Max looked at her searchingly. ‘Are you sure?’
She nodded. ‘I’m still here, aren’t I?’ she scorned.
Yes, she was—and as verbally resentful as ever. Oh, well, what had he expected? Nothing had happened to change that since they’d parted last night. In fact, from what she had just said, the opposite!
‘So you are,’ he conceded dryly. ‘But I understand you will be at the hotel this evening?’ There was a notice up outside the piano-bar that tonight would be January’s last performance for a while.
Max’s mouth had thinned disapprovingly as he’d read the notice earlier; Peter Meridew obviously couldn’t even do that right! By making such a public announcement the other man was effectively letting anyone who cared to know that January would be driving home alone this evening one last time…!
‘Yes, I will,’ January confirmed abruptly, her chin raised challengingly. ‘Can I expect to see you there?’
His mouth twisted humourlessly. ‘I wouldn’t be surprised,’ he drawled.
Her eyes flashed dark grey. ‘Neither would I!’
He gave an acknowledging bow before turning to a frowning May; obviously she wasn’t at all happy about her youngest sister’s rudeness. ‘I wish you every success with your possible acting career,’ he told her warmly.
May looked embarrassed again. ‘I haven’t definitely decided to go ah
ead with that yet.’
‘But she will,’ January said determinedly.
‘Maybe,’ May conceded. ‘Have a good flight home tomorrow, Max.’
Once again one of the sisters had assumed that his home was in America. But this time he was too weary to correct the mistake.
‘Thanks,’ he accepted with a smile. ‘I’ll see you later, then, January.’
She gave him a look that clearly said, Not if I see you first!
Max chuckled softly. ‘Or perhaps not,’ he allowed ruefully.
Although that humour faded as soon as he was outside, taking a moment to stand and look at the surrounding countryside with narrowed eyes.
Had someone followed January home last night? Or was it as she said, just another local resident driving home late at night?
He didn’t know. And neither did she. Not really. She couldn’t.
January wasn’t going to like it, he knew, but this was definitely something the police should be made aware of.
He also had one more call to make this afternoon on his way back to the hotel to pack.
To Josh.
January might see all of this as some sort of paranoia on his part, but if it stopped her from getting hurt, paranoid was exactly what he would be!
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
‘NO JOHN this evening?’
January turned to find Max just entering the bar, his opening comment drawing attention to the fact that there was someone else working behind the bar this evening.
Before his gaze narrowed on January’s own appearance, a shutter coming down over those blue eyes as he took in the scarlet knee-length dress she was wearing this evening.
January’s chin rose defensively as Max’s gaze swept over her from head to toe; she had decided that if this really was her last evening working here, then she was going out with a flourish! The figure-hugging, scoop-necked scarlet dress was the result of that bravado.
She shrugged, determined to ignore Max’s all-seeing gaze. ‘He was here earlier, apparently, but has since gone off sick,’ she answered Max’s earlier comment. ‘Probably still having trouble with his ankle,’ she dismissed, a little disappointed that she wouldn’t see John again before leaving; he had always been very kind to her. ‘Football,’ she explained at Max’s frowning look.