“You have no idea how much I missed you, Catherine.”
I swallowed, my mouth suddenly dry again. “But you, you and Jeremy. You’re with…”
“It’s different.” Francesca waved a dismissive hand through the air. “You know it’s different. It’s always your face my mind drifts to when I need to escape.”
I stared at her for a long moment. My eyes on hers, dark with the depths I’d once lost myself in. It would be so easy to fall again. “I, er… I don’t understand. What are you saying?”
Francesca released a small sigh, as if exasperated by my unrelenting need for clarification. She reached up and swiped a gentle thumb across my cheekbone.
“I don’t want us to fight anymore, Catherine.” She leaned closer, her voice a silken whisper that seemed to wind its way around me. “You and me, we’re?—”
Jeremy’s voice boomed from behind, shattering the moment. “There you both are.”
Francesca stiffened beside me, and her hand fell away from my face.
“Supper’s ready,” Jeremy said, drawing nearer.
“We’ll be there in a moment.” Francesca turned and forced a smile.
Jeremy’s shoulders rounded as he sloped back towards the house. Francesca squeezed a hand on my thigh.
“Look, trust me, okay? Whatever’s discussed at dinner, I need you to understand that I have your interests at heart too.”
I frowned. “Sorry, I don’t?—”
“Shhh!” She silenced me by pressing her finger to my lips. Holding it in place, she leaned in and softly kissed it. Like a traitorous drum, my heart beat a frantic rhythm in my chest. I hated myself for wanting more, for surrendering so easily. She hadn’t even apologised for what she’d done. Yet here I was, entranced and exposed amidst the ruins of my crumbling walls.
Francesca’s eyes flicked toward the house. “There isn’t time now, but I’ll find you later, okay?”
I could only nod. She stood and pulled me to my feet.
A potent cocktail of confusion,desire and self-loathing swirled in my stomach as I took a seat between Dad and Jasper. Unfortunately, Francesca and Jeremy sat opposite me, affording me a full-frontal view of their saccharine display. Francesca turned on a show for her audience, the sound of her hollow laughter tinkling in the air as she leaned in to Jeremy. She picked a piece of lint off his shirtsleeve, then laid her slender, manicured hand in its place. The intimate moment, played out with such practiced ease, felt like a slap across the face.
I poured a glass of water from a crystal carafe andgulped it down; the cool liquid did little to quell the heat rising in my cheeks.
Jane’s staff bustled around with quiet efficiency, setting down hot, crusty rolls and small plates adorned with tiny works of culinary art. The clatter of cutlery filled the air.
“So, Catherine,” Jasper boomed. “Jeremy tells me he’s relayed the good news.”
“Sorry?”
“We’re going to be your first investors — Dalton and Truscote!”
In the Francesca haze, I’d all but forgotten Jeremy’s revelation. Now my back was against the wall. Jasper eyed me, awaiting a response.
“Oh, right. Yes, of course. I’m a little overwhelmed, to be honest. It’s…it’s…”
Dad jumped in where I floundered. “It’s very generous of you. Thank you sincerely from both of us. For this and for all the opportunities you’ve given Catherine.”
My heart sank. There was no backing out of it now. “Thank you,” I echoed.
Jasper shook his head. “No, not at all. It’s our pleasure to see our young people thriving and having such a clear path ahead of them.” With great bombast, Jasper raised his glass. “To Dalton & Truscote.”
Before the others could lift their glasses too, Francesca chimed in, “I think Truscote & Dalton has a better ring to it.” Everyone looked at her.
“You know,” said Jane, “it does actually. Truscote & Dalton,” she repeated.
Jasper swayed his head from left to right as if weighing the two options. “Yes, yes. And of course, ladies first.”
