by Miranda Lee
Alex had to smile. ‘Yes, you will. Everyone likes Jeremy.’
Chapter Nineteen
THE CAPTAIN HAD just announced their descent into Milan when Alex turned to her.
‘I didn’t want to say anything earlier,’ he said. ‘I wanted you to enjoy the flight and not stress over anything, but Jeremy is going to meet me at the airport. Whilst I’m in Milan, I’m to be whisked off to some tailoring establishment to have a fitting for my suit for the wedding, after which we have to pick up Sergio at his factory, then drive down to Lake Como together.’
Harriet’s heart sank. She didn’t want to meet any of his rich friends, especially this Jeremy character.
‘But won’t that be awkward? How are you going to explain me?’
‘I’m not,’ he replied. ‘We won’t leave the plane together. You can go first. I know I said we were going to take the train down to Lake Como together, and I was going to see you safely booked into the hotel before I left you, but that was before Jeremy insisted on meeting me.’
Harriet could feel panic setting in. She was a confident girl travelling by train around Sydney, but to travel alone in a strange country was daunting.
‘Stop worrying,’ he said, seeing alarm in her face. ‘I’ve booked you a hire car which will take you from the airport to the hotel door. The driver will be waiting for you in arrivals, holding up a card with your name on it. He’ll help you with your luggage and so forth. I asked for a driver who spoke good English so that you wouldn’t feel uncomfortable. Now, stop looking at me like that.’
‘Like what?’
‘Like I’m abandoning you in a strange land.’
‘Sorry. I know it’s not your fault.’
‘I’ll ring you when I can. Or text you if I can’t.’
‘All right,’ she said and sighed.
‘And stop that damn sighing,’ he snapped. ‘You could have come to the wedding with me, but you refused.’
‘I wouldn’t have fitted in.’
‘Rubbish. It’s not too late to change your mind, you know. Come with me. Be with me.’
‘But what about the hire car? And the booking at the hotel?’
‘Nothing that can’t be sorted out.’
‘I don’t know, Alex. Are you sure?’
* * *
Not even remotely, he thought. But he couldn’t bear to see her go off alone, looking unhappy and worried. He’d brought her here. It was his job to look after her.
‘Positive,’ he said. ‘Now, I don’t want to hear another word about it. You’re coming with me and that’s that.’
Her smile did things to him that shouldn’t be allowed. Dear God, if he didn’t watch himself, he would fall in love with her. And that would never do.
‘I’ll just go along to the ladies’ and freshen up,’ she said.
‘Better be quick. We’ll be landing soon.’
‘I’m always quick,’ she told him with a wry smile. ‘I have a boss who gives me five-minute deadlines all the time.’
‘What a bastard.’
‘He can be.’
‘I’ll have to have a word with him.’
‘He won’t listen. He never listens.’
‘Stupid as well.’
She laughed, then left him. He watched her make her way down the aisle, her neat little backside encased in stylish black slacks. She wore black a lot, usually teaming it with white tops. Harriet’s top today was a simple but expensive-looking white T-shirt. He watched her walk back towards him five minutes later, her dark hair swinging in a sleek curtain around her shoulders, her glossy red lipstick a perfect foil for her black-and-white outfit. Though not classically beautiful, Harriet’s face was strikingly attractive, her big dark eyes her best feature.
‘That’s better,’ she said as she sat down and clicked her seat belt into place. ‘Can’t have your best friends looking down their noses at me.’
‘They’ll love you,’ he said, confident that neither Sergio nor Jeremy would make any girlfriend of his feel bad. Which was exactly how he would introduce Harriet. Not as his PA. As his new girlfriend. Jeremy wouldn’t care that he was sleeping with one of his staff, but Sergio might.
Alex tried to remember if he’d ever told his friends his relatively new PA’s name. He vaguely recalled saying something about her the last night they’d had dinner together a few weeks ago. Yes, he’d called her Harry, Jeremy having picked up that that was probably a nickname. Sergio, however, had been very distracted that night, his mind clearly on Bella. He was unlikely to remember what his PA was called.
Alex decided to clue Jeremy in on who Harriet really was, but he would keep Sergio in the dark. He wasn’t in the mood for any lectures where his private life was concerned, especially from Sergio, who was stupidly about to marry a possible gold-digger!
