Read Online Illusions of Love by Michelle Betham - Free Book Online Page A

there was no evidence to prove anything otherwise.   But at least, this time, he was close enough to see just what was going on.   If anything was going on.   But he was going to make it his job to find out.

CHAPTER 7
     
    Charley loved what she did.   She loved the noise and the chaos and the whole atmosphere of being surrounded by creative people from the worlds of fashion and modelling and heaven knows what else.   It was where she belonged.   The days of being stuck behind a desk at ‘Wheatman and Rogers’ – the firm of solicitors that she and India had worked for back in their old home town of Newcastle-upon-Tyne all those years ago – it seemed like another lifetime away.
    She had been due to leave for Vegas soon but, out of the blue, she’d been contacted by Candice Coley, one of L.A.’s top new young designers, who’d asked Charley to work with her at a big charity fashion event taking place in Beverly Hills, and it was a chance Charley hadn’t been willing to turn down.   Her L.A. salon was quite obviously gaining popularity by the week, and to expand out into fashion shows and events was something she’d only ever been able to dream of before.   But she had a chance to make it a reality now, and Vince understood that.   He was busy with the movie anyway; he wouldn’t really have all that much time to miss her, and if she had a successful time here then who knew what else might come of it?   Her life was so perfect right now, and she was more excited than she had been in a long time because everything felt as though it was finally starting to fall into place.  
    She’d just spent a very busy and extremely tiring day going over hair and make-up ideas for the show with Candice and, although she was shattered, it had been one of the best days.   Candice loved her ideas, and they worked well together.   The contacts she could make here could prove to be invaluable and Charley was on a ridiculous high, excited for the future and all it could bring her.   A future she’d worked hard to achieve.
    Gathering together her brushes and combs, sliding them back into their wrap and putting them in the cupboard by her work station, she stood up and folded her arms, looking around her beautiful, and now empty salon.   Without Vince she wouldn’t have any of this and she smiled at the thought of her wonderful husband.   He was so proud of her, and that meant a lot to Charley because, for a long time, she hadn’t been very proud of herself.
    She sighed, turning to look in the mirror, running her hands through her long dark hair.   She didn’t look too bad, considering she’d been on her feet all day.   A bit tired maybe, but that was only to be expected.
    All of a sudden something made her swing round, a sudden noise that seemed to come out of nowhere and she quickly scanned the quiet, empty salon.   She had a weird feeling of someone watching her, even though she knew she’d checked the place over before she’d locked the doors.   There was nobody else inside but her.   It didn’t stop her from feeling slightly uneasy though.
    Walking over to the huge expanse of glass that fronted the salon she peered out onto the busy street.   Then she shook herself; she was being stupid.   There was nothing there, nobody was watching her.   She’d had a long day, that was all.   She was imagining things.   This was a large salon and when it was empty and quiet like this of course it was going to feel a little weird, maybe even a touch creepy, especially when it spent most of its time full of noise and chatter and music.   She was just being paranoid.   But that didn’t stop her from checking the salon over one last time before she left, making sure every room was empty and every door was locked.
    She wanted to call Vince.   She really felt like a long chat with her husband because she had so much to tell him, but rather than call him from her office here at the salon she decided to wait until she