Birthday Bride. Jessica Hart

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      Except that Michael hadn’t wanted to commit himself in the end—at least not to her—and now here she was, a day short of thirty and just as unwed as the fortune-teller had said she would be.

      ‘You can’t spend your thirtieth birthday on your own!’ Lucy had said when Claudia had rung to tell her that the engagement was finally off.

      ‘I’m so miserable, it doesn’t matter what I do,’ Claudia had said. ‘I can’t be bothered to have a party where everyone will just feel sorry for me.’

      ‘Come out to Shofrar, then,’ Lucy offered impulsively. ‘No one will know anything about Michael, so you could be whoever you wanted to be. It’ll be great,’ she went on, getting carried away with enthusiasm for the idea. ‘We’ll have a party on your birthday and you can meet Justin Darke.’

      ‘Justin who?’

      ‘Justin Darke. He’s an American architect who’s working with Patrick out here, and he is seriously attractive. We are talking gorgeous, Claudia! As soon as I met him I thought he’d be perfect for you—much better than that creep Michael. He’s almost disgustingly nice, warm, sincere, single...what more could you want?’

      ‘There must be something wrong with him,’ said Claudia, whose experience of men had left her armoured against high expectations. Nice, warm, sincere men weren’t usually wandering around unmarried without a good reason.

      ‘But there isn’t! He’s just a great guy,’ Lucy insisted. ‘And I know he’d like you. I showed him your picture the other day and he said you looked like an exciting lady!’

      ‘I don’t feel very exciting at the moment,’ Claudia said gloomily.

      ‘You just need someone to boost your ego—and Justin’s so charming that you wouldn’t be able to resist feeling better!’

      Claudia was beginning to warm to the idea. ‘I suppose it would be nice to get away somewhere completely different.’

      ‘Of course it would. A change of scenery, an attractive man...you won’t give Michael another thought.’ Lucy laughed. ‘Hey, remember the fortune-teller at that fête, Claudia? All that business about sand and initials and being thirty? There’s certainly plenty of sand out here, and Justin’s initials are J D...’

      ‘And I’m going to be thirty? Don’t remind me!’

      ‘Just think, this could be your big chance to meet your destiny!’ said Lucy dramatically, and they both giggled.

      ‘I won’t hold my breath,’ said Claudia. ‘After this last year with Michael I think I can do without destiny—I’ll settle for a good time instead!’

      It hadn’t been easy to take two weeks off at one of the busiest times of the year, but once Claudia had made up her mind to do something she was doggedly determined to succeed, and she had booked her ticket the very next day. Everything seemed to have gone wrong since then, but Claudia had gritted her teeth and told herself it would be worth it when she got off the plane to Lucy’s welcoming hug. She was going to have a good time in Telama’an if it killed her...and in the meantime she might as well amuse herself by irritating David Stirling some more!

      ‘You’ve come all this way in pursuit of a man that you’ve never met but that you just hope will have the right initials?’ He was still shaking his head in amazement.

      ‘Why not?’ she asked, but he was so appalled at the idea that he missed the teasing glint in her eyes.

      ‘Well, I presumed, since you were travelling alone, that you had some intelligence, even if it is very artfully disguised,’ he said caustically. ‘Not even someone as desperate as you sound would go all the way to a place like Telama’an without a good reason!’

      Claudia considered that after the year she had had the prospect of some sun and some fun and some flattery was reason enough to go anywhere, but that was none of David Stirling’s business. ‘You don’t understand,’ she said dramatically. ‘I’m at a crossroads in my life! I’m going to be thirty tomorrow, I can’t just carry on like before. I’ve got to seize my opportunities!’

      ‘What opportunities?’

      She clutched her throat and somehow managed to keep a straight face. ‘To meet my soul mate, of course! JD is waiting for me in the desert... I just know it! All I have to do is fly to him!’

      David curled his lip. ‘JD? No doubt Lucy has been scouring the compound for someone with the right initials! Has she come up with anyone yet?’

      ‘Maybe,’ said Claudia coyly.

      ‘Which poor unfortunate soul has she lined up?’ David ran through the possibilities in his mind. ‘Jack Davis? He’s married. Jim Denby? Unlikely. Ah!’ he said suddenly. ‘Justin Darke! Why didn’t I think of him straight away?’

      ‘My lips are sealed,’ said Claudia, suddenly realising that in her determination to irritate David Stirling she was running a grave risk of embarrassing Lucy’s American friend.

      David had seen the flicker in her eyes, though, and drew his own conclusions. Justin Darke was nice enough, but he was no match for a woman like Claudia Cook, that was for sure. Did he have any idea what Claudia and Lucy had planned for him? Th first thing he would do when he got to Telama’an was drop a warning word in Justin’s ear, although there was something so single-minded about Claudia’s attitude that it would take more than a friendly warning to stop her, he was sure.

      He shook his head. ‘Poor Justin!’ he said.

      ‘I really don’t know who you’re talking about,’ Claudia lied. ‘And in any case, knowing who I was going to meet would spoil it. All I know is that I’m going to be at that party tomorrow night, and after that I’m leaving it to destiny!’

      CHAPTER TWO

      DAVID her a sardonic look. ‘It looks like you’re going to have a busy day being thirty and meeting your destiny tomorrow,’ he said, and the unconcealed sarcasm in his voice was enough to provoke a dangerous glitter in Claudia’s blue-grey eyes.

      ‘But don’t you see? The two are linked!’ she gushed, hoping that she sounded as ridiculous as she felt. ‘Thirty is such a crossroads in one’s life, isn’t it?’

      ‘Is it?’ said David unencouragingly.

      ‘Yes! It’s a time to reassess what one wants out of life, a time to change direction, a time to let go of one’s youth and face up to the prospect of mortality!’

      He turned to her consideringly. ‘Do you know,’ he said, ‘I find it hard to believe that you’re going to be thirty tomorrow?’

      Claudia was rather taken aback. She didn’t think she was looking too bad for her age either, but she hadn’t expected a compliment from him. Perhaps she should have tried flirting with him after all? ‘Why, thank you—’

      ‘Because,’ David interrupted her ruthlessly, ‘I never thought СКАЧАТЬ