Tasha nodded.
“She is the one you’ll see most of because of the kids and they seem to be proper friends, but you may cross paths with Amanda, if only when you try to get Jim at the office.”
Amanda was number five, the clichéd secretary. Tasha was absolutely furious now. She’d spilled her guts to him, and this was her reward? To find out he saw number five on a daily basis and again she wondered how personal Amanda’s assistance was.
“Are you okay?” asked Maisie with genuine concern.
Tasha nodded, but said nothing.
Jim and Jack returned before anymore was said. Jim immediately kissed his mother before taking Tasha’s hand in one of his while the other was lifting a pile of books.
“I’ll bring the books back on Saturday when I bring Lizzie over, but they look good on the surface. Just think about transferring to a digital system though.”
They were still hand in hand as they approached the car.
“Shall I drive?” Tasha wondered whether she should give the car a bit of a ping as payback for his lies about Amanda, albeit those lies of omission he had such a problem with.
“No. I’ll take the wheel, honey.”
“Don’t you like my driving?” she asked, sounding offended, although she didn’t give a stuff how he felt about her driving or anything else at that moment in time.
He laughed. “No, I just like to drive.”
In control. What was it Maisie had said?He thinks it puts him in control, but you’re only truly in control if you are allowed to be.Maybe she had a point, meaning Tasha might need to choose her battles and time them accordingly.
“Whatever you want,” she said with the sweetest smile she could muster.
“You can be in charge of music.” He really did sound far too amused as he sangI think I wanna marry you.
Dream on, she thought, still angry with him, but wasn’t quite ready to confront him, yet.
“Are you sure you don’t need anything for tonight?”
“No, nothing, thanks.”
“What if I don’t approve of your dress?”
Tough shit sounded in her head, but she actually said, “Then you’ll have a long and restless night thinking of me in it.”
“Either that or I’ll have to come with you.” His words were almost a threat.
“James, looking like you do you’ll be at greater risk of being touched than me in a gay club.” She laughed and actually meant it as she realised as mad as she was at him about Amanda, she still fancied him like mad, fancied the pants off him and knew she’d make no effort to fight off his advances once home. Although, she also acknowledged, if only to herself and fleetingly, her attraction to James Maybury ran far deeper than simple sexual attraction.
“Oh Natasha, so eager, honey. Again, I have to point out jeans are a bad idea at any time when you’re with me.”
Sandra was just leaving to go home when they pulled up while Philip appeared from his front door where he called to Tasha. “How were the oldies? What time for hair and make-up?”
“They were lovely. What time do you think?” If she’d been getting herself ready for a night out Tasha knew an hour would be plenty, but she was clueless as to just how muchworkPhilip thought she might need.
“About half past seven and I’ll need your hair wet,” he barked across at her sounding like his father again.
“See you then,” she called back as she followed Jim through the door then into his office where he put the accounts down.
“Are you okay?” He stared at her on the opposite side of the desk. “Did my mom say something to upset you?”
“Like what?” She was desperate for him to tell her about Amanda himself rather than having to confront him.
“Like, I don’t know. That’s why I’m asking.”
