Page 3 of The Christmas Holiday
‘Scott! So pleased to finally meet you in person. Your reputation precedes you, of course.’ He closed the door again behind Hunter. ‘Liv is beside herself that you agreed to do it.’
Hunter gave that easy smile again. ‘I kind of owed her friend a favour.’ The deep voice with its faded South African accent immediately brought up memories that would do me no good right now. Ishoved them back into the deepest, darkest, dustiest corner of my mind.
My boss gave him a conspiratorial look. ‘Yeah, I heard something about that.’ Hunter had the grace – or wherewithal – to look a little sheepish. Jeremy waved his hand. ‘Oh, don’t worry about it. Ilana’s happy as Larry with her new bloke. Richer than Croesus to boot so I wouldn’t feel too bad. Lovely girl, but she alwaysdid have a flair for the dramatic.’ Hunter smiled but remained silent, ever the gentleman.
‘Right. Introductions. Scott, this is Mia Walker, the journo I told you about. Mia, meet Hunter Scott.’
He told him about me?
Clearly Hunter had kept our previous connection to himself as Jeremy wouldn’t have hesitated to have brought that up in our earlier chat. Taking my cue from Hunter, weshook hands like the strangers we were apparently pretending to be.
‘I feel I ought to let you know that I did actually request another journo to do this with me. No offence. I’ve worked with her before. We know each other’s ways.’
‘I see,’ I said, doing my best to keep my verbal footing, ‘Well, I guess that’s understandable. But I’m perfectly capable of handling this assignment just aswell, if not better, so you don’t need to worry on that front.’
Hunter gave me a look, his brow furrowing momentarily. From the corner of my eye, I saw my boss rub his hand across his face, hiding his grin.
I stepped back and retook my seat, at the same time realising my nails were digging so hard into my palms they were about to draw blood. I concentrated on relaxing them. Good to knowmy ex had already tried to get me bumped from a job for my own boss. It would appear that time didn’t heal all wounds after all. Although it certainly looked like Hunter Scott was doing pretty well on every other front. His career was stellar, he looked broader, a little more tanned and, if the celebrity media was to be believed, had clearly been getting a lot more action than I had in the pastfive years. His comment to me, and his general manner, indicated he was also tougher, a little harsher than I remembered. Perhaps we really were strangers. The Hunter I knew would never have tried to tank someone’s career out of spite. I guess people change. And yes, I knew I’d probably had a certain amount to do with that change, but Hunter had always had his own mind. Our break-up certainly hadn’tbeen pretty but I found it hard to believe it was the sole cause for such a distinctive change in him. Or was it just that, somewhere deep inside, I didn’t want to shoulder that blame alone?
‘Sorry?’ I said, pulling myself back to the moment.
My boss frowned at me. ‘Are you sure you’re not sick, Mia?’
I took a sip of the water I was still holding and gave him my most professional smile.
‘Definitely not. I’m perfectly fine.’
Hunter turned his back on us to gaze out of the window, taking in the view upstream towards the rest of London.
Jeremy gave me a look, tilted his head towards our guest and then back at me. I shrugged. I wasn’t about to let on that we had… history. If Jeremy thought there was more to it than Hunter just being a little arrogant, then there was everychance he would pull me from the job. His daughter’s happiness was his priority and I totally understood that. If he thought my past with Hunter might cause any ripples in that happiness, I knew he’d seriously reconsider whether I was the right person for the job. But I knew I was. This was my chance. And I wasn’t about to give that up for anyone. I’d worked for this and I was sure as hell notgoing to let Hunter Scott take it away from me. I knew I could do this job. Even though I wasn’t entirely sure what the assignment was yet, I still knew I could do it, whatever it was. Even if Hunter thought differently. My boss gave an eyebrow-raise, before turning back to Hunter and asking him about his most recent assignment. Something in deepest Bolivia forNational Geographic, apparently.
‘I hope you’re not going to be too bored with this assignment. It’s obviously a lot different from what you usually do.’ The fact that Hunter had immediately brought up his preference for a different journalist clearly had my boss on a heightened-alert status. And he’d researched him, just as he would have done anyone who was going to be in close proximity to his only child. Hunter’s reputationwas such that he could pretty much pick and choose who he worked with. And it was clear to all of us he didn’t choose to work with me. My boss knew me. And he’d chosen me. But I could tell he wasn’t entirely unconcerned about the possibility of his daughter’s preferred, award-winning photographer backing out because of that choice. Hunter smiled and leant back in the chair he’d now sat in.
‘I’ve glanced over the itinerary, and I’ve been to most of these places before. I know where to find something entertaining to do if I need to.’
Orsomeonemore entertaining to do, more likely. At six-foot-three, and what I’d often seen described as “ruggedly beautiful”, Hunter Scott stood out. I knew from experience he’d be hit on before he finished ordering his first drink at the bar. He’dnever been into all that one-night stand stuff much before, but from the clippings I’d seen, and meeting him again just now, he didn’t appear to be the same man I’d once known. Hunter stood to leave and I stood too, instantly wishing I’d chosen to wear heels today instead of flats. I tilted my head up to where he now stood, pretty much a whole foot taller than me.
‘Guess I’ll see you tonightat the restaurant,’ he said, looking down at me.
I thought about asking him to try repeating the sentence with a little less enthusiasm but I didn’t think it would be physically possible for him to do so.
‘You will indeed.’
‘Great.’
Again. So much enthusiasm.
Jeremy pumped his hand energetically and Hunter left, with most of the surrounding female – and a few male – eyes uponhim as he did so. I made to leave too but my boss gestured for me to stay. I closed the door and turned back, tilting my head in question.
‘Wasn’t sure if we’d lost him there. Seems like he’s used to people agreeing with his demands. Talent can do that for you.’
Not to mention the fact that he’s hot as—
‘But I think we’re OK.’ Jeremy interrupted my thought. ‘From what I hear, whenthis guy gives his word, he means it.’
‘You could have warned me he’d already tried to get me bumped.’
‘It wasn’t that he didn’t want to work with you. It was just that he preferred this other woman.’
I wasn’t so sure of the truth of the first half but was pretty damn sure about the second bit.
‘But you’re right. I should have given you a heads-up about that. To be honest, I didn’tthink he’d bring it up. I guess he felt the need to be super-honest.’
Yeah. Something like that.
‘I guess so. Well, at least I know where I stand with him now, anyway.’
Jeremy leant back in his seat again and fixed me with a serious look. ‘Mia. You’re a really good writer. If you weren’t, I wouldn’t be sending you on this. Just be the competent, intelligent journalist you are and Scottwill soon see you’re just as good as this other woman. Probably better.’
‘Absolutely. Understood.’ I wasn’t entirely convinced anything I did would change the opinion Hunter Scott held about me – but this was work. And I was going to do my damnedest to make this break pay for me. It was pretty clear that Hunter was different from the man I’d known five years ago. But I was different too. Andjust because his now-stellar career had led him to a point where he could command his own price, date socialites and be regularly listed looking all hot and daring in yet another article on the World’s Most Eligible and Exciting Bachelors, it didn’t mean I was going to be intimidated by him. And it certainly didn’t mean I was about to give up the career chance of a lifetime just because the circumstancesmight make him a little uncomfortable. I was going to have to deal with it, so he damn well could too.
