on a few pounds), it was the surge of adrenalin she experienced at the idea of working with him again.
‘You look—’ he held her at arm’s length and studied her face, ‘—exactly the same. That is to say, stunning. Here.’ He pulled out a chair for her. ‘Sit down. Are you all right there? This is wonderful. Terrific. It’s so good to see you.’
He filled his expensive jacket and, where once there might have been a little more slack round the neck of his shirt, the flesh almost bulged above it. Almost, but not quite. He was still a fine-looking man – not classically handsome, but with pleasant, open features and a warmth in his gaze that was impossible not to like.
‘I won’t ask about Adam,’ he said when they had ordered, ‘but tell me about life at Fleming House. I want to know everything that’s been happening since I saw you.’
‘A few lows, inevitably,’ she confessed. ‘Never enough people on the ground, never enough budget. But the highs have been considerable. I’ve built it from virtually nothing into a highly profitable venture.’ She couldn’t keep the pride out of her voice.
‘Tell me more.’
He ate while she talked, which suited her. Her stomach was so knotted that she had no appetite. ‘We honed in on the wedding trade. I persuaded Lady Fleming to make a few rooms in the house available for the bridal party and we upgraded the ballroom and its facilities. Business has been incredible. The grounds are lovely, of course, and we use top-notch caterers. But the highlight has been converting the barn into a restaurant and conference facility.’
‘That sounds like a challenge.’ Barnaby, finishing his steak, was watching her closely.
‘It needed tight management. I brought it in before time and under budget.’ Did her sense of achievement show? The conversion had been a major project and she had managed it alongside running the events.
Barnaby cleaned his plate and patted his stomach appreciatively. ‘So,’ he said, studying her, ‘now to the big question.’
Molly’s heart began to race. So here it was. Her future. This was a negotiation, and Barnaby Fletcher was good at negotiations – but so was she. Professionalism kicked in.
She avoided Barnaby’s eyes, lifted her glass and held it in front of the candle on the table between them.
‘I’ve been thinking about it.’
‘And?’
‘I’m very flattered.’
Don’t show him how excited you are. Play hard to get .
Barnaby leaned forward and edged the glass aside with a gentleness surprising for such a big man. The directness of his gaze was unnerving – he had a knack of making you feel he could read your thoughts.
‘I hope I don’t sense a “but” coming on, Molly. You know this opportunity is made for you.’
‘It’s a big decision.’
‘I know.’
‘It means moving away from all my friends. More importantly, it means moving away from Dad.’
Molly raised the glass to her lips and took a sip. It was a buttery Tokay, and very good. Barnaby had never been a man to skimp on quality in any aspect of his life. If she lived in London, she could enjoy this kind of life. If she were part of Barnaby’s business, she’d be on expense accounts – and with the kind of clients they’d be pitching for, you weren’t talking McDonald’s.
But it was about much more than the good life. It was about stretching herself to the utmost, using her creativity and management skills at the highest level.
‘You’ve asked for a lot of money.’
‘You’d earn it back in a couple of years.’
‘I’d still have to find it.’
He sat back and looked at her levelly. ‘That can’t be impossible. It’s a good offer, Molly. I’ve been frank about the current contracts and the future prospects. You must have been keeping up with the industry; you know what’s possible.’
‘I’m not certain—’
Barnaby looked at her, one eyebrow raised. ‘You have doubts about your ability to do the
‘You look—’ he held her at arm’s length and studied her face, ‘—exactly the same. That is to say, stunning. Here.’ He pulled out a chair for her. ‘Sit down. Are you all right there? This is wonderful. Terrific. It’s so good to see you.’
He filled his expensive jacket and, where once there might have been a little more slack round the neck of his shirt, the flesh almost bulged above it. Almost, but not quite. He was still a fine-looking man – not classically handsome, but with pleasant, open features and a warmth in his gaze that was impossible not to like.
‘I won’t ask about Adam,’ he said when they had ordered, ‘but tell me about life at Fleming House. I want to know everything that’s been happening since I saw you.’
‘A few lows, inevitably,’ she confessed. ‘Never enough people on the ground, never enough budget. But the highs have been considerable. I’ve built it from virtually nothing into a highly profitable venture.’ She couldn’t keep the pride out of her voice.
‘Tell me more.’
He ate while she talked, which suited her. Her stomach was so knotted that she had no appetite. ‘We honed in on the wedding trade. I persuaded Lady Fleming to make a few rooms in the house available for the bridal party and we upgraded the ballroom and its facilities. Business has been incredible. The grounds are lovely, of course, and we use top-notch caterers. But the highlight has been converting the barn into a restaurant and conference facility.’
‘That sounds like a challenge.’ Barnaby, finishing his steak, was watching her closely.
‘It needed tight management. I brought it in before time and under budget.’ Did her sense of achievement show? The conversion had been a major project and she had managed it alongside running the events.
Barnaby cleaned his plate and patted his stomach appreciatively. ‘So,’ he said, studying her, ‘now to the big question.’
Molly’s heart began to race. So here it was. Her future. This was a negotiation, and Barnaby Fletcher was good at negotiations – but so was she. Professionalism kicked in.
She avoided Barnaby’s eyes, lifted her glass and held it in front of the candle on the table between them.
‘I’ve been thinking about it.’
‘And?’
‘I’m very flattered.’
Don’t show him how excited you are. Play hard to get .
Barnaby leaned forward and edged the glass aside with a gentleness surprising for such a big man. The directness of his gaze was unnerving – he had a knack of making you feel he could read your thoughts.
‘I hope I don’t sense a “but” coming on, Molly. You know this opportunity is made for you.’
‘It’s a big decision.’
‘I know.’
‘It means moving away from all my friends. More importantly, it means moving away from Dad.’
Molly raised the glass to her lips and took a sip. It was a buttery Tokay, and very good. Barnaby had never been a man to skimp on quality in any aspect of his life. If she lived in London, she could enjoy this kind of life. If she were part of Barnaby’s business, she’d be on expense accounts – and with the kind of clients they’d be pitching for, you weren’t talking McDonald’s.
But it was about much more than the good life. It was about stretching herself to the utmost, using her creativity and management skills at the highest level.
‘You’ve asked for a lot of money.’
‘You’d earn it back in a couple of years.’
‘I’d still have to find it.’
He sat back and looked at her levelly. ‘That can’t be impossible. It’s a good offer, Molly. I’ve been frank about the current contracts and the future prospects. You must have been keeping up with the industry; you know what’s possible.’
‘I’m not certain—’
Barnaby looked at her, one eyebrow raised. ‘You have doubts about your ability to do the
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