Page 51 of A Colourful Country Escape
‘Oh, the chalk-style paints for renovating furniture? Yes, I overheard. You should try it. We could play with some ideas at the factory.’
Damn it. And why did he always make everything seem so easy? ‘No need! It’s probably silly anyway.’ It seemed like he already knew too much. If she failed spectacularly as a paint mixologist, she wanted to do so in the privacy of her own living space – borrowed as it was.
What he didn’t know was that she’d felt a strange tingle ofsomethingwhen she’d watched him work that conference room. It was as though a spark had come alive in him; she could barely tear her eyes away. For someone who couldn’t arrange himself a date, he had no problem charming potential business contacts. It was just a shame they were mostly ageing, overfed men with questionable comb-overs.
‘Your ideas aren’t silly. In fact, they’re often annoyingly astute. Anyway, for a lady who’s got her deep purple claws into everyone else’s business, you don’t accept much help in return.’ He pointed to her varnished nails, which matched her full-length tube dress. It was one of her favourites from the bottom of her suitcase, but it made sliding on and off her high bar stool feel like a bit of a gyrate-athon.
‘I do accept help.’ She sniffed and pulled her Manhattan towards her. ‘Just not from you.’
‘Ah, yes, the illustrious Grace.’ Ben’s eyes rolled towards the stars. ‘Is she also the reason I had a rollocking from my mother about being besotted with you?’
His gaze lingered on Lexie for a moment too long and she felt her face flame.
‘Which I’m not,’ he clarified, taking a swig of his own drink.
Had he felt that burning too? A bit more air-con wouldn’t have gone amiss. Ben’s choice of exclusive cocktail bar was so high up that Lexie was starting to feel heady. At least she hoped that was the reason. The view of the capital by night was spectacular, but that really wasn’t the only sight which was magnetising her attention.
‘Of course not.’ She dismissed the idea with her hand. He probably only had eyes for the Queen’s head on a banknote.
‘And thanks to that, I was forced to go on one of Mother’s horrendous dates to keep her off my back and avert suspicion.’
Suspicion? He made it sound like he and Lexie had something to hide. Did they? No, surely …
She shook her head. ‘Er, yes, you mentioned. So tell me more about … Amanda?’
‘I was hoping to forget.’ He rubbed a hand across his face.
‘Oh dear. That bad?’ Lexie reached over and squeezed his forearm, which felt remarkably firm through his crisp white shirt. ‘You’ll find someone.’ She should really let go of his arm, but the little flutter in her chest was willing her not to.
‘I just don’t know,’ he said. ‘On paper, it should have worked.’
On paper.Lexie pulled her hand back. He could keep his fluttery stomach charms. ‘Well, you must be extremely difficult to match,’ she hissed across the shiny bar. ‘I mean, what kind of guy says his favourite fruit is an apple? An apple!’ She pointed to the scribbles she’d made in her notebook that day in Tom’s secret garden.
‘What’s wrong with apples? I’ve seen you eating them.’
‘Of course you have. Everyone eats apples, but they’re not myfavourite. You need to branch out. Be a pineapple, or something.’
She was expecting to see hackles, but he just countered her with a mildly amused face.
‘I’ll leave the crown wearing to you.’
That didn’t even deserve an eyeroll.
‘So, come on, what was so terrible? She drove the wrong sort of Rolls-Royce? She didn’t bank offshore?’
‘Lexie, don’t be so crude. I didn’t vet her finances.’
‘No, of course not. Your mother did that for you.’
Ben released a frustrated huff. His breath was warm and smelt of sweet maraschino cherries. She was absolutely ignoring it.
‘If this matchmaking process was going to work, Amanda seemed perfectly suitable. At least, for most of the date. And yet … I had no interest in an amalgamation.’
‘An amalgamation? You make it sound like a business merger! Or something gloopy to do with paint.’
‘Which was exactly what this was meant to be. A transaction of convenience.’
Lexie tried not to bristle. ‘And now?’
