‘Waa-waa-waa!’ Marli bleated from the pram, obviously deciding she wasn’t going to settle anytime soon.
Aerin popped her head through the door. ‘Can I help? Does she need a cuddle from her Aunty Aerin?’
Harper stood and stretched her stiff back. ‘Do you mind? I just need half an hour to work on these photos.’
Aerin came into the room and swept Marli up in her arms. ‘I can think of nothing I would like better.’ She smiled down at the baby. ‘How is the cutest little munchkin in London?’
Marli waved her tiny hands in the air and Aerin captured one and kissed each of her little fingers. ‘Gosh, I can’t wait to have kids one day.’ She gave a heartfelt sigh and glanced at Harper. ‘Can I talk to you about something? I know you’re busy but...’
Harper pushed her chair back from the desk. She had lost her enthusiasm for the project anyway. She had lost her enthusiasm for a lot of things since she had ended things with Jack. ‘Of course you can. What’s up?’
Aerin sat on one of the velvet chairs opposite Harper’s desk and cradled Marli against her chest. ‘You know how I always meet up with the girls I went to school with each year just before Christmas? Well, one of the girls is moving to Australia with her husband, so we’re bringing forward our catch-up to next month instead.’
‘Yes, I remember, but didn’t you say you haven’t enjoyed going the last couple of years?’
Aerin looked down at Marli, who was drifting off to sleep. ‘I’m the last one of our group who isn’t married or in a long-term relationship.’ She looked back up at Harper. ‘I can’t bear being the only singleton. Everyone always asks me if I’m dating anyone. I always feel like such a pariah. I’ll be thirty next birthday. What am I going to do?’
‘So don’t go. Why torture yourself?’
‘I have to go,’ Aerin insisted. ‘We’ve always had perfect attendance since we left school.’
‘It won’t be perfect attendance next year unless your friend flies back from Australia.’
‘No, which is why I don’t want to wreck the track record this year—our final year of all being together.’
‘So, I guess you have to find a partner in a hurry.’
Aerin looked down at the baby again and sighed. ‘Yes...’
‘Do you have anyone in mind?’
‘No.’
Silly question.At last count, Aerin had an eight-point checklist on what she wanted in a partner. No such perfect man existed as far as Harper knew. ‘So what will you do? Pay someone to go with you?’
Aerin’s head came up and her grey-blue eyes widened. ‘You mean...a maleescort?’ She whispered the word in a shocked tone.
‘No, not an escort but someone who could be a stand-in.’
‘You mean I should convince someone topretendto be my partner?’
‘It’s just for a couple of hours and it would certainly stop everyone carrying on about you being single. Surely you know someone who would do it for you? What about one of your brother’s friends? The hot-shot lawyer one—Drake Cawthorn.’
A vivid blush crept over Aerin’s cheeks. ‘Oh, I could never askhim.’
‘Then you’ll have to go to the catch-up alone and face the violins.’
Aerin winced as if the thought horrified her and quickly changed the subject. ‘Have you heard from Jack?’
‘Yes, he calls every day.’
‘How are things between you? The same?’
‘The same.’
Aerin gave another sigh. ‘I still think you did the right thing. I know Ruby doesn’t agree with me but you have to be sure he loves you. How could you build a future on anything less than true love?’
How indeed?