Page 47 of Suddenly Mine

“Yeah,” said Merry. “It’s been a tough shift. Speaking of which, any chance you can come help? The crowds out there are huge, and it’s just me.”

“No can do,” said Diane. “I’m out of here.”

“What do you mean?” Merry asked. “Are you working a half-day?”

Diane looked left and right down the corridor, then leaned in. “Have you not had an offer?” she whispered.

Merry shook her head. “No, what do you mean? What kind of offer?”

Diane held up the envelope. It was closed, but whatever was inside was making it bulge. “I shouldn’t be telling you this, but somebody just gave me a huge pay check.”

“What? Why?”

“To walk out the door,” Diane said. “That’s it. To just go.”

“I don’t understand,” said Merry. “Who?”

Diane started to answer, but the staff door crunched open and Ben ran in.

“Can’t stop! Must pee!” he yelled, racing for the men’s restroom.

“You’ll find out.” Diane stuffed the envelope into her handbag. “But it’s someone high up, someone from head office.Look, I’ve got to go. Hang around and you’ll get yours too. Oh, and Merry?”

“Yeah?”

“I know I go on a lot about my rich boyfriend, and I’m not entirely sure I’d be with him if he was poor, but don’t ever listen to a fool like me. It doesn’t matter what somebody does for a living, not if you love them.”

“Oh,” Merry giggled. “I don’t love . . . I mean, it’s not like . . .”

“Whatever it is, you’re not like that,” said Diane. She winked at her, then walked through the door.

“It’sreallynot like that,” Merry said to herself as she walked back to her cash desk, but she wasn’t entirely convinced herself. When was the last time a man had made her feel the way that Christian did? Even though things hadn’t exactly been smooth between them, she still grinned every time he entered her head, like a kid waking up on Christmas Day. And he was as special as Christmas, she knew. You met somebody like that maybe once alifetime, and when it happened you had to be ready to take a chance. You had to unwrap that present there and then, or you might never do it.

It was all so confusing, and it wasn’t helped by the fact that as soon as she stepped out of the door she was attacked by a dozen people wanting her help. She fought through the afternoon as best as she was able, and by the time six o’clock rolled around she was on the verge of passing out. She tried to escape the next customer — a huge man in an expensive suit and bowler hat — but he actually grabbed hold of her arm to stop her from escaping.

“I demand service!” he roared. “Do you know how long I’ve been waiting?”

“I’m really sorry, sir,” she said, trying to pull herself free. The man was so big that she was suddenly scared. “Please, I’m sure somebody else will—”

“No, not somebody else,” he said. “You!”

There was a chime from overhead to signal an announcement.

“Would Merry Sinclair please come to the front desk,” it said in a deep, melodious voice that sounded extremely familiar. “This is an emergency. Would Merry Sinclair please come to the front desk.”

“That’s me,” she said to the man, pointing to her name tag with her free hand. “It’s an emergency.”

The man looked at her badge then let her go, huffing and puffing dramatically. Merry ran from him, rubbing her arm where he’d been holding her. She rode the staff elevator down, wondering what on earth could be happening that merited an emergency. Maybe they’d got a message from home, she thought as she ran across the atrium to the customer service desk. Maybe something had happened to her sister or . . .

Christian stood behind the desk, beaming at her. There was a queue of people in line waiting to be seen by one of the other members of staff there. He was wearing jeans and a dark blue sweater, and even though he still looked tired, his smile made Merry feel like she was waking up after a nine-hour nap.

“What’s happened?” she said. “You called? There’s an emergency?”

“Yeah.” He walked out from the desk and, leaning in, kissed her on the cheek. “A very serious emergency.”

She caught a whiff of something citrusy and fresh. He must have showered upstairs, she realised, and her mind flicked briefly to him standing naked under a torrent of hot water. She looked away, heat creeping up her neck.

“Is it my sister?” she snapped back to focus on the matter at hand.