Rescued by the Brooding Tycoon

sometimes seeing Darius on the beach for a few minutes, chatting about nothing much, cracking a few jokes before saying a polite goodbye.

One evening, while she was working late in her shop, a knock at the door made her look up and see him through the glass. She unlocked the door.

‘Sorry, sir, we’re closed for business,’ she said cheekily.

‘Thanks for the welcome. Hiya, Phantom. Careful not to knock any of these antiques around.’

‘He doesn’t need you to tell him to behave perfectly,’ she said indignantly. ‘He’s always perfect.’

‘Sure, that’s why you pinned him to the ground when we landed.’

‘Oh, well, that was different. What brings you here at this hour?’

‘I’ll be honest; I have an ulterior motive. And don’t say it.’

‘Say what?’ she asked innocently.

‘That I never do anything without an ulterior motive.’

‘I wasn’t going to say that.’

‘No, but you were thinking it.’

‘Very perceptive of you. All right, what’s the ulterior motive?’

He held up his mobile phone.

‘The kids call me every evening and they always ask to talk to you. I have to invent excuses why you’re not there.’

‘But surely they don’t think we’re living together?’

‘Well…no, but they’re surprised that you’re never around.’

‘But when they call tonight I will be around?’ she hazarded.

‘Exactly.’

‘Unless I make a run for it.’

‘You’re too good a friend to do that.’

Before she could answer, the phone rang. Darius answered and his face lit up.

‘Frankie, lovely to hear from you, darling. What have you been doing today?’

Harriet studied his face, taking in its warmth and pleasure. Her resolution to keep him at a polite distance was fading with every moment.

‘What’s that?’ Darius asked. ‘Harriet? Well…I’m not sure if…’ He looked at her with pleading eyes. ‘I’ll see if she’s here,’ he said. ‘I’m just going looking now.’

Silently, he mouthed, Please. Harriet relented and took the phone.

‘Hi, Frankie! Boy, am I glad you called and gave me a chance to sit down! Your dad and I are working our socks off. I’ve just had a delivery at my shop and he’s helping me unpack and put things away-he’s doing very well.’

From the other end of the phone Darius could hear his little girl chuckling. He grinned.

‘Yes, I’m really making him work,’ Harriet said. ‘He’s surprisingly good. Let’s face it, he looks like a wimp-oh, dear, I shouldn’t have said that. If you could see how he’s glaring at me-’

‘I’m not,’ Darius said indignantly.

‘Anyway, he’s not as much of a wimp as he looks. He can manage heavy weights-much to my surprise-’

Darius’s indignation had faded and he was looking at her with resigned amusement. She laughed back at him, sending a silent message. That’ll teach you! And receiving his message in return. Just you wait!

Harriet rattled away for a while, enjoying the sound of Frankie’s delight. Then Mark took over, wanting to know if she’d been sailing. She’d taken her little yacht out only that morning and had plenty to tell him. It was a happy conversation.

At last she handed the phone back to Darius.

‘It’s a conspiracy,’ he told his son. ‘She’s as bad as you are, or you’re as bad as she is. I’m not sure which.’

Sounding relaxed and happy, he bid his children goodnight, then turned to her, laughing and exasperated in equal measure.

‘Harriet, you little wretch! What are you trying to do to me? Wimp, indeed!’

‘Shame!’ she soothed him. ‘All those hours spent in the gym, for nothing.’

‘All right, enjoy your laugh. I suppose I asked for it. And thank you. You did far more than I hoped for.’ He looked around at the large boxes. ‘You really have just had a delivery, haven’t you?’

‘Yes, a big one. Hey, what are you doing?’

‘Well, I’ve got to prove I’m not a wimp, haven’t I?’ he said, beginning to unpack. ‘Call it my gratitude.’

He wouldn’t let her refuse, but worked for two hours fetching, carrying, lifting weights, finally breathing out hard and saying, ‘I’m ready for a drink. Come on.’

The glass of ale in the pub that followed was in the same spirit of cheerful friendliness, and when they finally said goodnight she was able to feel confident that she’d successfully returned their relationship to safe territory.

She was to discover her mistake.

It was three days before she saw him again, racing towards her on the beach as she and Phantom emerged from the water, seizing her shoulders as soon as he reached her.

‘You’ve got to help me,’ he said. ‘I know you won’t want to but-’

‘Why wouldn’t I want to?’

‘Well, I never stop asking for things, do I? It’s always you giving and me taking-’

‘Darius, calm down and tell me what it is.’

‘Mary called me. The kids can’t stay with their gran; she’s gone down with a bug. It’s not serious but they have to leave, and they want to come here.’

‘Of course they want to be with you.’

‘Yes, but Mary will only agree if you’re part of the deal. I reckon it’s really you they want to see rather than me.’

‘Nonsense, you’re their father.’

‘Yes, but I’m still learning. Mary relies on you. If you don’t say yes, she won’t say yes. Please, Harriet.’

It was unfair of him, she thought, to look at her like that. How could she be sensible in the face of that imploring gaze, reminding her of his nicer side-the one that brought her dangerously close to falling in love?

‘Of course I’ll help you,’ she said, ‘as long as we agree beforehand what we’re going to-’

She stopped as his cellphone had rung.

‘Mary?’ he said urgently. ‘Yes, I’ve asked her and she’s agreeable. It’s going to be all right-what’s that?-she’s right here.’ He handed her the phone.

‘Harriet?’ said Mary’s urgent voice. ‘Oh, thank heavens. We’ve got a disaster on our hands but I know you can take care of it.’

‘Calm down; I’ll be glad to help, and I’m sure they’ll love the island.’

‘Oh, yes, if you could have heard them talking after you spoke to them the other day. All I need to know is that you’ll be there.’

‘And I will.’

‘They’re well-behaved children. You won’t have any trouble making them go to bed at the right time, and they’re not picky eaters-’

‘Mary, hang on, I didn’t mean-’

But it was too late. With mounting dismay, Harriet realised that Mary had assumed that she was living with Darius and would be there for the children all the time.

‘You don’t understand,’ she said frantically. ‘I’m not actually-’

But she was watching Darius, and what she saw checked her. He’d followed her thoughts and was silently begging her not to destroy his hope.

‘Not what?’ Mary asked.

‘I’m not-’ She could tell that he was holding his breath. ‘Not…not a very good cook,’ she floundered.

‘That’s all right,’ Mary assured her cheerfully. ‘He says Kate’s a terrific cook. All I’m asking you to do is be nice to them, and I know you will because-’