phone rang on his desk and with a brief apology he snatched it up. ‘Steven Cavendish,’ he said briskly.
Chloe sat back in her seat and tried to relax. It was always like this in here; there was rarely a space to breathe, let alone talk.
She wondered why she felt so incredibly tense.
The worst that could happen was that Steven would say no to the pay rise, and if he did she had an alternative option. The company she had worked for previously two years ago had recently contacted her and asked her to come back, had offered a ten per cent increase on whatever Cavendish were paying.
Trouble was, she didn’t really want to go back there. She liked working for Cavendish. She felt her career was going places here; it was much more go-ahead. The money was pretty good here as well; if it weren’t for this damn situation with her finances she would be quite content to leave the status quo.
Her eyes rested on Steven’s face. ‘I need a little more information before I answer that,’ he said. ‘OK, well, just get the figures and I’ll look up the report; phone me back.’
‘Who was that?’ Chloe asked automatically as he put the receiver down.
‘Nothing—just the accounts department; they want some clarification on one of the Renaldo restaurants in Paris.’
‘They will want the list I printed out yesterday; it’s in my desk.’
‘Well, it will do later.’ Steven leaned back in his chair and glanced at his watch. ‘Renaldo doesn’t want to come in until five-thirty anyway.’
‘Yes. So, as I was saying, Steven—’ Chloe pressed on swiftly, but once again the phone rang.
Maybe she should send him a letter, Chloe thought wryly. Or go back out into her office and phone through on the extension. It seemed the only way she was going to get an undivided minute of his time.
She sat watching him, thinking it was probably the accounts department again, and started to feel impatient. Maybe she should just hand in her notice and take the offer from her old company? At least back at Brittas there had been time to speak to her boss occasionally.
Then she saw Steven’s face blanch. ‘Gina, calm down.’ His voice was crisp and authoritarian. ‘I can’t work out what you are saying. Is Beth all right?’
Chloe leaned forward in concern, her exasperation forgotten as she realised something was very wrong.
‘OK.’ Steven glanced at his watch. ‘I’ll be home directly.’
The phone slammed down, Steven got to his feet and reached for his jacket. ‘I’m sorry, Chloe, but whatever you wanted to say will have to wait until later. I’ve got to go home. That was my childminder, Gina.’
‘Is Beth all right?’ she asked anxiously.
‘Yes…it’s Gina’s father. He’s been taken to hospital and she has to leave.’
‘But you’ve got another appointment with the director of Renaldo,’ Chloe said, aghast. ‘He said it was urgent.’
‘You’ll just have to apologise for me,’ Steven muttered. ‘I’ve no one to watch Beth. My mother is on holiday and—’
‘I’ll go,’ Chloe said impulsively.
Steven stopped in the process of opening one of the drawers to get his car keys. ‘You?’
‘I’m quite capable of watching a five-year-old,’ she murmured crossly. ‘And this meeting with Renaldo is important. It might just be the turning point you’ve been waiting for with this takeover bid.’
Steven’s eyes narrowed on her thoughtfully. As always her clear, confident tones dispelled any theory that lurking behind those scholarly glasses was a shy librarian-type.
‘It makes sense for me to go, don’t you think?’ she persisted when he didn’t answer her immediately.
‘Yes, I suppose it does. Did you drive to work today?’
She nodded. ‘My car is downstairs.’
He put his keys back in the drawer and closed it. ‘Thanks, Chloe, I really appreciate this. I’ll try not to be too long here, so I don’t take up the whole of your Friday evening.’
‘I wasn’t doing anything tonight anyway,’ Chloe said as she got up.
Steven watched her from the doorway as she quickly organised herself and then left. Then he sat back down behind his desk.
That phone call had rattled him. In the few garbled seconds as he’d tried to make out what Gina was saying he had instantly feared that something was wrong with Beth. And the memories of another call, the moment when he had known he’d lost his wife, had immediately flooded back. Maybe the recollection had been so vivid because it was coming up to the anniversary of Stephanie’s death and he had been thinking about her earlier this afternoon. It was almost three years ago to the day. Where had that time gone? What had he done with it? He felt as if he had been wandering around in a blinkered haze through most of it.
From nowhere he remembered his mother telling him in that sensible, no-nonsense tone of hers that he needed to find a wife and a mother for Beth. He had answered in an equally firm tone, telling her that he didn’t need a wife. But it was at times like this when he wondered if his mother was right. It was difficult being a single parent and running a big business. And he desperately wanted Beth to be secure and happy.
Steven shook his head, impatient with himself for worrying like this. Beth had a secure environment. Their lives ran smoothly. Gina was great with Beth and he had capable Chloe winging her way there now.
But if he did decide he wanted to settle down and get married again, there was Helen.
The notion crept surreptitiously from the back of his mind, where it had been simmering for a while. He was well aware that their relationship had come to a crossroads. She wanted more from him and he was hesitating. Steven couldn’t figure out why he was. Helen was beautiful and bright and, although she hadn’t been entirely relaxed around Beth at first, that was only to be expected…wasn’t it? She had never been married before, never had children, and she was a very high-powered career woman.
Anyway, she was a lot better around Beth these days…he told himself forcefully…a lot more at ease. But even as he said the words to himself he knew deep down that what he had with Helen wasn’t really enough…not for marriage.
The phone rang again and swiftly he picked it up. It was the accounts department again. Remembering that Chloe had said the information they needed was in her desk, he put them on hold and went through to her office.
He smiled to himself as he noticed how tidy and organised her desk was. To one side were lists of the day’s appointments, along with specific notes of reference so that she could brief him fully before each.
He slid open the top drawer; it contained blank stationery, and he was going to close it again when he noticed a letter tucked to one side. The printed heading was a company name he vaguely recognised. Curiously he took it out and read it.
It was from the managing director Chloe used to work
