Page 66 of Wife After Wife

As he entered the boardroom, Harry’s senior staff greeted him with a loud chorus of “Happy Birthday.”

“Thanks, all,” he said, grinning. “I am officially grown up, I suppose. Nice of you to mark the occasion.”

As Mia Fox made a beeline for him, holding out a glass of champagne, he quickly scanned the room and saw Ana standing with Terri. Deftly he moved, just in time to escape Mia, and joined a group close to the two women.

“Harry, welcome to the thirtysomething club,” said Nate. “It sucks, by the way. People expect you to behave, settle down, all the boring things.”

“I did all of those already,” said Harry. “I’m living life backward. So here’s to the dawning of my decade of bad behavior.”

Mia caught him up and handed him the champagne.

“Cheers, everyone,” he said, taking it off her.

“To bad behavior,” said Nate loudly.

Ana turned toward them, and Harry caught her eye and smiled mischievously, raising his glass in her direction.

An hour passed, then two, with only nibbles to soak up the free-flowing wine. Voices increased in volume; staff became loose-tongued. They knew they could carry on partying until Harry left, and it looked as if that wouldn’t be anytime soon.

Harry hadn’t yet spoken to Ana, but every second of every minute, he’d been aware of her. She looked delectable, dressed in a buttery-yellow dress that set off her dark hair and eyes.

He ached to touch her.

According to Janette, Ana’s nickname at Rose was Ice Queen, and it was no doubt well earned. She was inscrutable and detached, and it was often a challenge to make her smile.

He intended to melt her. It was time to turn up the heat.

He excused himself from Mia’s leechlike attentions and finally joined Ana, who was chatting with Kevin Mould from accounts.

“Ana,” he said, sending a “dismissed” vibe in Kevin’s direction. “Sorry it’s taken me so long to ask, but how was the funeral?”

“I’ll just... get another...” said Kevin, scurrying away.

“How do you do that?” said Ana, looking at Kevin’s back. “Please teach me so I don’t waste another half hour of my life.”

Harry laughed. “Poor old Mouldy. I’ll try and make the next half hour one you’ll look back on with delight.”

“Happy birthday, then. You don’t look a day over forty.”

Ana never did cheeky. Was she a little drunk? Was that fearsome self-control compromised?

“The funeral was nice. Very Scottish. Wow, that castle. It’s stunning. Fancy inheriting a bloody castle.”

“Will left it to Merry, then?”

“Yep. Darius is staying on to run it, and she seems to think you have plans for it. For when you two are... official.”

Harry glanced around, then put his hand on Ana’s arm, guiding her away from the others. The touch of her skin sent a delicious thrill through him.

“Ana,” he said, his voice low, “Merry’s got the wrong end of the stick. Sod it, there isn’t even a stick. We had a fling. It was fun, but it’s over. I haven’t told her properly yet; I was hoping the fact that I’ve been avoiding her would send a message. Obviously I need to have it out with her. But, well... with Will dying, it wasn’t the right time.”

“She thinks you’re going to divorce Katie and marry her.”

It was worse than he’d thought.

“That’s nonsense. I don’t know where this is coming from. I thought we understood each other.”

“I believe you. Merry’s always been a fantasist. But please let her down gently. I think she genuinely loves you.”