАЧАТЬ