The Beautiful Widow - By Helen Brooks Page 0,29
‘I’m just embarrassed my mother wouldn’t take no for an answer when she suggested you stay for dinner. She’s never worked outside the home, you see. She’s got no idea of how things are done in the modern world. She still operates half a century behind the times, I’m afraid.’
‘Don’t apologise for her, she’s great, and for the record I had no intention of saying no when she asked.’ He settled back in his chair, his eyes pure mother-of-pearl in the fading light. ‘I wanted to stay.’
‘Oh.’ Taken aback at his frankness, Toni nodded helplessly. ‘I see.’
‘I doubt it.’ There was lingering amusement in the curl of his mouth, but he didn’t elaborate, instead continuing, ‘Amelia and Daisy are delightful. They’re a credit to you.’
‘Thank you.’ She had stiffened slightly as he spoke.
‘Very different personalities; almost like the two halves which make up their mother.’
She was taking a sip of wine, but was surprised into looking at the pearly eyes. She couldn’t resist asking, ‘What does that mean?’
‘One so sure of herself and how she sees the world; a go-getter with boundless enthusiasm and a zest for life. The other more shy and vulnerable, needing to know she’s safe and secure, holding on to what she knows because she’s afraid of getting hurt.’
Toni stared at him, a hot prickly sensation running up and down her spine as she saw he was perfectly serious. His insight unnerved her totally and to combat the weakness she took refuge in a feigned cynicism, managing a scornful little smile before she said, ‘And you saw all that in two little girls in, what—five minutes? I hardly think so.’
‘You’re telling me I’m wrong?’ His voice was mild, reasonable.
‘Of course, Amelia and Daisy are much more complex than that.’
‘I wasn’t talking about the twins.’
Toni took a deep breath. He was her boss and she needed this job, but she was blowed if she was putting up with whatever game he was playing. ‘Don’t attempt to analyse me when you’ve hardly spent any time in my company,’ she said tightly.
He didn’t seem the least offended. In fact he smiled, the hard angles of his face breaking up into attractive curves. ‘Fair enough,’ he said silkily, ‘but I know I’m right. Tonight you look about sixteen, do you know that? And infinitely more lovely than the capable career woman of daylight hours. I thought at first that I was seeing you with the outer shell removed, but that’s not true, is it? It’s still there, it’s just taken a different form.
What would it take for you to relax, really relax in a man’s company, Toni?’
She cleared her dry throat. ‘I haven’t the faintest idea what you’re talking about.’
‘At work you’re a remarkably gifted and enterprising woman, one who isn’t afraid to take chances and think outside the box. And such enthusiasm is catching. You’ve certainly excited me,’ he said, deadpan, before adding, ‘I can’t wait to see the finished apartments in due course.’
She stared at him, flustered and confused. When he’d said she excited him for a moment she’d thought … But he hadn’t meant she excited him, she told herself in a hot flush of embarrassment at her ridiculous assumption. Merely that her plans for the apartments did. She had to get a hold of herself around this man.
‘But then the other side of you is incredibly wary and suspicious,’ he went on softly, ‘which is perfectly understandable after all that’s happened.’
Her chin rose. ‘I’m not wary and suspicious. That’s nonsense. I admit I’m very aware of being a single mother with two small children depending on me, and I certainly don’t intend to be the sort of woman who introduces a succession of “uncles” to them either. That simply won’t happen, now or in the future.’
‘I’m glad to hear it,’ he said solemnly.
Her lips tightened. Was he laughing at her? Anger made her speak before she thought as she bit out, ‘And we’re better off keeping it to just the three of us. I won’t allow them to be let down again. We’re perfectly happy just as we are.’
‘You love them very much,’ he stated quietly. ‘Don’t you?’
‘They are everything to me and I to them. It’s always been that way since they were born.’
‘And their father? Where did he fit in?’
Not sure if she sensed criticism, she glared at him. ‘You needn’t feel sorry for Richard. He wanted nothing to do with the girls. I didn’t shut him out or anything.’
‘I didn’t say I felt