Page 38 of Love Is: Two Bodies One Soul

‘Yes, just to fill the gap while we recruit Xander’s replacement.’

‘What about Lexie?’

‘What about her?’

‘She’s a photographer.’

‘Yeah, I know, but she’s got her business down in Brighton.’

‘She told me the other day that work was quiet. I expect she’d be pleased to be our freelance for a while.’

‘What about you? Would you be okay having Xander’s twin working here?’

‘Of course. Lexie’s my friend.’

‘Then call her and see if she can start today. Might as well hit the ground running. She and Owen will have much to do before he goes to Paradise. They’ll be joined at the hip.’

* * *

Owen staredat the blonde who had just bombed into the office. Instant recognition. She was the pixie in the buttercup yellow raincoat. The girl he had dreamed about several nights in a row, and now, seeing her for real, he knew exactly where she fitted. Trafalgar Square — offering him help. Resting a gentle hand on his arm and looking at him tenderly with soft violet-blue eyes. His heart flipped just as it had done that day the moment before he’d turned away from her, embarrassed and keen to remove himself before she realised he was an idiot. And now she was here. Standing uncertainly just inside the double doors to the general office. Same yellow coat but the hood was down, exposing a cloud of curls the colour of old gold that Owen imagined might be long enough to reach her waist.

Their eyes met. Owen guessed she did not remember him as her glance bounced off him to travel the room.

‘Sorry, sorry to interrupt,’ she said to the assembled staff.

‘Ah, Lexie.’ George smiled across at her. ‘Come in, come in. You’re just in time for the staff meeting. We’ve only just begun.’

She’s the photographer! Owen’s thoughts went into overdrive, remembering George muttering about getting a replacement for Xander, then telling him this morning it was all arranged. He was going to be teamed with a girl called Lexie. Bloody hell, that’s all I need.

He watched her approach. She was tall, maybe as much at five-ten – could be a model if she weren’t a photographer. His photographer. Something long put away stirred inside him, but he ignored it. There was no way he was in a state to deal with any complications. This job was bad enough already.

‘Everyone,’ George continued. ‘This is Lexie, our new temporary photographer. Some of you might remember meeting her at last year’s Christmas bash. She’s Xander’s twin – if you hadn’t noticed the resemblance. But don’t hold that against her.’

The small group laughed nervously. They all knew what George thought of Xander.

Lexie walked to the front desk as the staff murmured their recognition. ‘Hi everyone,’ she said. ‘Sorry to burst in like that. I was told to get here as soon as possible. I didn’t know there was a meeting going on.’

George patted her shoulder. ‘Don’t worry. We’d only just started, and I’m glad you made it in time. You know my Kate, don’t you?’

Lexie nodded. Kate grinned.

‘And this is Owen,’ George continued.

‘Hi,’ she said.

Owen frowned and wondered if only he sensed a strange silence in the room.

‘Hi.’ He hesitated, then decided it was best to come clean with his identity. Might as well start as he meant to continue. No point in concealing his real self. She’d already seen him at his worst. ‘We’ve met,’ he said and noted the moment of doubt, the slight frown covering quick thinking as she tried to recall where. She definitely didn’t remember him, but best to be honest. ‘Last Friday in the pouring rain outside St. Martin’s in the Fields.’

‘Oh!’ She scanned him more closely. ‘Yes, I remember. Sorry. I, um, are you okay now?’

‘Perfectly,’ he lied.

‘Now then, as I was saying,’ George said, looking around the office, ensuring he had everyone’s attention. ‘You lot have got to get your fingers out if you want to be working at Christmas. The Blanchards have given us three months to get the sales figures for WIV up.’

‘What happens if we can’t make their deadline?’ One of the team asked.

‘There’s no such word as can’t,’ George replied, and someone shouted out, ‘That’s true. It’s a contraction.’

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