Falling for the Lawyer - By Anna Clifton Page 0,39
air after JP’s interference at her parents’ home. She was also desperate to raise the subject of her working and studying for the next few years rather than starting their family straight away but an opportunity never seemed to come up. In fact, Alex wondered at times whether Simon was intentionally avoiding being alone with her so that he could also avoid discussing the sensitive topics JP had raised.
“Yes, I’m sure I can get away. That’ll be fine,” she replied. “Where are we going?”
“It’s a surprise. I’ll pick you up outside your building in ten minutes and have you back in the city by ten.”
“Are you sure you can’t give me a hint about where we’re going?”
“No, so don’t ask. See you soon.” With that he rang off without giving Alex any further chance to protest.
Feeling oddly unsettled about what lay in store for her that morning she wandered distractedly into JP’s office. He was poring over papers at his desk but his blue eyes soon began a slow but detached elevation across every square inch of her body before resting finally upon her face.
“New dress?”
“Yes. My friend Sophie helped me choose it. In fact, who am I kidding? She did choose it.” Alex could hear the babble in her voice as she ran a hand nervously over the cool lycra of the navy blue dress that fitted her like a glove before adding, “I’m not much good at that sort of thing.”
“Aye, I know that,” he agreed, a droll curl at his mouth. “What can I do for you?”
“Do you mind if I go out for about an hour now? I wouldn’t normally ask but it’s important and I’ll be out of action until tomorrow …”
“That’s fine,” he interrupted. “Where are you going?”
“I don’t know. Simon wants to take me somewhere.”
JP muttered something inaudible.
“What did you say?” Alex asked tetchily He didn’t need to put his two cents worth into it. After all, he’d promised to stay out of her private life.
“Nothing. Are you still free for this ten o’clock meeting with Mark Jackson?”
“Of course. I said I was.”
“So you think you’ll be coming, even though you’re having this rendezvous with Simon this morning?”
“Yes,” Alex replied, unable to keep the edginess out of her voice, unsure where he was coming from with his questioning.
“All right then. I’ll meet you in the hotel foyer at ten.”
Alex wandered back out feeling wretched and unhappy and she had no idea why. Her mood wasn’t improved when her mobile rang again and her mother’s voice was at the other end.
“Have you got a minute, Alex? I need to speak to you.”
Alex’s heart sank. She knew that tone of voice. A lecture was on its way.
“I don’t really have a minute Mum, no,” she replied, but sensing the call was going to go ahead whether she liked it or not she wandered into an empty office nearby and closed the door.
“I’ll only be a minute. This can’t wait.” Mary Farrer’s reply was sharp.
Alex sighed. Short of hanging up on her own mother there was no possible way she was going to escape the talk.
“I’ve hesitated about asking you this until now but it can’t wait any longer. I want to know what’s going on with you, young lady. Last Thursday night was a three-ring circus. You’re supposed to be marrying Simon but anyone looking at you would never have guessed it. I saw the way you looked at Jonathan McKenzie. The way he looked at you. Do you think I’m blind?”
“I don’t know what you mean,” Alex said, genuinely shocked at her mother’s acute observational powers.
“Oh yes you do. Something’s going on there.”
“Mum, that’s just not right,” Alex defended herself, although her mother was breathtakingly closer to the truth than she knew.
“I don’t know that Simon saw what I saw but if you carry on like that it’ll only be a matter of time.”
“There’s nothing to see, Mum. I promise you, there’s nothing going on.”
“You’re playing a dangerous game, Alex. I love Monique but I know she’s got her eye on Simon. One false move from you and you’ll lose him to her for good and who would blame him?”
“How can you suggest that of Monique?” Alex shot back.
Monique pursuing Simon? It couldn’t be true!
“Easily. I wasn’t born yesterday. She’s crazy about him and he’s a good catch.”
“This is not a fishing competition!” Alex was unable to keep the exasperation out of her voice. Somehow she had to wind the phone call up, and