The Millionaire's Rebellious Mistress - By Catherine George Page 0,56
behavious and to ask me out again. I refused the offer. End of story.’
‘Do you mean the bastard made that offer to Bob Groves as a form of revenge? It certainly worked—on both of us.’ He gave her a look which made her quail. ‘Did you really believe I would do something so petty, Sarah? Don’t bother to answer,’ he added harshly. ‘You obviously did. Please get in the car.’
In embarrassed silence Greg Harris helped her into the back, then got in beside Alex, which left her no opportunity to apologise on the endless journey back. By the time they reached the Merrick building Sarah was word-perfect in various speeches, but when Alex parked the Cherokee it was Greg who came to hand her out, and no speeches were necessary.
‘I’ve wasted enough time this morning,’ Alex said, looking at his watch. ‘See Miss Carver to her car, Greg.’ And, without even a look in Sarah’s direction, the vice-chairman of the Merrick Group strode inside to rule his kingdom, leaving his assistant to carry out his orders with body language which made his opinion of the morning’s fiasco very plain.
Sarah burned with humiliation on the drive home. But gradually it gave way to a cold feeling of loss. One thing was clear. She would have all the time in the world to concentrate on the Westhope job. Alex would never want to set eyes on her again. She’d paid him back well and truly for his jibe about marriage. As she thought of her crack about his ego she shivered, seized by a burning desire to black both of Dan Mason’s lying blue eyes.
‘Bob told me what happened,’ said Harry on the phone later. ‘Fancy some lunch at the pub?’
‘Oh, yes, please,’ said Sarah fervently.
‘Right. I’ll pick you up in five minutes.’
On the way Sarah gave Harry a detailed account of her morning, and sighed heavily as he drew up outside the Green Man. ‘A good job I’m not in Oliver’s line of work. I accused Alex Merrick without a shred of actual proof that he was behind the offer.’
‘But why would you think he wanted the barns?’ said Harry, frowning. ‘The Merricks don’t do small stuff like that any more. It was different with the cottages. They were next to the hotel site.’
‘I’ve been seeing something of Alex lately—socially, I mean,’ said Sarah reluctantly. ‘But we had a row.’
Harry’s shrewd blue eyes met hers. ‘Must have been some row if you thought he’d tried to queer your pitch with Bob.’
‘It was.’ She smiled brightly. ‘But after the insults I hurled at him this morning he’ll never want to lay eyes on me again, so my social time is all mine again.’
‘Learn to play darts,’ advised Harry, as they went into the pub. ‘You can play with Fred and me of an evening some time.’
‘I used to play a bit,’ she assured him. ‘In my building site days I wasn’t bad.’
‘Hear that?’ said Harry, as Fred joined them. ‘The lady says she’s good with the arrows.’
Sarah felt so much better by the time she’d eaten a sandwich and downed some cider that it didn’t take much persuasion when Fred fetched some darts and challenged her to a game. She took off her jacket, rolled up the sleeves of her white shirt, projected a mental image of Dan Mason’s face on the board, and did so well with her first few throws that a small crowd gathered to watch.
By the time she was well on the way to beating Fred at his own game, Sarah’s hair was beginning to unravel from its knot, and she’d kicked off her high heels. She let out a crow of triumph as she beat him with her last throw. When a cheer went up from the onlookers she turned to bow all round, then blushed to the roots of her hair at the sight of Alex at the other end of the bar, talking to Eddy Mason. He nodded coldly, and for the second time that day Sarah wanted to run and hide. She returned the nod, thrust her feet into her shoes, and stood between Fred and Harry, forcing herself to finish her drink before looking in Alex’s direction again. And found he’d gone.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
SARAH HAD been so sure Alex had come to the Green Man to look for her she was utterly devastated when he left without a word. Message received, loud and clear, she thought miserably. Even so, she still had to apologise.