wanted a couple of days to myself.’ Lydia gave a defeated shrug. ‘You know—listening to music, eating chocolate, feeling sorry for myself…’
Seeing her friend and colleague, usually so assured, so driven and focussed, slumped on a bench with her face hidden by a towel, Maria faded out the wisecracks, and sat down next to her, her voice gentle. ‘What’s going on, Lydia? Is it you and Graham?’
‘We broke up.’ Lydia nodded, finally peeking out from the towel and seeing Maria’s shocked expression.
‘But you two seemed so happy!’
‘We were.’ Lydia shrugged. ‘So long as I didn’t mention work.’ She took a deep breath and, closing her eyes, shook her head. ‘And with a job like ours it doesn’t exactly leave much else to talk about. I thought Graham was different; I thought the fact we were both detectives meant that he’d understand that I wouldn’t be greeting him at the door at the end of a long day all scented and oiled in a strappy little number…’
‘Graham didn’t want that from you.’ Maria gave a shocked laugh. ‘Lydia, he adored you—jeans and all!’
‘I thought he did.’ Lydia swallowed. ‘But over the last few weeks he’s been acting weird. When I was on that drug stake-out he kept ringing me up about the most ridiculous things—’
‘He was worried,’ Maria broke in. ‘That was one hell of a dangerous job, Lydia. I was worried about you too!’
‘But you didn’t phone me on the hour every hour,’ Lydia pointed out. ‘You didn’t ring me at two in the morning to ask if I needed someone to feed my goldfish.’
‘Your goldfish died last year!’
‘Exactly,’ Lydia said dryly. ‘And then we were going to his mum’s for dinner one night and he asked me to dress up a bit…’
‘Dress up?’
‘It wasn’t as if I was in jeans or a tracksuit for heaven’s sake. I was wearing a black suit! And then he asked if maybe while we were at his mum’s I could try to refrain from mentioning work…’ Lydia paused as Maria’s lips tightened, watching as her friend struggled to give an objective answer.
‘Lydia, it is a dangerous job, and we do see a lot of the more seamy side of life—it must be hard for any man to put up with, let alone someone who knows the full truth about what we do. I know my father and brothers hate my job, and they don’t know the half of it! I’m the family shame.’ Maria nudged Lydia until finally she managed a glimmer of a smile. ‘So, who finally finished it?’
‘Me,’ Lydia said, chewing on her bottom lip for a moment, not sure whether to reveal her secret—the supposedly good news that had finally brought things between her and Graham to a head. ‘I’m being considered for a promotion.’
Maria’s eyes widened and a smile broke out on her face. Because they really were good friends, as well as colleagues, and because they both knew how tough it could be to climb the ladder in what was still very much a man’s profession, Maria’s smile was completely genuine and her embrace was warm as she hugged her friend. ‘Inspector Lydia Holmes.’
‘It’s not definite,’ Lydia quickly pointed out. ‘But Graham found out, and suddenly all the little niggles, all the little problems we’d been having lately, seemed to magnify.’
‘Is he jealous?’ Maria asked, and Lydia gave a soft, mirthless laugh.
‘Apparently not! He insists that he’s just worried about me. He says that he’s not sure if it’s the sort of job he wants his wife doing. He doesn’t think—’
‘Back up a second.’ Maria was way too sharp to miss a snippet of conversation as juicy as this! ‘So you’ve had an offer of promotion and a proposal?’
‘An offer of promotion or a proposal,’ Lydia corrected. ‘It would seem I can’t have both.’
‘Oh, Lydia.’ Maria’s groan was sympathetic. The problem was all too usual—one that had been pondered by female detectives the world over. As attractive and as sexy as a kick butt detective might sound to a potential lover, the cruel reality was that she didn’t make promising wife material. This didn’t matter a scrap, of course—until you met someone you really cared about. ‘What are you going to do?’
‘I’ve already done it!’ Lydia gave a firm nod as Maria winced. ‘We really are finished.’
‘Then let’s just hope it was worth it. I mean with the promotion coming up and everything—let’s just hope you get it.’
‘It doesn’t matter if I get it or not,’ Lydia said firmly. ‘It would be nice, but it just wasn’t working out between me and Graham. If he can’t take me as I am, then it wasn’t meant to be.’
‘Well, at least you get to lick your wounds in style!’ Maria said. ‘Full access to the beauty salon and you’ve been placed with Anton Santini—you’re a single girl now, Lydia. Who better to have a rebound relationship with?’
‘Anton Santini doesn’t do relationships,’ Lydia said, a smile finally wobbling on her face. She felt so much better for having opened up to her friend. She gave a tiny shocked laugh. ‘You haven’t read what I read last night—his bio’s unbelievable! He’s always been a bit of a rake, but this last year I swear the man’s been on a mission! His list of ex-girlfriends reads like the top one hundred most beautiful people in the world: actresses, European royalty, supermodels, soccer-players’ wives…’
‘Who?’ Maria asked, agog. ‘Anyone I know?’
‘Yep.’ Lydia nodded, but didn’t elaborate. ‘And every last one has ended in tears—for the woman at least.’
‘Is he really that bad?’
‘Worse!’ Lydia nodded. ‘And I’m supposed to be guarding him. God, I hope he behaves himself.’
‘Well, if he doesn’t you can always pass him over to me—I’ll entertain him for you!’
‘You’d be so much better at this than me,’ Lydia happily conceded. ‘You’re way more suited to Anton Santini.’
‘I’m not sure if that’s a compliment.’ Maria feigned a hurt expression. ‘If you’re implying that just because I once had Botox…’
‘I’m implying that you’re a born flirt.’ Lydia laughed. ‘I’m implying that you’re so gorgeous no one would turn a hair if you were draped over Santini’s arm. Whereas I’m going to look so awkward and out of place tagging along beside him…’
‘You’ll be wonderful,’ Maria wailed. ‘You’ll look fabulous and you’re going to have an absolute ball. Unlike me. Angelina’s well over sixty, a confirmed spinster, and tops the scales at one hundred kilos. You’d think someone as divine as Anton would hire a gorgeous assistant. I guess this one must help him keep his mind strictly on business…’
‘You’re shocking.’ Lydia laughed again. ‘This is supposed to be work, remember?’
‘I know.’ Maria managed a tiny groan, but it changed into a giggle as she stared down at the very new, very false nails she’d had