The plane’s landing was as smooth as silk, their disembarking just as trouble-free. They were whisked through Customs without a hitch, Alex collecting and loading their luggage on a trolley before proceeding to the arrivals area, an anxious-looking Harriet by his side.
Jeremy, as luck would have it, was standing not that far from a uniformed chauffeur who was holding up a card with Harriet’s name on it. It wasn’t till that moment that Alex thought of a way to soothe some of Harriet’s nervousness over having to spend too much time with his friends.
‘Jeremy! Mate!’ he called out and steered Harriet in his direction.
Chapter Twenty
JEREMY WASN’T ANYTHING like Harriet had been imagining. Since Alex virtually had described him as the best-dressed rake in London, she’d pictured a handsome but dissolute-looking man with slicked-back hair and heavy-lidded eyes, wearing a designer suit and sporting a lot of expensive jewellery.
The man who waved back at Alex was handsome, but he looked disgustingly healthy with a nice tan and sparkling blue eyes. His hair wasn’t oily or slicked back. It was clearly freshly washed, brown and collar-length, with a boyish wave which fell across his high forehead. As for his clothes...they looked expensive but were very casual. Not a bit of jewellery, either, Harriet noted as they drew closer. No earrings or rings or even a watch.
When he threw his arms around Alex in a huge bear hug, Harriet was astounded, then oddly touched. It wasn’t often that you saw grown men hug each other with such genuine warmth and affection.
‘God, it’s great to see you,’ Jeremy said at the same time, astounding Harriet even more with the richness and depth of his voice, which seemed at odds with his size. Though far from short—he was only a couple of inches shorter than Alex—his frame was much leaner. His shoulders were broad enough, but the rest of his body was very slender. He could easily have made money as a model, or as a narrator, with that gorgeous voice of his.
Harriet couldn’t remember what he did for a living. She didn’t think Alex had actually told her. Just that he was a rich friend from Oxford and was a fellow member of their Bachelor’s Club, which meant he, too, had recently become a billionaire. He looked rich; money had a way of clinging to a man like an invisible cloak.
When he cheekily winked at Harriet over Alex’s shoulder, she got a glimpse of his much-vaunted charm.
‘So, who’s this gorgeous creature, Alex?’ he asked as he stepped back to look her up and down, his blue eyes twinkling. ‘You never mentioned you were bringing someone with you.’
‘It was a last-minute decision. This is Harriet,’ Alex introduced. ‘My PA. And my new girlfriend,’ he added before Harriet could be offended. ‘I usually call her Harry, but in present company I think Harriet is called for.’
She saw the drily amused look Jeremy gave Alex. ‘You sneaky devil,’ he said, then grinned. ‘And you had the hide to tell me that business and pleasure don’t mix!’
‘There are exceptions to every rule,’ Alex said and smiled a wry smile at a slightly startled Harriet. ‘I didn’t say anything because I agreed to keep our affair a secret. But there’s no need for secrets over here, though I think I might not tell Sergio
she’s my PA. Sergio isn’t as much of a free spirit as you are, Jeremy. Without going into too many details, I have to speak to that chauffeur over there. He was going to drive Harriet down to a hotel at Lake Como, but I’ve persuaded her to change her plans and come to the wedding with me.’
‘And rightly so,’ Jeremy pronounced warmly as Alex walked off, leaving Harriet to fend alone in his friend’s perversely bewitching company. It was simply impossible not to like him. She wasn’t sexually attracted to him, but she could understand why lots of women had fallen under his spell over the years. He possessed a personal charisma which she imagined could be overpowering if he was also your physical type.
‘It’s wonderful to see Alex dating a real woman for a change,’ he said. ‘Though slightly disconcerting.’
‘Disconcerting?’
‘I don’t want to be the only one left a bachelor in our Bachelor’s Club. Oops. Maybe I shouldn’t have said that. Has Alex told you about the Bachelor’s Club?’
‘Yes. I know all about it.’
‘That’s a relief. Thought I’d put my big foot in it just then. Sergio’s broken ranks, but Alex and I are still committed bachelors. We both believe it’s best for a girl to know the lie of the land before she gets in too deep. Or is it too late for that?’ he added with a sudden searching look.
