In the Market for Love - By Nina Blake Page 0,13
include ‘Mr Porsche’ as being saucy?”
She shrugged. “No, that was more of an observation.”
He had a way about him. Even when he was teasing her, he made her feel like a woman. Attractive. Desired. She wasn’t a marketing manager any more. And she didn’t think she was a friend either.
This wasn’t the first date she’d been on since she’d been widowed. And he wasn’t the first man to show some interest in her. But he was the first one who made her fumble with her words and lose her self-restraint.
She couldn’t let him guess her feelings. “So, you’ve got a son?”
“Yes,” he replied. “Connor. He’s seven.”
“Does he live with his mother or with you?”
As Rachel asked the question she suddenly had a horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach. He had said he was single, hadn’t he?
She’d found herself going out on a date with a man and she didn’t know anything about him. She’d assumed he must be single but the longer Jake took to answer the question the more her stomach churned.
Something wasn’t right.
* * *
Jake didn’t usually feel anxious at the thought of explaining his marital situation to anyone. What he felt tonight went beyond anxiety. It was closer to turmoil.
“Connor lives with me,” he said. “I’m lucky in that way. So many fathers miss out when their children live with their exes.”
Jake lived with his son but their house also had another occupant.
“And does your ex, his mother, live far from you?” Rachel asked.
The thought of Bianca sent a distressing pang through Jake as he recalled her constant threats that she would get custody of Connor should they divorce. Nothing was more important to Jake than his son. Nothing.
“No, she lives close by and that’s been good for Connor but a little hard for me.”
Connor’s mother lived very close by indeed. In the same house.
“So you’re divorced?” Rachel asked.
“No, separated. We have been for about four years now.”
“But not divorced?”
He had to tell her now. This was the time.
“Sorry to have kept you waiting.” A slender young waitress appeared, bearing a tray with a long neck of cold Stella Artois, a stemmed beer glass and a glass of white wine. She took her time as she poured the beer with its thick creamy head into Jake’s glass and placed the wine on the coffee table in front of them.
Rachel had been cold and unflinching when she said there was no excuse for a married man seeing another woman. And at the time they’d only been discussing two actors smearing sun screen on each other. What would she think when she found out he and his wife still lived in the same house? She wouldn’t want to have anything to do with him after that.
Other women in the past hadn’t questioned Jake’s predicament but then none of them had Rachel’s high standards and none had been important to him in the way she was.
He wanted her so badly but knew how close he was to losing her respect with just a few words. And he didn’t even have her home phone number or address yet. Surely he should get that before risking their relationship by trying to explain his situation.
But as they swapped phone numbers, Jake found himself increasingly trapped.
“So what’s your home number?” she asked.
“No, it’s impossible to catch me at home so use the mobile number,” he explained. “We’re always out and about, Connor and I.”
She frowned. “So who looks after Connor after school?”
“Kate, the nanny, mostly.”
It was true there was a nanny but often Bianca looked after Connor after school.
He had to tell Rachel now.
Jake opened his mouth to speak. He had to choose his words carefully but he was well aware that with the slightest slip Rachel would jump to the wrong conclusion. If he phrased it badly she’d stop listening and walk out on him. He had no doubt about that.
“Jake, my man, long time no see,” boomed a gruff voice from behind him.
He turned to see the red face of a middle-aged man in a business suit, and quickly took to his feet. It was one of Marcus’ clients and he couldn’t possibly let him sit down with them. He’d have to steer him away or they’d never get rid of him.
Client or not, the man’s timing could not have been worse. If it had been a long time since they’d seen each other, there was probably a very good reason. What’s more, the guy was clearly drunk.
“How’s Marcus doing?”