‘It’s complicated.’
‘Complicated?’ Kate nodded with interest. ‘What’s his name?’
‘Who says it’s a he?’
‘Your secrecy, the way your voice has gone all funny and the way you’ve gone bright red... Need I go on?’
Damn it. ‘Am I that obvious?’
‘’Fraid so,’ she said, her eyes dancing. ‘So come on—spill.’
‘His name’s Marcus.’
‘Ooh, Marcus—nice name.’
She shot her sister a look and Kate immediately straightened,
her fingers moving to her pursed lips and making a zip-like motion.
Jennifer rolled her eyes and continued. ‘He already heads up several successful ventures, so I have complete faith that he will keep things ticking over if I were to split my time fifty-fifty between here and London. More if need—’
Her sister gave a dramatic yawn. ‘Dull, dull, dull! I meant, what’s he like? There must be something about him if he’s managed to get my unflappable sister’s knickers in a twist.’
‘He isn’t doing anything with my knickers.’ Her cheeks flushed over the outright lie and at her desire to have him play with them a hundred times over. ‘And you’re missing the point. Having Marcus means I can be at home more without jeopardising work.’
‘But won’t that mean time away from your hunky partner?’
‘I didn’t say he was hunky.’
‘You didn’t have to.’
‘If you think teasing me about my new business partner is going to take the focus off you, missy, you’re very much mistaken. University—you’re going.’
Kate floundered before her.
‘Look, you have to make your choices now, and you need to get it right. And, since I’m paying, I get a parental vote.’ Her sister bristled a little at the last, but she continued. ‘Besides, you won’t leave for another year or so—plenty of time for me to take care of things operationally.’
Perhaps even move up north for good...
With a sigh, Kate picked up a cloth from the side and started to wipe up the coffee she had spilled.
Jennifer sipped her drink and said nothing, hoping the next words out of her sister’s mouth would be the right ones.
‘I’m not saying it’s a definite yes,’ she said eventually, ‘but I’ll think about it.’
Jennifer smiled. ‘You’d better make it a definite yes, or I’m taking back that Mini Cooper you love so much.’
Kate visibly recoiled. ‘You wouldn’t?’
Her smile became a grin. She was happy to rib her sister a little. ‘Wouldn’t I...?’
‘Just you try.’ Kate waved the dirty cloth in the air and stepped towards her. ‘You want some coffee to mix in with that sweat, sis?’
Kate lunged for her and she squealed, making a break for it and doing her utmost not to spill her coffee in the process. ‘Put that rag anywhere near me and the Cooper goes today.’
‘Yeah, yeah—whatever you say.’
‘I mean it.’