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The Boss: A Cozy Romance 46
‘You live and learn,’ Max Goodwin commented. ‘But I would have thought, if anything would do it, it would be a fright.’‘It can be, or it can be underlying stress or it can have nothing to do with what’s going on around you at the time,’ she told him.‘So you’ve taken medical advice, Alex?’‘Yes.’ She swallowed. ‘I really thought I was over them,’ she said again and added unthinkingly, ‘I guess there’s more stress in my life at the moment than I’m accustomed to.’He let go of her hand and turned to look at her with his elbow propped on the back of the settee. ‘Why? Interpreting?’She looked into his eyes and could have kicked herself because interpreting was a breeze compared to what she was going through on his account. But he was not to know that.‘Uh—it’s not as easy as it looks.’His lips twisted. ‘I never for one moment imagined it was. So that’s all?’ He raised his eyebrows and she noticed the little scar at the outer edge of his left eyebrow again.She looked away and
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‘AS A nanny?’ Alex stared at Max, totally bemused.‘As my PA, which may—’ he looked humorous ‘—cover mainly child- minding duties over the near future, but from then on will have a much broader scope.’‘I don’t understand.’He sat forward. ‘These negotiations are going to be successful, Alex—’ ‘I thought you said there was some hard bargaining—and so on?’ ‘There is, but I wouldn’t have undertaken them if I hadn’t done myhomework and if I hadn’t thought they’d succeed.’ For a moment the tough, successful high-flier he was was very evident in the set of his face. Then he relaxed and continued, ‘Once this is over, I’ll be spending quite a bit of time going backwards and forwards to China so a permanent interpreter, as well as a quick wit, will be an asset to me.’Alex’s eyes nearly fell out on stalks. ‘M-me?’ she hazarded raggedly. He looked amused as he nodded. ‘What’s so surprising about that?’ She blinked a couple of times. ‘It … I … I just didn’t expect it.’‘You’d be part of
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She hadn’t been able to establish that ‘something’ as she’d showered and dressed for the golf day, but at least she’d established the need to do it. And she’d taken a few quiet minutes to think of her Mother Superior, really and deeply. It had brought her a sense of peace. Then Nicky had woken, hot and fretful and itchy, and that had set in motion the most amazing train of events … She stared out of the window as the Pacific Motorway flashed past. The traffic was fast and heavy, with that familiar hum of its concrete surface, and the sky was overcast now. That amazing train of events, she thought, would be the perfect answer to her new resolution, her determination to shape her life differently, to set goals and accept challenges—if only it hadn’t come from Max Goodwin. But was that not simply a challenge too? It was absolutely no good hungering for a man you couldn’t have, a man you firmly believed should build a life with the mother of his son, anyway, so you nipped all that in
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THE transformation of the house for the dinner dance was breathtaking— considering that the place was rather breathtakingly beautiful even in normal mode.Once again the vast, stone-flagged terrace was the main venue, but this time, instead of two long tables, many smaller round tables were grouped around an imported wooden dance floor.There were flowers everywhere, on the tables and in standard wrought-iron vases. A canopy of magenta ribbons was looped above the dance floor and electric candles in tall sconces shed soft light.A cascade of tiny flickering lights pricked the night as they outlined the jetty.The band, more accurately a string quartet, its four members dressed in dinner suits with magenta velvet bow ties, was tuning up softly.Alex gave Nicky a tour, then they sat on the staircase for a while, where they could look through the hall to the terrace.‘It looks like an enchanted castle,’ Nicky said. ‘Will my dad be here tonight?’‘Indeed he will, but I’m not sure w
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The meal was cleared and more champagne poured—it was time for the speeches and toasts.If you didn’t know him, Alex thought as she watched Max Goodwin perform his part, you would think there was nothing wrong with him. But she noticed that his sister was watching him intently with a frown in her eyes.Then all the formalities were over and the string quartet demonstrated their versatility, and couples took to the dance floor to a lively beat.Alex decided to slip away. She had the beginnings of a headache and a few minutes alone in a nice quiet spot seemed like a good idea.She had no idea that two men saw her go: Max—and his cousin, Paul O’Hara.She went out onto the lawn and took the path that led to the swimming- pool garden but stopped at a sound behind her, a footstep. She took a deep breath and turned—it was Paul O’Hara.He too wore his dinner suit well, his fair hair was smooth and his nice grey eyes were serious and concerned again. ‘Please don’t run away, Alex—may I ca
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He paused and his expression softened. ‘Whereas you’ve got it all in front of you, my dear. You can do it right, you will do it right, and once you find someone to love, someone to have children with, you need never be alone again.’‘But—’‘No, Alex.’ He shook his head. ‘You will always have my affection and I’ll never forget what you did for Nicky.’ He smiled but not with his eyes. ‘The other thing is, you look so lovely tonight, I wouldn’t have been the only man who wanted to kiss you.’If she’d been rejected once tonight, Alex thought, this was even more comprehensive, and the shock of it saw silent tears well and stream down her cheeks.Max Goodwin moved abruptly, but before he could do or say anything that was how Margaret Winston found them.‘Oh, there you are, Mr Goodwin!’ Her expression was distressed as she came through the gate. ‘I’ve been searching high and low. Your absence is becoming noticeable—’ She broke off. ‘Why, Alex! What’s happened to you?’‘Margaret, could y
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She stopped and shook her head. ‘She always said I should, but I don’ttake kindly to people telling me what to do even when I know they’re right. Then a month or so ago she said she would if I didn’t—that’s what’s made me wonder if she had a premonition … But I don’t think anyone could understand how hard it was to do.’ She stopped helplessly. ‘Then I didn’t know how Max and I would react to each other and whether Nicky would sense it.’She broke off and closed her eyes, then looked across at Alex. ‘How are Nicky and Max getting along?’‘Pretty well.’‘And you say he took a shine to you?’Alex smiled faintly. ‘I made a bit of a hit with Nemo. From then on I was in, but he’s a great little boy.’Cathy Spencer sipped her coffee, then put her cup down with something like decision. Alex held her breath, expecting to have to somehow fend off Cathy claiming Nicky and taking him away, but she got a surprise.‘Have you any idea how I got myself into this mess—what is your name?’‘Alex
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MONTHS later, Alex could remember word for word what she’d said to Cathy Spencer, her stunned reaction to it, and how the rest of that fateful morning had panned out.Cathy had still been staring at her, wide-eyed and with an expression of growing guilt, when Mrs Mills had come in with a remote phone.‘Mr Goodwin would like to speak to you, Miss Spencer,’ she said, and handed the phone to her.Alex got up. ‘We’ll leave you alone,’ she murmured.‘Thanks.’ Cathy stared at the phone for a moment as if she were afraid it was going to bite her, then she put it to her ear. ‘Max?’‘Where was he?’ Alex asked Mrs Mills as they retreated to the kitchen.‘Out jogging, apparently. He hadn’t told anyone and he hadn’t taken his phone. Does she want to take Nicky?’Alex hesitated. ‘I don’t think so. I think she seriously wants to do what’s best for Nicky. She’s also just lost her mother so she’s pretty fragile.’Mrs Mills heaved a heartfelt sigh. ‘They were good together, you know. Maybe th
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