‘Your family. They sounded interesting.’
‘You think?’ she said, her eyebrows shooting up.
‘Perhaps “interesting” isn’t the right word. Your mother I’d describe as a force to be reckoned with.’
He sounded as if he thought that was a good thing. ‘She’s a Rottweiler in couture.’
Alex laughed. ‘She’s been telling me all about you.’
That really didn’t sound good.
‘Would you like to know what she said?’
Alex was standing so close she could feel the warmth coming off his body and she swayed involuntarily towards him. His gaze roamed over her face as if he was trying to memorise every millimetre. Phoebe’s mouth went dry and her surroundings faded until all that she was aware of was a hot flame of desire burning deep inside her and a desperate need to kiss him.
‘Not really,’ she breathed, staring at his mouth. ‘I’d much rather—’
‘Hello, Ditz, darling.’
Phoebe jumped as the strident voice of her sister pierced the bubble that had enveloped them. She blinked as if coming out of a trance and caught the amused quizzical expression on his face. ‘Ditz?’ he murmured.
Phoebe couldn’t believe it. Why now? After all these years?
‘Family nickname,’ she mumbled. ‘A very, very old family nickname,’ she added, swinging round and glaring at Camilla.
‘Now that’s something your mother didn’t mention,’ Alex said with a grin.
‘Probably because most of us have forgotten about it. Haven’t we?’ she said pointedly to her sister.
But Camilla wasn’t paying any attention. Instead she was staring at Alex with undisguised admiration. ‘Who’s this?’
Phoebe performed the introductions and watched as her sister gave Alex one of her most dazzling smiles before turning back to Phoebe.
‘So how’s the fluffy world of PR?’
Ah, how long had that taken? Thirty seconds? Camilla was slipping.
‘Still fluffy.’ She’d long since given up trying to justify what she did to her family. ‘How’s the matter-o
f-life-and-death world of cardiac surgery?’
‘Busy. They’re making me Head of Department.’
‘Wow, congratulations.’
Camilla grinned. ‘Thanks. Of course, it’s going to be mad. So much pressure.’ She laughed and shrugged and batted her eyelids in Alex’s direction. ‘You know sometimes I wish I had a job like Phoebe’s. All glamour and long lunches. Parties and celebrities and gorgeous shoes.’
Phoebe felt the old familiar feeling of hurt swell up inside her. Calm down, she told herself. She doesn’t mean it. She forced herself to smile and opened her mouth to mumble some sort of agreement.
‘Actually, it’s not all long lunches and parties, is it, Phoebe?’ Alex’s voice sounded mild but she cast a quick astonished glance at him, and saw that his jaw had tightened and if anything he looked even bigger and taller than she remembered.
‘What? Oh—er—no.’
‘Are you in the same field?’ asked Camilla.
‘No. But I’ve seen her in action. And it’s extremely hard work. Everyone only sees the results. They don’t see the hours of effort put in. The constant juggling, the management, the organisation.’ He smiled lazily but the look in his eye was razor sharp. ‘It might not look like life and death, but reputations can hang in the balance and the way the balance goes can have a serious impact on those involved.’
Crikey. Even Phoebe was now seriously impressed by what she did.