the girls for a while. And what if I meet someone new?’ Gordy challenged.
‘Well, they’ve got to be better than me or the ghost of Jessica Summers will be haunting you, so it won’t be easy.’
They both managed a smile.
Chris took his partner’s hand. ‘I cannot bear to think of you with anyone else, but if that’s what it takes, because God knows you’ll need the support, then I’ll have to deal with it.’
Gordon took a slurp of wine. ‘I can’t believe you’ve sorted all this behind my back, without any discussion.’
‘It was the only way. I didn’t want to give you any time to persuade me otherwise.’
Gordon pulled Chris towards him. ‘I know just how I can persuade you right now.’
Chris put his hands out to stop him.
‘I’m really sorry, it’s four No’s.’ The voice of Simon Cowell filled the room.
Gordon laughed at the scenario, then promptly burst into tears.
– Chapter Seven –
‘You work too hard, you know,’ Stephen commented to Alana as they finished reviewing a new PR campaign for the first quarter of next year.
‘I enjoy it,’ Alana shrugged, gathering her papers up from the boardroom table in his office.
‘Or are you hiding from the “now”?’ Stephen commented wisely. ‘I think you’re frightened that if you stop, there’ll be nothing for you.’
‘Oh stop it, Stephen! You’re always having a go at me.’
‘I mean, when was the last time you had a relationship? And I mean a proper relationship, not just a drunken scuffle under the covers, like we had a few weeks ago.’
‘I haven’t since Eliska was born,’ Alana replied, feeling hurt that Stephen had completely dismissed what had happened that day as a ‘drunken scuffle’.
‘I thought as much – and that isn’t healthy. You need someone to care for you as much as the next person.’
‘I don’t. I’m fine. I don’t want to muck things up with what I have with Eliska,’ Alana stated.
‘You work so hard you barely have time for her either.’ Stephen wouldn’t let up.
‘Exactly. So how on earth would I fit in a man as well? And you’ve made it quite clear you are not leaving your wife, so what’s your sudden concern anyway?’
‘As hard as you may find it to believe, I really do care for you, Lani.’
Alana cringed. ‘Please don’t call me Lani – that’s what my mother calls me. And even if you did leave your wife, we’re not meant to be together anyway.’
‘One day you’ll have to let down your shield, Alana, and I just hope it doesn’t come crashing down hard, because that’s my fear with you.’
‘I’m fine, Stephen.’ Alana softened, realising how wonderful it was for someone to care for her like he did. But she couldn’t let him in, not now, not ever.
‘Anyway, I must go,’ she said. ‘Inga has walked out on me and Eliska will be waiting at the gates.’
‘So you’re collecting her yourself – that’s lovely for her.’
‘Yes,’ was all Alana could muster.
It was such a shame that Robbie the current agency help couldn’t live in, not only because he was delicious eye candy, but also because Eliska really got on with him. But he had explained that his main responsibility lay with the Denbury Youth Centre. He was literally just doing the after-school child – minding for some extra cash.
Alana gathered her things and went into work mode.
‘Right, if you can sort out a venue for the January press lunch and make sure you get your invoice in before the end of the month, then we’re done.’
‘Alana?’
‘Stephen?’ the feisty businesswoman replied flippantly.
‘I love it when you go all corporate on me.’
Alana had to smile. She glanced at her BlackBerry as an email came in.
‘Only three weeks to Christmas, can you believe it?’ she said. Then: ‘Right – see you at your work bash. Bye, Stephen.’
‘Bye, Lani,’ he said quietly, wishing she could just find it in her bruised heart to tell him the truth.
Dr Delicious was looking
‘Well, they’ve got to be better than me or the ghost of Jessica Summers will be haunting you, so it won’t be easy.’
They both managed a smile.
Chris took his partner’s hand. ‘I cannot bear to think of you with anyone else, but if that’s what it takes, because God knows you’ll need the support, then I’ll have to deal with it.’
Gordon took a slurp of wine. ‘I can’t believe you’ve sorted all this behind my back, without any discussion.’
‘It was the only way. I didn’t want to give you any time to persuade me otherwise.’
Gordon pulled Chris towards him. ‘I know just how I can persuade you right now.’
Chris put his hands out to stop him.
‘I’m really sorry, it’s four No’s.’ The voice of Simon Cowell filled the room.
Gordon laughed at the scenario, then promptly burst into tears.
– Chapter Seven –
‘You work too hard, you know,’ Stephen commented to Alana as they finished reviewing a new PR campaign for the first quarter of next year.
‘I enjoy it,’ Alana shrugged, gathering her papers up from the boardroom table in his office.
‘Or are you hiding from the “now”?’ Stephen commented wisely. ‘I think you’re frightened that if you stop, there’ll be nothing for you.’
‘Oh stop it, Stephen! You’re always having a go at me.’
‘I mean, when was the last time you had a relationship? And I mean a proper relationship, not just a drunken scuffle under the covers, like we had a few weeks ago.’
‘I haven’t since Eliska was born,’ Alana replied, feeling hurt that Stephen had completely dismissed what had happened that day as a ‘drunken scuffle’.
‘I thought as much – and that isn’t healthy. You need someone to care for you as much as the next person.’
‘I don’t. I’m fine. I don’t want to muck things up with what I have with Eliska,’ Alana stated.
‘You work so hard you barely have time for her either.’ Stephen wouldn’t let up.
‘Exactly. So how on earth would I fit in a man as well? And you’ve made it quite clear you are not leaving your wife, so what’s your sudden concern anyway?’
‘As hard as you may find it to believe, I really do care for you, Lani.’
Alana cringed. ‘Please don’t call me Lani – that’s what my mother calls me. And even if you did leave your wife, we’re not meant to be together anyway.’
‘One day you’ll have to let down your shield, Alana, and I just hope it doesn’t come crashing down hard, because that’s my fear with you.’
‘I’m fine, Stephen.’ Alana softened, realising how wonderful it was for someone to care for her like he did. But she couldn’t let him in, not now, not ever.
‘Anyway, I must go,’ she said. ‘Inga has walked out on me and Eliska will be waiting at the gates.’
‘So you’re collecting her yourself – that’s lovely for her.’
‘Yes,’ was all Alana could muster.
It was such a shame that Robbie the current agency help couldn’t live in, not only because he was delicious eye candy, but also because Eliska really got on with him. But he had explained that his main responsibility lay with the Denbury Youth Centre. He was literally just doing the after-school child – minding for some extra cash.
Alana gathered her things and went into work mode.
‘Right, if you can sort out a venue for the January press lunch and make sure you get your invoice in before the end of the month, then we’re done.’
‘Alana?’
‘Stephen?’ the feisty businesswoman replied flippantly.
‘I love it when you go all corporate on me.’
Alana had to smile. She glanced at her BlackBerry as an email came in.
‘Only three weeks to Christmas, can you believe it?’ she said. Then: ‘Right – see you at your work bash. Bye, Stephen.’
‘Bye, Lani,’ he said quietly, wishing she could just find it in her bruised heart to tell him the truth.
Dr Delicious was looking
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