“Yes, I can dothat, but he is going to be in rural France, and most likely won’thave a good signal for a few days.”
“Can you atleast try, please? It’s important.”
“I’ll try, MsClarke, but it is the weekend, and I’m not supposed to beworking.”
Why did all hisemployees seem hellbent on making things difficult? She gave herhome phone number to the secretary, said goodbye and put the phonedown once again.
Zarya came in.“Still no luck?”
“No, it’shopeless. I’ve asked Damon’s secretary to get him to call me on thehome phone, but I doubt she will.”
“He’ll call,Harper. I know he will.”
Harper stayedin all day, checking every hour to make sure the home phone wasworking.
Nothing.
She justifiedit by telling herself he was probably on the plane, or at theairport, and then he would be travelling around France, to whichparts, she didn’t know.
Presuming thesecretary had passed on the message.
The next day,Harper checked her answering machine as soon as she woke.
Nothing.
She justifiedit again by picturing Damon in some remote vineyard without phonereception.
Her home phoneremained silent.
* * *
Damon said hewould be gone for two days.
Today was daythree. He would be back in the UK by now, so why hadn’t hecalled?
She tried toblame the secretary again, but the awful, nagging feeling in thepit of her stomach told her something wasn’t right.
Did what theyshared mean nothing to him?
That evening,Harper sat at her computer and idly googled his name.
Zarya peeredover her shoulder. “What are you doing?”
Harper jumped.“Nothing.”
Her friendpeered closer. “Aww, you’re so in love. Don’t worry, Damon willcall. He’s probably busy.”
Too busy tocall me?
Pages ofDamon’s restaurants dotted all around the world came up on thescreen, all successful and thriving. She read the rave reviews.
Then theimages. Chic restaurants, exquisite dishes, and his handsome facesmiling back at her.
She scrolledthrough the images, Zarya breathing down her neck.
Picture uponpicture of Damon appeared.
Damon, with adifferent woman on his arm every time.
Her stomachcinched.
She thoughtthey had something special. He made her think he felt the same withhis talk of fate and finding the one special person in his life.What if it was all a lie? He clearly had no problem getting anywoman he wanted. What if that was all she was, a one-night stand?Another one of his floozies fooled by his charming persona.
No, thiscan’t be happening.
A tear trickleddown her cheek. “How could I have been such an idiot, Zar?”
“You’re not.There has to be some sort of explanation, right?”
“No, thepictures don’t lie. Damon is a womaniser. My luck hasn’t changed atall. I’m still the unluckiest witch on the planet, and now I’m agullible one too.”
Her friendpatted her shoulder. “I’m so sorry, Harper. I liked him, and youtwo seemed so perfect for each other.”
“I did too, butI have to face it. Misfortunes follow me around like a badsmell.”
“It’s late,Harper. Sleep on it. You might feel better in the morning.”
Harper doubtedit, but she trudged off to her room and climbed into bed.
She hadn’t beenin bed for more than fifteen minutes when Zarya shouted from theliving room. “Harper, get back in here, quick. You need to seethis.”
With a sigh,she went to see what all the fuss was about.
Zarya sat infront of the computer, her face drained of colour.
“What’sup?”
Her friendswallowed. “I found something else…”
Harper rubbedher temples. “It doesn’t matter what else you’ve found about Damon,Zar. It’s over between us, if there even was an us.”
“No, this hasnothing to do with Damon. Or maybe it does. I don’t know what tothink.”
“You’re notmaking any sense.”
Zarya turnedthe screen. “Look.”
Harper looked.A brand new Magik Dates website was on the screen. “Oh wow, Connersaid it wouldn’t be ready for at least a month…” She trailed off asshe took a closer look at the website. The design and layoutweren’t anything like she’d discussed with Conner Mitchel. “Wait,that’s not right. None of it is right.”
“I found it byaccident,” Zarya explained. “It came up on my search engine.”
Harper pulledup a chair and sat beside her friend.
“That’s not theworst part either.” Her friend clicked on the ‘about’ button.
Harper read itout loud. “Magik Dates, dating agency. Founder and CEO, ConnerMitchel.” Her stomach took a nosedive. “I… I don’t understand.”Maybe she did, but her mind was a blur of denial and betrayal.
“The bastardhas set the website up all right—in his name,” said Zarya. “There’sno mention of you owning the company anywhere.”
She cursed ather stupidity. Why had she been so negligent in officiallyregistering her business and its name? She’d always meant to do itbut hadn’t got around to it.
Harper didn’tcare how late it was, she grabbed the home phone, intending to ringConner and find out what the hell was going on, then she rememberedshe didn’t have his number—his business card was in her handbagtoo.
The bag stillin Damon’s car.
Along with thebag that contained her business plan for Magik Dates.
Nausea hit herfull on.
Spotting aphone number on the website, she dialled it. It rang for ages, thenwent to answer phone.
She cursedagain as she slammed the phone down. “I don’t believe it. How couldI not have seen this coming? They’ve both played me for a totalfool.”
“This is awful.I’m so sorry.”
“I thoughtDamon liked me, even something more than like, but it was all partof their plan from the beginning. Damon laid on the charm, and Ifell for it.” Tears prickled. “I bet he even arranged for the liftto break down so he could get me on his side for my meeting withConner.” She swiped at the tears now running down her face. “Itrusted Damon. I trusted them both with their pathetic,brothers-with-issues act they put on, all so they could steal mybusiness idea and set it up themselves.”
Zarya handedher a tissue. “No wonder Damon was in such a rush to leave thatmorning. He knew your bags were in his car, Harper,” she saidquietly.
Harper didn’tneed her friend to spell it out. She’d formed her own opinion ofDamon not-that-charming Vertefeuille.
The lowlifebastard was a lying, cheating, conniving, manipulative, devious…She could go on, but sobs
