the car park with her. He had asked her that morning how she had got on; now he said ruefully, ‘I’d be surprised if you don’t get the job, Kim. Blaise West has a reputation for knowing a diamond when he sees one.’
‘Thank you.’ She smiled at him. Alan Goode was a dyed-in-the-wool family man who was devoted to his wife and three boys and they’d always had an excellent working relationship. ‘But you didn’t see the competition. Anyway, I’m not bothered either way.’ This wasn’t quite true but she’d rather walk barefoot on hot coals than admit it to anyone. She knew Kate and her cronies were taking an avid interest in events.
‘Now, that might be your trump card,’ Alan said musingly. ‘I’ve only met Blaise once or twice but that was enough to know he’s a man who plays by his own rules. He’s never conformed and he doesn’t ask for conformity in others. He’s an…extraordinary individual, isn’t he?’
‘Oh, yes.’
They smiled at each other, linked by the knowledge of what was unsaid rather than what was spoken.
‘He caught his toe with his wife though—ex-wife,’ Alan continued. ‘She was a free spirit in every sense of the word. Any man, any time, if rumours are to be believed. She took the child when the divorce happened but then a year later she was killed in a head-on crash. Had the kid with her at the time.’
‘That’s awful.’ Kim hadn’t known about these details.
Alan shrugged. ‘The child wasn’t hurt too bad from what I can remember and the accident enabled Blaise to get his daughter back. I doubt he cried any crocodile tears.’
‘How long ago did that happen?’
‘The accident? About four years ago, I think, maybe five. The girl’s ten or thereabouts now.’
Kim nodded. For a second she had a mental picture of the hard, rugged face of the man she had met yesterday. It was a face that had seen life, but it was also a face that revealed nothing of the man behind the mask. But he must have suffered. She felt a dart of sympathy even as she acknowledged it was the last emotion a man like Blaise West would ask for or want. Curiously, for no logical reason she could think of, she felt it was somehow disloyal to be talking about him. Quietly, she said, ‘Goodnight, then, Alan. Give my regards to Janice.’
‘I will.’
Once in the car and driving home, Kim found herself going over and over the conversation with Alan. She was still thinking about Blaise when she entered the flat, walking immediately into the bathroom and beginning to run a warm, bubbly bath. She needed a long, hot soak. Muscles she hadn’t been aware of since her teens when she had been the captain of the school’s netball team—being over half a foot taller than the other girls had meant she excelled in the sport—were making themselves known. She hadn’t realised how tense she had been every time the phone had rung until she’d left the building.
Had she seriously thought she might be in with a chance? She shook her head at her foolishness.
And then the phone rang.
Telling herself it was almost certainly her mother or one of her friends ringing to see if she had heard anything, she nevertheless found her heart was thudding hard enough to exit her chest as she picked up the phone. ‘Hello,’ she said cautiously.
‘Miss Abbott?’
She’d recognise the deep, distinctly smoky voice anywhere. ‘Yes?’ Now her heart had jumped up into her throat.
‘This is Blaise West. I’d like to offer you the job as personal assistant if you’re still interested after that somewhat intensive interview yesterday.’
‘You would?’ The note of surprise wasn’t the way hundred-watt smile would have responded. Telling herself to be more professional, Kim said quickly, ‘Thank you, Mr West. I would love to accept.’
‘Good. I shall be in touch with Mr Goode tomorrow.’
She knew he had heard the amazement in her voice and was amused by it. Swallowing hard, she had to sit down before she could say, ‘When would you like me to start?’
‘You’re under a month’s notice, right?’
‘Yes.’
‘Well, I’m sure Mr Goode will have no objection if we do away with that,’ he said smoothly. ‘I’d like you to have some time with Pat before she leaves and because she’s expecting twins that could be sooner rather than later.’
So that was why his secretary was so huge. She thought he’d left it a bit late to advertise for a new one.
As though he’d read her mind, he continued, ‘It’s caught us on the hop. Twins were only confirmed a few weeks ago, and it seems they’re both big babies. She seems to be growing in front of my eyes every day.’
She smiled. He couldn’t quite hide the irritation this unforeseen event in his no doubt orderly and controlled life had caused. ‘I see,’ she said carefully.
‘Her doctor has already expressed an opinion that she should be prepared to rest more than is normal, and her husband is anxious that she leaves work within the next month or so. That doesn’t leave much time for her to show you the ropes.’
In other words he wasn’t prepared to do so, or put up with any inconvenience. Still, she supposed that was fair. He did own the company after all. But poor Alan was going to be left in the lurch. It was with this in mind she said, ‘If I could have a few days showing a temp the necessary, I think—’
‘It’s Friday tomorrow. I would like to see you at the office on Monday and I shall make this clear to Mr Goode. I’m sure he will be happy with that.’
Happy wasn’t the word she would have chosen. But, as he paid Alan’s salary too… ‘Monday morning, then,’ she said politely, wondering what she’d let herself in for. She knew from the interview that the staff at the head office started work at nine-thirty, half an hour later than in the Surrey branch, but Blaise West expected his personal assistant-cum-secretary to be at her desk an hour earlier. It meant she was going to be rising at the crack of dawn for the journey into the city, but that couldn’t be helped.
‘Excellent.’ There was a brief pause. ‘I don’t stand on formality, by the way. It will be Blaise and Kim unless there are clients or other personnel present.’
She didn’t think she would ever be able to call him Blaise.
‘The person or persons who prompted you to apply for the job…I trust they’ll be hearing the good news tomorrow?’ he continued.
‘What? Oh, yes,’ she said quickly, surprised he’d remembered.
‘Then savour the moment, Kim,’ he said softly. ‘There won’t be too many of them in life, which makes the ones that come along all the sweeter. Goodnight.’
She heard the phone click even as she murmured, ‘Goodnight, Mr West,’ back.
She thought of Blaise the next day. As luck would have it, she arrived at the office building just as Kate and one of her entourage walked in and they followed her into the lift. She nodded at them but said nothing, but after a moment the girl with Kate glanced at her leader before