Oh, God. Why did she have to blush?
‘I see,’ he said, his brows drawing together.
‘No, you don’t,’ she said quickly. ‘Look, I know Alex isn’t into love or marriage. I’m not a fool. I recently broke up with my fiancé and I’m not looking for love or commitment of any kind. I’m just having a much-needed fling. It won’t last. When it’s over, I’ll move on and so will Alex.’
‘Are you quite sure about that?’
‘Quite sure,’ she said coolly and glanced over at Alex, who was still talking to the chauffeur. Just then, he glanced back at her, smiled, then hurried over, the chauffeur in his wake.
‘Right. All settled. Jeremy, am I right in guessing you didn’t drive yourself to the airport? Knowing you, you either had Sergio drop you off or you took a taxi.’
‘I hate it when people know me that well,’ he said, but without looking offended at all. ‘Yes, Sergio dropped me off, then went on to his office. He’s getting everything organised there before he and Bella fly off to New York.’
‘Thought that might be the case,’ Alex said. ‘Anyway, I’ve organised for Lucca here to take us all to the tailor. After we’re finished there, we’ll drop you off back at Sergio’s office, Jeremy, then I’ll accompany Harriet down to the hotel I booked her into on Lake Como. Everyone, this is Lucca,’ he finally introduced. ‘Lucca, this is Harriet and Jeremy.’
Relief swamped Harriet at Alex not insisting that she stay at Sergio’s villa on Lake Como. Now that she’d met Jeremy, she wasn’t quite so nervous about meeting Sergio—whom she was sure would be nice to her as well—but she didn’t want to spend every minute of the next two days in their company. Besides, it was only natural that the three friends would like to spend some time together. Clearly, that didn’t happen too often these days.
‘I’ll tell you what,’ Harriet butted in before he could put his plans into motion. ‘Why don’t you and Jeremy take a taxi to wherever it is you have to go and I’ll have Lucca take me straight down to the hotel? To be honest,’ she added, ‘I feel seriously jet-lagged. You’re an experienced traveller, Alex, but I’m not. I hardly slept a wink on that flight. Now, please, don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. I’m going to go straight to bed once I check in, and sleep for hours, so don’t go calling me for ages. Tonight’ll be soon enough.’
‘Are you sure?’ Alex asked.
‘Absolutely. I’m quite capable of looking after myself, like we originally planned. Go have some fun with your friends.’
He leant forward and gave her a peck on the cheek. ‘You’re a darling.’
His sweet words sent tears pricking at her eyes.
‘Off you go,’ she said hurriedly before she could embarrass herself totally. ‘Lucca will look after me, won’t you, Lucca?’
Lucca, who was a good-looking lad of no more than twenty, nodded enthusiastically. ‘Si. You will be safe with me.’
‘Safe’ was not quite the word Harriet would have used to describe Lucca’s driving. Thankfully, the road from Milan to Lake Como was first class, but good God, didn’t they have speed limits in Italy? If they did, Lucca was oblivious to them. Once off the freeway, fortunately he did slow down enough for Harriet to take in the sights. And what sights they were! Never had she seen such a beautiful spot as Lake Como, with its surrounding snow-capped mountains and magnificent villa-dotted shores.
The boutique hotel they were heading for was once a private villa, according to its website. The pictures of it looked beautiful, and the setting peaceful, which was why she’d booked it. But flat, one-dimensional photographs did not replicate the experience of seeing the place in real life, Harriet was soon to appreciate, especially on a warm summer’s day with a clear blue sky.
When the hotel came into view, she was overwhelmed by the sheer grandeur of the ancient stone building gleaming a soft white in the sunshine. The magnificence of the grounds and the view of the lake were just as spellbinding. Harriet’s eyes were everywhere as she followed Lucca into the grand foyer with its vaulted ceiling and spectacular marble staircase. She’d been in some nice hotels in Sydney over the years, but there was nothing at home like this. It was like stepping back in time to a world of splendour, elegance and opulent luxury, a feeling enhanced when she finally lay down on her antique four-poster bed in her exquisitely furnished room.
