coffee with another woman.
Probably because she knew she didn’t have anything to fear from her, Laura acknowledged heavily. If things had been different, if she hadn’t so much to lose by letting Liam too close to her now, she might possibly have allowed herself the indulgence of the brief relationship with him that he seemed to want—if only to finally rid herself of the ghost of the past!
But, as it was, there were too many things about her that Liam didn’t know—must never know. So, even to a complete stranger, like the beautiful blonde Liam was talking to, it must be obvious that Laura’s body language was all wrong for there to be any intimacy between herself and Liam.
Laura was unable to resist looking across at the other couple from beneath lowered dark lashes, analysing their own body language. Friendly, she would guess, but not intimate. Not yet, anyway!
The beautiful blonde was glancing across at Laura too now, as she continued to talk to Liam. Laura instantly turned away. But that didn’t stop her wondering exactly what explanation Liam was giving the other woman for finding him here with her. Knowing Liam, it would sound plausible, whatever it was!
Laura turned back just in time to see the blonde woman reach up to kiss one of Liam’s cheeks, then raising a hand in parting to Laura as she turned and hurried towards the hotel exit.
‘Sorry about that,’ Liam said as he rejoined Laura in the lounge. ‘An old friend just wanting to say hello,’ he added as he dropped back into the chair beside hers.
A ‘hello’ he definitely hadn’t wanted Laura to witness too closely!
‘Really?’ Laura murmured dryly.
‘Really,’ he echoed. ‘I was at university with her brother.’
How nice for him that his university friends had such beautiful sisters!
Bitch, bitchy, Laura instantly rebuked herself. Liam had always liked beautiful women. Besides, it was none of her business.
‘You were saying…?’ Liam prompted, obviously also of the opinion that the sister of his old university friend was not Laura’s business.
And compared with what Laura had to tell him now—albeit reluctantly—he was right!
‘I may just as well come straight out with it,’ she said flatly. ‘You’re going to be furious no matter how nicely I try to break the news to you!’
Dark brows rose over mocking blue eyes. ‘I am?’
‘Undoubtedly,’ Laura sighed. ‘Although I do reiterate, none of my employees is responsible for what I’m about to tell you.’ She looked at him challengingly.
‘I believe you,’ Liam replied, holding up defensive hands. ‘If I’m ever in a fight, Laura, I hope I have you on my side; at the moment you look like a lioness defending her cubs!’
Probably because she felt like one! She was also using the tactic, she acknowledged ruefully, that attack was better than defence!
‘Very well.’ She nodded. ‘I received a telephone call from a reporter earlier today. She wanted confirmation that Shipley Publishing is to print the next Liam O’Reilly novel, with me as your editor!’ There, she had said it!
Light the blue touch-paper and stand well back. She inwardly grimaced.
Except nothing happened!
The blue touch-paper had definitely been lit, was probably still smouldering inside, but outwardly there was no sign of it…!
Liam continued to look at her with narrowed eyes, a nerve pulsing in his cheek, his mouth grim, his eyes unfathomable.
As with a smouldering but unexploded firework, Laura was left with a question: did she go and check that it was alight, or did she continue to stand well back in case the explosion was only delayed?
She didn’t know!
Her nervousness only increased as the seconds ticked by with no reaction from Liam. Why didn’t he say something? Anything!
Finally she could stand the suspense no longer. ‘Liam—’
‘And what—’ Liam’s voice was icily controlled ‘—did you reply to such an enquiry?’
She gritted her teeth. ‘No comment.’
That silence again. She couldn’t bear it. Why didn’t he just scream and shout, demand an explanation? Which she didn’t have!
‘Well, that’s…unoriginal, if nothing else,’ he finally drawled sarcastically.
‘What would you have had me say?’ Laura countered, stung into being defensive after all. ‘You have to agree this situation is unusual—to say the least. Subterfuge just isn’t my style!’
‘Implying that it’s mine?’ Liam prompted mildly.
Angry colour darkened her cheeks. ‘You’re the one insisting on secrecy!’
‘Then it appears I’ve been wasting my time, doesn’t it?’ he replied. ‘What are you going to do about it?’
‘Me?’ she responded. ‘What can I do about it?’
‘Well, for one thing, you could stop being so stubborn about agreeing to publish my book!’
It wasn’t just a book, and they both knew it. It was an assured bestseller. ‘And the second thing?’
‘Well, as we seem to have been presented with a fait accompli, why don’t you stop being so difficult about acting as my editor, too?’
There was something very wrong with this conversation, something that didn’t add up. What? Ah, she had it. Why wasn’t Liam screaming and shouting, demanding an explanation…? After being absolutely adamant concerning the need for secrecy concerning his novel, he would be perfectly within his rights to be blazingly angry. And yet he wasn’t…
Three people knew about Liam’s book: herself, Perry, and Liam himself. She had already eliminated the first two—which only left Liam…!
No, Liam couldn’t have given that information to a reporter himself! It didn’t make sense—
Why didn’t it? A fait accompli, he had just said. And she was the one, not Liam, who had been presented with it…
But why?
It just didn’t make any sense. She had to be wrong. Liam—
‘What are you thinking?’ He watched her with narrowed eyes.
Nonsense. Utter nonsense. There was absolutely no reason why Liam should have leaked the information to the press about his book himself. It went against everything he had previously told her he wanted concerning the publication of Josie’s World.
‘It isn’t important.’ She shook her head dismissively. ‘So, you’re saying you would still like Shipley to publish your novel?’
Liam
