get in touch with you.”
“There was no note on my car.” Rachel thought back. “No. There was a fine or something under the wiper.”
He pointed at the paper in Rachel’s hand. “It was this. When I found out we were going to be working together I didn’t think this would go down very well so I took it off your car before you had a chance to see it.”
A gentle warmth swelled inside her as she started to feel that things might somehow turn out for the best. She’d spent all this time analysing and thinking with her mind and now she’d reached the point where she should start listening to her heart.
It was time to trust her instincts.
“Jake,” she sighed. “My picture. The note. I don’t know what to say. Well, I do know one thing. It’s probably as well you snaffled that note away. You should be a bit embarrassed about it.”
“Maybe I am.”
Rachel’s lips curled to a nervous smile. She could have burst into an uncontrollable giggle or burst into tears but as Jake’s hands reached towards her she did neither. He rubbed his hands along the bare skin of her forearms, inching slowly towards her and she was overcome with the feeling that this was meant to be.
They both had their secrets and demons but it was all out in the open. They’d
dealt with their issues and the time had come to enjoy each other’s company.
The ring of Jake’s phone shook Rachel from her reverie. Instinctively, he reached into his pocket for his phone, then shook his head.
“No, take it,” Rachel said. “We are both supposed to be at work, after all.”
He looked at the name flashing on his phone, a furrow forming in his brow. “Actually, I do need to take this call.”
As he turned away from her, she heard snatches of conversation. “Connor… Where is he? Sorry, why was he crying? I’m on my way.”
Jake’s lips were pursed, his expression stern.
“Is Connor okay?” Rachel asked.
“He’s upset but he’s fine. That was his teacher. Something’s wrong. Bianca didn’t collect Connor from school so he’s still there. The teacher’s going to wait for me.”
“Jake, are you okay?”
“I have to go.” He planted a swift kiss on her mouth and called out to her on his way out the door. “I’ll come and see you tonight. At your place.”
And as Jake left, all the hope and promise Rachel had felt minutes before, evaporated and left her body.
He didn’t even have the time to finish their conversation and it didn’t matter that he was leaving her feeling like an emotional catastrophe. He couldn’t properly explain what was happening or take the time to hold her and make her understand.
It would always be like this. He would always put his child first and Rachel couldn’t begrudge him that. Connor was his son. He loved him. Of course he had to look after him.
Jake had said he was getting a divorce but Rachel knew all too well that a crisis only brings a family together. His child meant everything to him. He’d think things over and return to his original decision to give Connor the family he deserved.
She also knew with startling clarity that she could never compete with Bianca. She would always be in a more powerful position than her. She was the mother of Jake’s child.
Rachel slumped down onto one of the boardroom chairs, resting her chin on one hand. She couldn’t break up a family. And after everything Jake had been through, he wouldn’t do that either.
He already had too many women in his life.
And only one child.
Chapter fifteen
Ten o’clock. Rachel wanted to go to bed and fall into a deep sleep, forget that Jake had phoned to say he was on the way, pretend it wasn’t happening. Pretend they weren’t going to be finished tonight.
But it’d be more painful to allow it to linger. To allow herself to get involved more deeply, if that were possible. Best to get it over with quickly.
Jake was a powerful hurricane passing through her life as she waited briefly in the eye of the storm for its final impending devastation.
Although things would never be the same, she’d survive. One way or the other.
Hearing a gentle rapping at the door, she rose silently like an automaton to answer it. Jake kissed her lightly on the cheek as he walked inside but she didn’t feel anything. There was no tingle shooting up her spine with the gentle pressure of his lips on