Page 14 of Strictly Business

‘How could we miss it?’

‘But,’ added Mary-Ann, ‘we didn’t know who the guy was till this morning.’

Shana came around to the front of her desk and crossed her arms over her chest. ‘At least we know now why you weren’t interested in the birthday party we offered to throw for you,’ she said.

Mary-Ann added her bit. ‘I thought you were supposed to be at your mother’s on Friday night.’

‘I was,’ said Alice. ‘But it was awful and I left.’

‘Hmmmm.’ Mary-Ann looked momentarily sympathetic and then doubtful.

‘Honest, guys. I went to the Hippo Bar to look for you, but you weren’t there.’

‘Ever hear of these little devices?’ Shana waved her phone. ‘They’re a reasonably modern means of communication. You can speed dial a friend at the touch of a button.’

‘Okay, okay.’ Alice raised her hands to ward off their anger. ‘Give me a break. Look, meeting Liam Conway was totally unexpected. He came into the bar. I was on my own and, well, we kinda clicked.’ She took a quick breath. ‘But it was a one-off thing. I won’t be seeing him again.’

The girls were leaning towards her now, faces intent. It was clear they expected more.

‘Clicked as in – totally clicked?’ asked Mary-Ann.

Alice thought it best to ignore that query. ‘I had no idea he was our new boss,’ she said. ‘And he didn’t know me from Eve. It was a really weird coincidence. Bad luck.’

‘Bad luck?’ cried Shana. ‘Honey, I’m not sure that’s what you call it.’

‘When it turns out he’s my new boss, I do.’

‘May I interrupt?’

The voice at the door startled them. There was a collective gasp and a surge of near-panic hit Alice as she turned to see Liam standing there.

Surely he must have heard their conversation?

He came into the room and she dropped her gaze, dusted a crumb from her keyboard. This was going to be worse than she’d feared. One look at Liam and she was remembering the way those grim lips had been soft and hot on her body.

The girls were watching her. She couldn’t be coy or self-conscious. This first encounter at work with Liam was the Big Test.

Taking another quick breath for control, she looked up again and managed a smile. ‘Good morning.’ She was aware of Shana sliding a watchful, sideways look in her direction. ‘Have you met our other consultants, Mary-Ann Dayton – and Shana Holmes?’

Liam shook their hands, greeted them with easy smiles. And then he stood in the middle of the room with his hands resting lightly on his hips, nudging his suit jacket aside.

Clean shaven, dark and good looking and dressed in his business suit, he was every inch a corporate leader, dead set on going places.

His blue eyes skirted over Alice as he looked directly at Mary-Ann and then Shana. ‘I know the photo in theCairns Posthas caused quite a stir and I’d like to set the record straight,’ hesaid. ‘I expect Alice has told you about our chance meeting in the bar last Friday evening.’

He waited, eyebrows raised expectantly. ‘Right,’ he continued, once he’d elicited nods of agreement from the girls. ‘I’m here to assure you that there are no grounds for innuendo or gossip. That photo means nothing. The incident is over and done with and I don’t expect to hear any more about it from anyone in this company.’

His cool, no-nonsense gaze flicked to Alice, causing considerable difficulty with her breathing. ‘What’s important from now on is this business,’ he said, still looking straight at her. ‘Your jobs.’ His hands dropped from his hips.

Alice couldn’t believe how awful this felt. Liam wasn’t putting a foot wrong. He was doing everything he said he would and it was sensible to clear the air, to nip rumours in the bud. He was distancing himself from her, as he’d promised, turning from her lover into her boss.

She should be pleased. Shewaspleased. In her head.

But her heart felt like a heavy stone, sinking... sinking...

‘OK,’ Liam said. ‘Let’s move on to more important matters. I’d like to schedule a full staff meeting for tomorrow.’

CHAPTER FIVE

---