Resisting Mr. Kane (London Mister #2)(61)

Danny follows me out. “You okay?”

“I saw Gemina earlier,” I reply flatly, lifting the braised pork from the warming oven.

“And?”

“And she says she wants to talk. She suggested telling Daniel, for fuck’s sake.”

“She’s right. About the talking at least. This isn’t going away.”

“Jesus, Danny, who’s side are you on?”

Danny pours himself another Scotch. “Yours. Always yours. But I can’t just tell you what you want to hear. We’ll find a solution to this that doesn’t involve murder.” He swirls the liquid in his glass. “Enough about the past. What about the present?” His eyes twinkle. “You booked Asha's private room last night, didn’t you? You know they had to cancel some Chinese billionaire’s booking to squeeze you in. I reckon your boner cost us twenty grand.”

“It was worth every penny.” I hand him two plates of pork then crick my neck. “Although my back is killing me now.”

“I’ll assume by that comment she finally relented,” he says dryly. “Can’t keep up with a twenty-five-year-old?”

“No, can’t sleep on planks of wood.” I grimace. “Didn’t sleep a wink. She lives in a noisy house-share with a million people. One of them even barged into the bedroom in the middle of the night.”

The corner of his mouth quirks up. “Let me get this straight. You stayed at her place?”

“Had to,” I grumble. “She refused to come back to mine.”

“So, it’s heating up then,” he muses as we walk back through to the dining area.

“Heating up? It’s so hot the Met Office will need to issue a weather warning. Everything about the woman is perfect.”

“Nobody is perfect, Tristan. You learnt that lesson the hard way,” he says in a low voice so the others don’t hear.

We place starters down on the placemats and I pop open a bottle of champagne to toast us.

“What’s new with you, Callie?” Jack throws me a lifeline and diverts attention from my love life.

My youngest sister shrugs.

“You’re in your final year now, right? Remind me what degree you’re doing?” Jack probes.

“History of Art,” she tells him.

He nods. “What will you use that for?” he asks.

“Fuck all,” Callie replies. “I just like the student lifestyle.”

“Language, young lady!” Mum interjects, her face blanching.

“Maybe I’ll do a second degree afterwards like History of History.” Callie sniggers, and I bite my lip. I’m paying her university fees.

Mum smacks her lips. “God above, give me patience. Over my dead body. You’ll earn a living like everyone else. I didn’t raise you to be lazy.”

Callie groans. “If you don’t stop nagging me, Mum, I’m going to drown myself in this soup.”

Charlie darts a glance at me then turns to Callie. “Callie,” she says, “you can't be a student forever. I’ll help with your CV.”

“Mr. O’ Neil even offered her a job in the arts and crafts shop,” Mum explains.

“I’m not working for your boyfriend,” Callie moans.

“What?” I sit up alert as Charlie smirks at me like she knows something I don’t. “Who is Mr. O’ Neil?” I ask sharply.

“My companion,” Mum announces.

“You have a boyfriend? What?”

“Don’t be silly, I’m too old to have a boyfriend.” Mum tuts. “He’s my companion,” she repeats. “Don’t call him my boyfriend. People will talk.”

“What people?” Charlie rolls her eyes. “Who are these people you are always worried about?”

I frown. “Who is this guy?”

“Don’t give away any details, Mum, unless you want poor Mr. O’ Neil subjected to criminal checks.” Charlie laughs.

“Of course, I won’t,” I say, but that’s exactly what I’m going to do. I make a mental note to get his details from Charlie later and to ask what the hell is the difference between a boyfriend and a companion. At least it must be innocent enough if she’s still referring to him by his second name.

The conversation swings to Jack’s new hotel project, and my mind drifts to my Elly. What’s she doing right now? Is she enjoying dinner with her mum? Her home life seems unsettled. The father in me wants to mollycoddle her and to protect her. To give her emotional and financial stability. To invite her to my home, to this dinner with my family.

Pretending to listen to Mum, I retrieve my phone from my pocket under the table.

How is Wales? I message

I see her typing then stop.

The birthday present I had planned for my mum didn’t go as planned.

I frown. Everything OK?

She doesn’t reply quickly.

I miss you this evening. Stay with me tomorrow night.

Two simple letters pop up on the screen. OK

Before I can stop myself, I tip my head back and smile unrestrainedly.

“See?” Mum says as I drift into the conversation again. “Tristan is delighted to give Callie a job at Madison Legal.”

What?