Belle’s heart dropped. “I told him he should leave you alone on a Sunday.”
She leaned in conspiratorially. “My dear, what on earth would I do if Jack didn’t shake up my life every once in a while? I’d be bored silly. Anyway, as a reward, I got to sit next to Dirk in a limousine for the last five hours.” She leaned closer. “You should get a whiff. He smells good too.”
Belle couldn’t help it. She let out another giggle. This one was louder, longer and not self-conscious in the slightest.
After a few seconds, Belle realised that Olive had joined her in giggling.
* * * * *
“I like Olive,” Belle told Jack as they walked along the narrow cobbled street, Jack’s arm around Belle’s shoulders, only a few, straggling photographers keeping their distance and taking photos.
It was evening, the sun still in the sky, the heat staying on the day but a gentle breeze was blowing off the sea.
Olive had long since gone to the castle to settle in as she was staying for a few days as well as to find accommodation for Dirk as he was moving for the time being to St. Ives.
Belle had spent the afternoon attempting to stop Belinda from declaring her undying love for Dirk and explaining her minimal operation to him.
She found he knew his stuff, he had several suggestions, not just about how she ran her store but how she produced her line, all of them excellent and she’d told him to do whatever he wanted and keep the ideas coming.
Then she, Belinda, Carol and Nola spent a goodly amount of time explaining how fantastic St. Ives was, where to shop, where to eat and how to get along with the tourists.
Dirk didn’t seem at all fazed with his rapid change of scenery.
In fact Dirk was entirely laidback.
Except when an obvious journalist walked in, his beady eyes on Belle.
Dirk got in his way, looked down at him from his colossal height and demanded to know. “Are you buying something for your wife?”
With more audacity then sense, the reporter replied, “I’d like to talk to Belle a second.”
“Ms. Abbot is available only to customers,” Dirk returned.
“It’s just a few questions,” the man said.
“You’ve got two seconds to leave before you’re ejected,” Dirk retorted.
The man smiled. “You put your hands on me, I’ll –”
Then Dirk put his hands on him and deftly and efficiently ejected him from the shop.
“I’m calling the police!” the journalist shouted from the street.
“I’ll look forward to speaking with them,” Dirk replied calmly and then closed the door.
It was then Belle lost her battle to stop Belinda who, eyes on Dirk, breathed, “I think I love you.”
Dirk grinned a blinding grin. “That should make our working relationship interesting.”
Belinda fluttered her eyes and smiled.
Things returned to normal after that.
As normal as they could be with the media at the door and a movie-star gorgeous new shop assistant working with the boy-crazy one she already had.
On their walk, Jack squeezed her shoulder. “That’s good. Olive called me, she likes you too.” He paused then said, “She also told me about Dirk.”
Belle read between the lines, mainly because his voice was filled with humour, that Olive had told Jack about Belle’s reaction to Dirk.