type.
Common sense demanded she not weave any romantic fantasies around him. He was not some knight in shining armour. His aim hadn’t been rescuing her damsel in distress, but seducing her.
She had to keep that fact in the forefront of her mind during the next couple of days or she’d end up crying a whole lot more than she had about Gary.
‘Charlotte never eats much when she’s nervous,’ her mother answered for her, which brought a grateful smile from Charlotte. She put down her knife and fork, picked up a chip with her fingers and nibbled on it.
‘I’m just the opposite,’ Daniel said. ‘I eat like a horse when I’m nervous.’ And he forked a large piece of steak into his mouth.
‘I can’t imagine you ever being nervous,’ Charlotte said with a dry laugh.
‘You’d be surprised,’ he returned.
Charlotte wouldn’t mind betting he’d never suffered a crisis of confidence in his entire life, whereas she’d spent most of hers not even knowing what she wanted out of life. Even when she thought she did, her life had still lurched from one disaster to the next.
‘Everyone gets nervous occasionally,’ her father joined in. ‘Caring makes any man nervous. I was nervous when I married your mother. And each time she was expecting. I dare say I’ll be nervous again when you and Gary have a little one.’
The threat of tears came out of nowhere. Charlotte knew she would not be able to explain them, so she had to get out of there. At least for a minute or two.
She dropped the rest of the chip and stood up abruptly. ‘Sorry. Have to go the ladies’. The wine.’
Bolting for the powder room did the trick. Not only did it stop the tears, but it also gave her the opportunity to call Louise.
‘Goodness knows what she’s going to say,’ Charlotte muttered as she raced into a cubicle and punched in Louise’s work number.
The owner of the hairdressing place Louise worked at didn’t like her taking personal calls, especially on a Friday, but this was an emergency. It took a while before she came on the line, during which Charlotte’s already over-active stomach did the tango.
‘Yes?’ Louise asked agitatedly.
‘Louise, it’s Charlotte. You haven’t told anyone about what happened with Gary this morning, have you?’
‘No. Why?’
‘Not even Brad?’ Brad was Louise’s boyfriend and the best man.
‘Haven’t had the opportunity. I was going to tell him tonight. We’re meeting for drinks after work.’
‘Thank heaven, because the wedding’s back on.’
‘What? How? Did Gary ditch the PA and take a later plane or something?’
Charlotte told her what had transpired in broad strokes.
‘Now, don’t say a single word,’ Charlotte warned before her friend could launch into a torrent of protest. ‘This is a done deed and nothing you say will stop me, so don’t waste your breath.’
‘Fine by me. It’s your life. Besides, this Daniel sounds a darn sight more interesting than Gary. He really came gunning for you, huh? Must be seriously smitten. I suppose he has to be reasonably good-looking, if he looks like Gary. Not that I thought Gary was all that hot in his photos.’
‘Makes Gary look lukewarm.’
‘Oho, he’s not the only one who’s smitten. I always said you didn’t love Gary. And vice versa.’
‘Yes, I know. But this isn’t love, Louise.’
‘Don’t tell you’ve finally fallen in lust with a man?’
Louise had a way of cutting to the chase about things, especially on the subject of sex. Lust was not a word Charlotte liked but lustful certainly described most of the thoughts Daniel engendered in her.
‘Possibly.’
‘About time too. Look, we’ll talk more tonight. Alvira is looking daggers at me, so I’d better go. You will be coming home some time tonight, won’t you?’
‘Yes, of course,’ Charlotte said, and meant it.
Daniel was going to have to wait till tomorrow night to have his wicked way with her. No way was she going to jump into bed with him tonight, no matter how much she might want to. A girl had to have some pride!
Her return to the table was greeted by a questioning glance from Daniel. But she could hardly tell him anything till the lunch was over and her parents had checked into their room in the hotel.
Fortunately, after lunch her mum and dad were happy enough to look after themselves for the rest of the day.
Charlotte sighed a rather weary sigh as soon as the lift doors shut on her parents.
‘You sound tired,’ Daniel said.
‘I am tired.’
‘In that case I’ll let you off dinner tonight. Far better you go home and have a good night’s rest.’
‘I never said I’d have dinner with you tonight,’ she reminded him tartly.
‘The girl who kissed me in the lobby would have come to dinner with me if I’d asked again.’
‘You kissed me!’
‘Don’t be pedantic. You liked me kissing you. A lot.’
‘Good grief, you’re impossible!’
‘And you’re irresistible.’
She laughed. ‘Not according to my last two boyfriends.’
‘They were fools. I’m not.’
‘I only have your word for that. So why are you doing this for me tomorrow, Daniel?’ she asked him, determined to have him put his cards on the table. ‘Or perhaps more to the point, why did you chase after me the way you did? The truth, please. I’ve had enough of men telling me lies.’
He shrugged. ‘Impossible to analyse some things. When I first saw you this morning, it was like being struck by a bolt of lightning. I’ve never felt that way about a woman before, especially a blonde.’
Charlotte was both flattered and taken aback. ‘You don’t like blondes?’
‘Let’s just say they usually set off bad memories for me. After my father left my mother, his subsequent wives have all been blondes.’
‘His wives! How many has he had?’
‘Five, including my mother, at last count. But what the heck? He’s only sixty-five. Plenty of time yet for a few more.’
The