She didn’t really want to go to sleep just yet. She wanted to wander in the garden and sit on the terrace which overlooked the lake. Instead, the excitement of the trip and the length of the flight finally caught up with her and she couldn’t stop herself from drifting off, her last thought being that she hoped Alex was enjoying himself.
* * *
Alex finally became aware of the fact that Jeremy had been uncharacteristically quiet during their trip to the tailor. After the fitting was finished, Alex suggested they go have a spot of lunch somewhere. He was curious about what was bothering Jeremy. He suspected it was something to do with Harriet; Alex wondered what she’d said to him that had rendered him unusually taciturn.
They found a café nearby which wasn’t too crowded. Summer in Milan was high tourist season, with all the cafés and restaurants doing excellent business. Alex had by then removed his suit jacket and rolled up his sleeves, but he was still on the warm side. Fortunately, the café was air-conditioned.
‘Okay, so what’s bugging you?’ Alex asked after the waitress had departed with their order of wraps and coffee.
Jeremy widened ingenuous blue eyes. ‘Why would you think something’s bugging me?’
‘Don’t try to con me, Jeremy. I know you, remember?’
Jeremy shrugged. ‘Okay, but you might not like what I have to say.’
‘Let me be the judge of that.’
‘Are you in love with this girl, Alex?’
His question stunned Alex. It was certainly not what he’d been expecting.
‘No,’ he said. ‘I’m not.’ Not yet, anyway.
‘I see.’ Jeremy began making circles on the table with his index finger, an old habit of his when he was thinking. Finally, he stopped and looked up at Alex. ‘Harriet told me she’s not interested in love or commitment from you. She says she’s having a fling on the rebound.’
Alex only just contained his exasperation. ‘I leave you with her for five minutes and she tells you her innermost thoughts and feelings. How on earth did you manage that?’
‘It’s a talent I inherited,’ Jeremy said with a perfect poker face. ‘All the Barker-Whittle males are born charmers. But that’s beside the point.’
‘And the point is?’
‘I know you very well, Alex, the same way you know me. It’s not like you to become
involved with an employee, especially your PA. You’re nothing like me. You have hidden depths. And a capacity for caring which I simply don’t possess.’
‘Don’t undersell yourself, dear friend. You have a great capacity for caring. Look how you always remember everyone’s birthdays.’
‘Stop trying to be funny, Alex. This is serious.’
‘What is?’
Jeremy’s blue eyes turned a steely grey. ‘I have this awful feeling that you’re heading for an even worse disaster than Sergio’s marriage.’
‘In what way?’
‘I’m worried you’re going to fall in love with this girl and she’s going to break your heart.’
Alex was taken aback. ‘I can’t see that happening.’
Jeremy shook his head. ‘This is not going to end well, Alex.’
‘Everything will work out fine, Jeremy. Harry and I are just having a bit of fun together. Lighten up, for pity’s sake. It’s not like you to worry so much.’
Jeremy heaved a frustrated sigh. ‘You’re right. I’m in danger of becoming a worrywart. And a workaholic. Ever since I bought my book business, I’ve changed.’
‘I didn’t notice much of a change when I rang you the other night,’ Alex pointed out drily. ‘You were happily bedding your French editor with your usual laissez-faire attitude. Ah...our wraps are here.’
Both men tucked into the food and didn’t speak for a couple of minutes.
‘I do know what you mean about changing, though,’ Alex went on finally. ‘I’ve changed, too, this past year. Possibly it’s because we’re getting older. Just think, both you and I will be thirty-five before the year is out. I hope we’ll always stay friends, despite the tyranny of distance, but our lives are now taking different paths.’
‘God, that sounds wretched. I already miss you and Sergio both. Terribly.’
Alex was touched by his words, but not surprised. Of the three friends, Jeremy had always been the softest, and the most sentimental. He never forgot birthdays. It came to Alex that Jeremy’s laissez-faire attitude to life might hide a deep-seated loneliness. His upbringing, though privileged, had not been easy. He’d been sent to boarding school when he was eight, where his slight frame and pretty-boy looks had resulted in lots of bullying. It wasn’t till puberty had hit that he’d found his feet, his voice breaking and his height shooting up to over six feet, putting paid to the bullying. But his less than positive experiences at school, plus his parents’ constant divorcing and remarrying, had left lots of emotional scars.
