Page 30 of Strictly Business

‘That’s exactly what I’m telling you.’

‘Alice, I’ve discussed this with your workmates, who know you and love you. And we all agree you’re a one man girl. You haven’t got it in you to flit from guy to guy. You fall heavily for a man and that’s it.’

Alice sighed. ‘Can I ask where this conversation is heading? Are you trying to warn me off Liam?’

Shana’s eyes glinted knowingly, as if she were privy to a nasty secret and Alice’s stomach sank as she remembered her workmate’s original question about whether there was a wife in Liam’s past.

‘If you’ve got something to tell me, spill it,’ she said. ‘Don’t treat me like I’m a naïve teenager with stars in my eyes.’ She’d just been through a horrible divorce for heaven’s sake. She wasn’t going to rush into another mistake.

‘Well, do you know whether or not the boss has been married?’ Shana persisted.

‘I know he’s not married now, and that’s good enough for me.’ Alice was pleased that her voice was calm in spite of the frantic way her heart galloped.

She wasn’t thrilled that Liam had not volunteered any information about the women in his past, but she’d decided not to press him. Instead she’d chosen to trust him. She’d trusted him from the first moment she met him in the Hippo Bar and so far he hadn’t let her down.

Ah, yes, a smug inner voice whispered,butyou trusted Todd for years and years and look where that got you.

‘Okay, can you answer this?’ Shana asked. ‘Why has Liam Conway never driven a motor car?’

‘What?’ Alice gaped at her. ‘Are you crazy? Of course he drives cars. The man landed a plane, for heaven’s sake.’ And he’d produced his driver’s licence as proof of his birthday on the night they met.

It was possible that Shana’s smile was meant to be sympathetic, but it didn’t quite work. ‘The Sydney Morning Heraldran a story while you were away that questioned how Liam Conway could possibly land a plane when no one’s ever seen him behind a steering wheel,’ she said smugly.

‘That’s nonsense.’ Shana was only trying to stir up trouble. ‘Now if you’re quite finished, I have work to do.’ She couldn’t stomach any more of this conversation.

‘I was only telling you this for your own good, but if you’re bent on defending the man no matter what, I’m wasting my time.’

Letting out an angry sniff, Shana turned and flounced back to her desk and positioned her chair and computer screen so there was no chance of eye contact.

Good, Alice decided, noting the other woman’s stiff, angry back. Now she could get on with her own work.

Movement at the bottom of her computer screen caught her eye and she saw a string of new email messages arrive.

Enquiries about the outback tours had been flooding in thanks to the publicity Liam had attracted. He’d handled themedia interviews brilliantly – was charming, articulate and perfectly comfortable in front of the cameras. And as a result they’d already drawn more interest in Kanga Tours than they’d dared to hope for.

It would be best to deal with the email messages quickly before she moved on to the list of phone calls she had to make. She scanned the email list and her heart bounced. One message leapt out from the screen – a private communication from Conway, Liam C.

Oh, heavens. Her skin flashed with nervous excitement as she clicked on it.

Can I invite myself to dinner at your place this evening? I’ll bring takeaway and wine. What would you prefer – Indian, Thai, fish and chips, pizza? You name it, I’ll find it.

Just have the green plates ready.

Missing you like crazy.

L

Alice felt her face burst into flames.

Missing you like crazy.

No way could she wipe the smile from her face. Thank heavens Shana wasn’t looking her way.

Missing you like crazy.

Liam’s mind wasnoton his work. He should have been dealing with everything that had piled up while he was away, but his concentration was shot to pieces. He couldn’t stop thinking about Alice. He sat in his office, staring at his computer screen, hoping she wasn’t too busy to answer his email immediately.

Missing you like crazy.

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