meals if they wanted them. They had been saving hard lately, allowing little for luxuries, perhaps a nice meal out was what they needed. ‘I’d like that,’ she agreed, smiling ruefully as the doorbell rang. ‘Your first customer.’ She stood up to unlock the door.
He grimaced, kissing her lightly on the mouth once again. ‘Let’s hope it’s a nice quiet hamster to start with. They can bring the snakes in later!’
Sian was laughing as she opened the door. Several weeks ago the local zoo had made an urgent call to Chris about one of their reptiles, and when he got there he found it was a boa constrictor! She had a feeling he regretted being on call to the zoo after that visit.
The next couple of hours passed quickly, with a constant stream of cats and dogs and rabbits needing Chris and Martin’s expert attention—but no snakes, thank goodness! For Sian her time at work always passed with high speed, mainly because no two days were the same and because she enjoyed what she was doing.
It was seven-thirty before she and Chris were ready to leave, Chris driving to her home so that she could change her clothes for going out. Chris came into the house with her, and went straight into the lounge to sit with her father, the two men getting along with an easy familiarity.
Bethany was on the telephone when Sian reached the top of the stairs, and she gave Sian a startled look before ringing off and following Sian into her bedroom. ‘You’re early,’ she frowned.
‘It’s almost eight,’ she shrugged.
‘Oh,’ her sister gave a light laugh, ‘in that case you’re late. I—er—Are you staying in this evening?’
‘No, as a matter of fact I’m going out.’ Sian gave Bethany a sharp look. ‘You aren’t bringing Jeremy here again, are you?’ she frowned. ‘You know Daddy can’t stand him.’
‘Jeremy and I broke up ages ago,’ her sister dismissed impatiently. ‘Well, at least a week ago,’ she amended ruefully. ‘No, I just wondered because I’m going out too.’
‘And?’
‘I—Could I borrow your black blouse?’ Bethany asked breathlessly. ‘It looks really good with my grey velvet trousers. You aren’t going to wear it, are you?’ she added hopefully.
‘No.’ Sian laughingly threw the blouse to her sister. ‘Thank goodness I’m taller than you and so none of my dresses fit you, otherwise you’d be borrowing all of my clothes!’
Bethany stood up to leave, looking a little hurt. ‘You can borrow anything of mine you want.’
‘Not tonight,’ she refused, her sister’s taste in fashion tending to be a little too young for her, her own style tending to be smart and well-tailored rather than strictly fashionable. ‘Have a good time,’ and she hurried to use the bathroom first.
‘You too,’ Bethany said absently.
Sian had no doubt about enjoying herself. Chris was always good company, and the food at the Raven restaurant was excellent without being too much of a strain on the pocket. It was a quietly intimate restaurant, only holding about forty people, exactly the sort of place to go to unwind after a busy day.
‘I’m glad I suggested this,’ Chris said as they waited for their meal to be served. He was obviously starting to relax now, his hand holding hers across the width of the table.
‘So am I,’ she smiled at him warmly, wondering how she could have been so lucky as to have a man as gentle and considerate as Chris fall in love with her. He looked so handsome in the navy blue suit and light blue shirt, his skin lightly tanned, and she knew that many women would envy her escort.
But for the moment her attention was riveted on the man standing at the doorway. And well it might! Jarrett hadn’t changed at all, was still a powerful presence, an aura of arrogance and assurance emanating from him, even the casualness of his clothes, the black fitted trousers and dark green shirt making him stand out as a man alone.
But he was far from alone! Standing at his side, looking very beautiful, was Bethany!
Sian’s eyes widened as she saw the way her sister clung to Jarrett’s arm, the way she gazed up at him with adoring eyes, and she knew Jarrett had made a conquest. An easy one, if Bethany’s bemused expression was anything to go by.
Finally she forced herself to look back at Jarrett, and felt a jolt go through her body as she found green eyes fixed on her in total recognition. For timeless seconds their gazes locked as they stared at each other, Sian seeing the way Jarrett’s eyes darkened in colour, his mouth curving into a smile, an intimately enticing smile that three years ago would have had her running impetuously into his waiting arms.
But that was three years ago; she had Chris now! With a cool nod of recognition, she deliberately broke her gaze from Jarrett’s and turned away; the mystery of how Bethany came to be with Jarrett when this afternoon she hadn’t so much as spoken to him could be answered by her sister later. But she had a feeling her sister wasn’t going to come out of it favourably.
‘Chris, I—’
‘Sian, how are you?’
Not even his voice had changed, still deep and slightly husky, completely confident, nothing hesitant about this man at all.
She turned slowly, willing herself to meet Jarrett’s gaze unflinchingly. He towered over their table, lean and attractive, deep lines of experience etched into his face, a wariness to his eyes as he looked steadily down at her.
She swallowed hard, her hand unconsciously clutching tighter to Chris’s, although she was unaware of his sharp look. ‘I’m well, thank you, Jarrett.’ Her voice came out cool and composed—much to her surprise. This was all like some horrendous dream, and she was surprised she could talk at all.
‘Good,’ he said with satisfaction. ‘You’ve grown into a beautiful woman, Sian,’ he added huskily before turning to Chris. ‘I’m pleased to meet you, Mr … ?’ he looked enquiringly at the other man.
Chris stood up. ‘Newman, Christopher Newman,’ he supplied, politely shaking the other man’s extended hand, his expression a little wary as he eyed him curiously.
‘My fiancé,’ Sian put in pointedly—and then wondered why she needed to challenge Jarrett in this way. What possible interest could it be to him what Chris meant to her, or what part he played in her life?
‘Indeed?’ Jarrett drawled, the expression in his eyes hidden now, his lids hooded. ‘I had heard that you were engaged, Sian. When is the wedding?’
She paled at the look of fierce anger in his face, unable to answer him. She couldn’t have spoken if her life had depended on it, her tongue seeming cleaved to the roof of her mouth. She looked at Chris appealingly.
‘Next month,’ she heard him answer Jarrett. ‘Just four more weeks and Sian will be my wife,’ he added with satisfaction.
The anger in Jarrett’s eyes threatened to flare out of control. And Sian knew why. She had just four weeks to go before she and Chris married, when three years ago she should have married Jarrett!
