‘You must be Isabelle Harrington.’
Lukas held out his hand and Isabelle automatically took it. ‘I am.’
‘I’m Lukas Kuznetskov.’
‘Yes, I know.’
Oh, please, Issy, don’t say anything about marriage! She knew Lukas would run a mile if she did and her sister was wrong. Completely wrong. She wasn’t in love with him.
‘Eleanore was just telling me all about you.’
Eleanore struggled for breath and refocused on what Isabelle was saying.
‘Was she?’
‘The hotel,’ she rushed out, ‘I was telling her about the hotel. About building the hotel. About how well it went.’ Eleanore didn’t know who she was trying to protect by steering the conversation toward work, but she babbled on about the build and the complications until she was short of breath.
To her mind Lukas grew more and more distant with every word she said. Exactly as he had been that morning. He cleared his throat politely. ‘As you can see, your sister is a marvel and well in need of a promotion.’
Isabelle smiled. ‘Is that right?’
‘Da. It is. Now if you’ll both excuse me,’ Lukas said. ‘I’ll leave you to talk.’
He moved away and Eleanore felt bereft.
‘Well, well, well,’ Isabelle said. ‘That was interesting.’
Eleanore didn’t think it was interesting at all. She felt sick. Something was up with Lukas. Either that or it was her. ‘Issy, I just need to talk to him. Can you give me a minute?’
‘You sound upset.’
The last thing Eleanore wanted was Isabelle’s protective streak rising to the fore.
‘No, I’m...I just...I’ll be back.’
‘Take your time. I’ve just spotted the owner of Westlake’s and want to sound him out on a business idea.’
Eleanore gave her a faint smile and went after Lukas.
She stopped him just before he got to the ice bar. ‘Hi. When did you get here?’
‘About an hour ago.’
An hour ago! And he hadn’t come to find her? ‘Oh.’ Something was definitely wrong.
‘Did you get your promotion?’
Why was his voice so cool?
She frowned. ‘Yes. VP of Business Development Australasia.’
Lukas whistled. ‘Congratulations. That’s impressive.’
‘Thanks.’ It was impressive but Eleanore was suddenly struck by the knowledge that she wanted to ask him for his opinion. She wanted to ask him what she should do. Lukas would no doubt laugh at her if he could hear her thoughts. They were so far from a feminist’s perspective she’d be excommunicated if she were a member. ‘It’s all still sinking in,’ she said.
‘You’ll take it, no doubt.’
She eased out a slow breath. He didn’t want her any more. That was becoming clear at an astonishing rate. Perhaps he had even found someone else to spend the night with. Someone he was even now going to meet. ‘Of course I’ll take it. I’d be a fool not to.’
Da, Lukas thought, of course she would take it.
She was a woman who knew how to prioritise and she never let her heart rule her decision making. He should have been grateful. Sex was sex and she wasn’t going to complicate what they’d shared with any messy emotional outbursts or demands. He had to respect that.
Only what they had shared hadn’t felt like just sex to him and that was one more reason he needed to put some distance between them. His life was perfect the way it was. The problem was he was still thinking with the wrong head.
He looked down at her, so cool in her slim-fitting trousers and emerald-green sweater that brought out the green shards in her eyes. The orange boots and for once no orange chopsticks to match. Really, she wasn’t clinging and she wasn’t crying. He should be rejoicing. He was getting exactly what he wanted. A woman who put work ahead of relationships.
The perfect woman to match his perfect life.
‘A happy ending all round,’ he said.
‘Yes,’ she agreed woodenly. It felt strange to talk to him like this when all she could think about was being in his arms.
‘Are you still flying out with your sister tomorrow?’
Eleanore nodded.
Lukas nodded as well.
Ask me to stay with you tonight, she thought. Tell me last night was special for you.
‘That’s good.’ He stepped back from her just when she thought he was about to pull her into his arms. ‘I’m flying out too. To London.’