voice, the one that made her want to laugh even if he were only talking about a tax return. ‘Talk about a dizzy blonde! At one point she actually pretended that I had asked her to marry me.’
Guy would tell the story well, of course. He would tell it against himself, with that self-deprecating irony that was so typical of him. How all the other guests would laugh to hear how Lucy had embroiled him in her problems!
The image was so vivid that Lucy pushed her chair abruptly away from the desk and stood up. That was quite enough thinking. She didn’t want to think about leaving, Guy, chemistry, this stupid engagement or anything else.
She would think about the party instead, Lucy decided. Now Sheila’s office was under control, she could go and get the files and make a start. She might even stay late tonight. It sounded as if there was a lot of work to be done in sorting everything out, and besides, she thought, it would be a good excuse to avoid everyone else going home at the same time. She could sneak out when the building was quiet. She didn’t care if it was cowardly.
Unfortunately, her careful plan to keep a low profile was foiled by George Duncan, Director of Human Resources, who came along, all smiles, a little while later and asked if he could have a quick word with Guy-and with her.
‘It’s about your engagement,’ he explained when they were all settled on the sofas in Guy’s office. ‘Of course, we know that you don’t want to make an official announcement yet, but the staff are all so pleased for you and everyone has been asking if we could mark the occasion in some way.’
He beamed from one to the other and Lucy just hoped that her sinking heart didn’t show in her expression as she forced a smile in return. Guy, she noticed with a touch of resentment, was looking cucumber cool.
‘We’d very much like to offer you our congratulations,’ George was saying, ‘and we wondered if you would both join us all for a glass of champagne at six o’clock. Just a small in-house celebration on the mezzanine,’ he added a little anxiously, perhaps picking up on the tension in the atmosphere after all.
Lucy was sitting next to Guy and he put his hand over hers on the sofa. ‘That’s very kind, George,’ he said smoothly. ‘Lucy and I would love to come, wouldn’t we, darling?’
Burningly conscious of his hand over hers, Lucy made her smile widen. ‘Of course,’ she said. ‘It’s a lovely idea.’
‘Splendid!’ Reassured, George hauled himself to his feet. ‘We’ll see you at six, then.’
‘What have we done?’ Lucy muttered to Guy as they waited for the lift to take them down to the mezzanine.
‘
‘Listen, it wasn’t me barely leaving my side at the reception last night,’ she snapped. ‘And what happened to your theory about people losing interest in the situation if we just ignored it?’
‘I didn’t say it would happen today,’ Guy pointed out.
‘What if it never happens? This is awful,’ said Lucy fretfully. ‘It feels as if everything is snowballing out of control. Now there’s this party, and everyone’s going to be so pleased for us when we’re
‘Perhaps you’ll think about that next time you start inventing fiances’ said Guy with a meaningful look. He pointed a finger at her. ‘No more stories,’ he told her. ‘Let’s just stick with the one we’ve got.
‘Look, I don’t feel comfortable lying to my staff either,’ he went on when Lucy looked dubious. ‘I’ve never done it before, and I hope never to have to do it again, but they’ll feel foolish if we tell them the engagement isn’t real after they’ve gone to so much trouble. So we’re going to have to put on a happy face, smile and say thank you, and do our best to ensure that not one of the people on the mezzanine tonight even suspects that they’ve taken part in a farce.’
Guy had already pushed the button to call the lift, but Lucy reached out impatiently and pushed it again, twice for good measure. ‘They’re going to know sooner or later when it becomes clear that we are not, in fact, getting married.’
‘Not necessarily. Nobody needs to know that our engagement wasn’t real,’ he pointed out. ‘Lots of people get engaged and never get round to getting married. When all the interest has died down, we can just let it be known that we’ve changed our minds.’
‘Or we could have a big argument,’ Lucy suggested.
‘Exactly,’ said Guy, nodding agreement. His eyes glinted down at her. ‘I’ll realise eventually that you’re totally unreasonable and call the whole thing off.’
‘Why can’t I be the one to call it off?’ she demanded, getting into the spirit of the thing.
He feigned shock. ‘What possible reason could you have for not wanting to marry me?’
‘Oh, I’m sure I’ll think of something,’ said Lucy airily. ‘I’ll hint darkly about the kind of things you like to get up to when we’re on our own.’
Guy grinned. ‘That’ll make me sound exciting!’
‘Well, then, perhaps I’ll just imply that the magic has gone,’ she improvised. ‘Or I’ll say that I’ve fallen in love with someone else.’
Even as she said it, she realised how unconvincing it was going to sound. How likely was it that she would fall in love with someone else if she had Guy? She would never be able to carry it off.
‘Or,’ said Guy, ‘you could tell the truth.’
‘The truth?’ She looked at him blankly and the corner of his mouth twitched.
‘I realise it would be a novel experience for you, Cinders! Just say that you’re going back to Australia to be with Kevin.’
Kevin. She had almost forgotten what he looked like. Lucy’s eyes slid away from Guy’s as the lift arrived with a ping and the doors slid open.
‘Yes, I could say that, I suppose.’
‘But not too soon,’ he warned, standing back to let her into the lift before him. ‘Wait until after the party next month. That would be a good time for you to leave anyway,’ he added. ‘If we break off our engagement before then, people are going to feel awkward and wonder what they should be saying. Once you’re not around any more, it’ll be easier for them to feel sorry for me.’
As if anyone was ever going to feel sorry for Guy.
It made sense, Lucy had to admit. She didn’t want to be trapped in this embarrassing pretence any longer than she had to be and, once the party was over, she would have no reason to stay any longer.
So why was the thought of leaving settling inside her like a cold stone settling inside her?
‘Smile,’ said Guy under his breath as the lift stopped. ‘Remember how much in love we are!’
CHAPTER NINE
THE mezzanine was almost as crowded as it had been for the reception the night before. Lucy couldn’t believe how many people were waiting for them, each of them choosing to stay after work and wish them well rather than go home.
Her throat felt tight, but she found a smile, although she nearly lost it again when a great cheer went up as they spotted Guy. He was looking as lazily good-humoured as ever, and he grinned down at her as he took hold of her hand. His fingers were warm and reassuring, and she found herself blushing exactly as if she were going to be a real bride.
They were barely out of the lift before they were engulfed by well-wishers. Lucy had never been kissed so much before. She was soon separated from Guy, and she missed his hand around hers. Whenever she looked for him, he was there, smiling, laughing, effortlessly the warm, vibrant centre of the room.
He made it look so easy, she thought. She knew that everyone who spoke to him had the sense that Guy had really noticed them, that he was pleased to see them and appreciated that they had taken the trouble to come. Once their eyes met through the crowd and he mouthed ‘all right?’ and Lucy felt instantly steadied. Smiling, she nodded and turned away to find herself face to face with Imogen.
‘Well?’ demanded Imogen, putting her hands on her hips.
