I turn to face my fiery friend with a chip half way to my mouth. I was an idiot if I thought I could get away with mooding in peace. I give her a non-committal shrug, popping the chip in my mouth and chewing lazily. Talking about it will only emphasise the fact that I am actually mooding over it – “it” being a man.
‘You like him. ’
Yes, I do. I don’t want to, but I do. ‘He’s bad news. You saw him today. ’ I grumble.
She makes a dramatic display of rolling her eyes and throwing herself back on the sofa. ‘You stood him up for your ex-boyfriend,’ She puts her plate on the coffee table in front of the sofa. ‘Ava, what did you expect?’
I frown at her. ‘He didn’t know why I stood him up. As far as he’s concerned, I just stood him up. ’
‘Well, he doesn’t like being stood up then, does he? She laughs. ‘Oh, by the way, I’m seething with you. ’ She turns all serious.
What have I done? Oh, yes. She must be talking about my little Dan grenade. ‘Would you have preferred it if I hadn’t of told you?’ I ask.
‘You’ve not left me much time to leave town!’ she wails at me.
Oh, the drama! ‘You’re overreacting. You don’t have to see him. ’
‘No, I don’t. And I won’t!’
‘That’s okay then, isn’t it?’ I go for subject change. ‘Sam?’ I raise my eyebrows.
‘Isn’t he yummy? Jesse came back to the bar – with a face like thunder, by the way – so I left them to it. He took my number. ’
‘You’re a tart Kate Matthews!’
‘I know!’ she shrieks. ‘How were things left with the Lord?’ She looks at me carefully, weighing up my reaction to her question.
‘He was still mad, he stormed off. ’ I shrug.
She smiles. ‘He’s pretty intense. ’
I start laughing. ‘Pretty? I lose all cognitive thought when I’m around him. When he touches me, it’s like I hand over all control of my mind and body to him. It’s frightening. ’
‘Wow. ’
‘Yes, it’s pretty wow. ’
She turns back to the television. ‘I like him,’ she says quietly, almost like she’s afraid to admit it, like it’s wrong to like him. ‘I’m just saying. ’ She shrugs but doesn’t look at me. ‘He’s rich, steaming hot and obviously well into you. A man doesn’t behave like that when he’s just fucking about, Ava. ’
Well, that may be so, but it doesn’t change the fact that he’s cleared off and my phone hasn’t rang since. It’s probably a good thing.
‘Do you fancy a proper night out on Saturday?’ I ask. It’s a stupid question that I already know the answer to.
The look she fires me is mischievous. I grin back at her.
The next day, I breeze into the Royal Park hotel at twelve fifteen, all set for my appointment with Mikael Van Der Haus. I’m directed into a snug sitting area with plush sofas. Gilded frames swamp the walls and a carved fire place dominates the room. It’s typically regal. I’m offered tea which I decline in favour of water. It’s bloody
hot, and my black pencil dress is clinging to me.
Twenty minutes later, Mr Van Der Haus enters looking impeccable. He’s really very handsome. He smiles brightly at me, revealing a perfect row of white teeth. What is it with me and older men at the moment? I hastily bat away my wayward thoughts.
‘Ava, please accept my apologies. I never like to keep a lady waiting. ’ His mild Danish accent is only just detectable but really sexy.
Stop! I rise from my seat as he approaches, putting my hand out to him with a smile. He takes my hand, but shocks me when he leans forward and kisses me on the cheek. Okay, that’s slightly inappropriate, but I’ll go with it. Maybe it’s a Danish thing. Ha! I would do well to remember what happened that last time a male client kissed me on a first meeting.
‘Mr Van Der Haus, it’s not a problem. I’ve not long arrived myself. ’ I reassure him.
‘Ava, this is our second project together. I know you dealt with my partner on Lusso, but I will be involved in The Life Building a lot more, so please, call me Mikael. I hate formality. ’ He takes a seat in the chair opposite me, crossing his long legs. ‘So, I’m looking forward to going through ideas with you soon. ’