In the Heat of the Spotlight
Aaron’s mouth curved in a humourless smile. ‘Well, look at you. All right. I’ll think about it.’
Luke shook his head. ‘Forget it. I resign.’
‘You don’t need to overreact—’
‘No. But I need to stop working for you. In any capacity. Don’t worry, Aaron. I’m sure you’ll find someone else to be your stooge.’ Luke turned away and he heard Aaron’s exasperated sigh.
‘It’s that woman, isn’t it? She’s changed you.’
‘Yes, she’s changed me. But not in the way you think. She’s believed in me, trusted me, and that’s something you’ve never done. And I don’t want that pat on the head, Aaron. I’m done. I’m done trying to earn it from you or anyone.’
With one last hard look at his brother, determination now surging through him, Luke left the office.
* * *
Aurelie clutched a flute of champagne and eyed the circulating crowd nervously. She still didn’t see Luke or the man she knew must be his brother Aaron. He’d looked just like him, except a little taller and broader, a lot angrier.
She took a sip of champagne, forced herself to swallow. When she’d walked offstage she’d felt the tension between the two men and she’d had a horrible, plunging feeling they’d been arguing about her. No doubt Aaron wasn’t pleased about her part in the reopening galas. And as for Luke?
What did he feel?
She realised she didn’t know the answer to that question. The last few days had been wonderful, but had they been real? You could probably fall in love with anyone in this kind of situation, out of time and reality. And she knew she must be different from the women Luke had known, those three serious relationships he’d had. Maybe the novelty had worn off. Maybe Aaron had made him realise that she wasn’t really a long-term proposition.
‘I should congratulate you.’ She froze, then slowly turned to face the unsmiling gaze of Aaron Bryant. His assessing look swept her from her head to her toes and clearly found her lacking. ‘You’ve managed to ensnare my brother, at least for the moment.’
It was so much what Aurelie had been thinking, what she’d feared, that she struggled to form any kind of reply. ‘I haven’t ensnared anyone,’ she finally answered, her voice thankfully even.
‘No? It’s true love, then, is it?’ He sounded so mocking, so disbelieving, that Aurelie stiffened. Didn’t say anything, because she wasn’t about to give this man any ammunition.
And she didn’t even know if Luke loved her. He hadn’t said those three important words yet, but then neither had she.
Aaron shook his head. ‘Be kind to him when you’re finished, at least. He deserves that much.’
Surprise flashed through her. She hadn’t expected Aaron to care about Luke’s feelings. ‘I have no intention of finishing with him.’
‘No? Then perhaps he’ll wise up and finish with you.’ With one last dismissive glance, he turned away.
Aurelie stood there, her fingers clenched around the fragile stem of her flute of champagne, the cold fingers of fear creeping along her spine. She knew Aaron had been trying to get to her, to wind her up or put her down or both. It didn’t matter what he had said.
What mattered was her response. It all felt so familiar, this encroaching panic, the ensuing clinginess. The terror that Luke would leave her, that she’d be lost without him. She’d lose herself.
She’d changed in so many ways, so many wonderful ways, thanks to Luke. But she hadn’t, it seemed, changed in the way that mattered most.
She was going to lose herself again. She felt it, in the hollowness that reverberated through her, a sudden, sweeping emptiness at the thought that Luke might leave her. Maybe she couldn’t do relationships after all. Maybe this was what would always happen with her.
Somehow she circulated through the crowd, smiled, nodded, said things, although she wasn’t sure what they were. She looked for Luke and caught a glimpse of him across the crowded room.
He was deep in discussion, a frown settled between his brows. Aurelie stared at him for a taut moment and then, without thinking, she turned on her heel and made it to the safety of her dressing room.