Alex’s eyes hardened. ‘Sexual advances? Why, you little—! I wasn’t making sexual advances, I was—’
‘Don’t tell me,’ she scorned. ‘You were making love to me?’
‘Yes!’ he snapped, his face rigid.
Lauri gave a harsh laugh. ‘When you love someone it’s called that, and I’m not stupid enough to think you love me. If you’re hoping to persuade me to see Laurence then you’re wasting your time—I don’t want to see him, just as I don’t want to see you. I would have thought that was obvious by now, or are you just too conceited to have got the message?’
‘Oh, I’ve got the message, once and for all. You’re a stupid, stubborn female, and I don’t know why I’ve wasted my time on you this long. Run away, little girl, it’s the last time you’ll need to do so on my account. I’m tired of playing little-girl games, I’m going out to get myself a woman, and right now!’
Each word was like a blow to Lauri, a physical blow. She gave a choked sob before turning on her heel and running. The party was going well, all the work and preparation beforehand now seemed worth it. The engagement hadn’t been announced yet, and wouldn’t be for some hours, not until everyone was here.
Lauri was responsible for the arrangement of the room, the fine selection of records, and the beautiful display of food. She had had all week to organise this party, to make it a special occasion for Jane and Robin. There had been nothing else for her to do, she hadn’t managed to find another job for herself yet.
It seemed poor Jane had been bearing the brunt of Alex’s anger all week; his attitude seemed to be that if he couldn’t get at Lauri then her aunt would do instead. Poor Jane had been made to work late every evening, which made Robin furious.
Lauri had seen nothing of Alex herself. Not that she had expected to after their last stormy encounter. But she had longed to, had wanted him with a fever that made her pride seem stupid and childish. But if she were to go to him and he were to reject her, as he was likely to do, she would be more hurt than ever.
She had given Laurence Daniels a lot of thought too. No matter how much she hated the thought of discovering he was her father she was also drawn to him, to getting to know the man he was.
She went once again to answer the doorbell, sure that almost everyone was here now. Her eyes widened as she saw Alex Blair standing on the doorstep. She wanted so much to see him, and now that he was here in front of her she could only stand and gape at him.
‘What’s going on?’ He quirked an eyebrow at the sound of music and chatter coming from the room behind her.
She swallowed hard, unable to take her eyes off him, off how attractive he looked in cream fitted trousers and a cream silk shirt that made his tanned skin all the more noticeable. ‘A—a party,’ she answered haltingly.
He nodded. ‘Can you leave it?’
‘Leave?’
‘Laurence needs you. I told him I would come and get you. Don’t worry,’ he added grimly, ‘I’m not here on my own account. I’ve given up on children.’
‘And found yourself a woman,’ she said with remembered bitterness.
‘Yes.’
‘I hope she proves satisfactory.’
‘Very. Now will you come to the hospital with me or not?’
‘Is he worse?’ Lauri couldn’t keep the concern out of her voice.
‘The doctors are worried about him.’
‘And so are you, apparently.’
He shrugged. ‘Let’s just say that now I’m a man I’ve decided to put such childish things as revenge behind me.’ He gave her a pointed look. ‘Something some people can talk about but never put into practice. Hating Laurence was juvenile and destructive. Who’s to say I wouldn’t do the same thing, trapped in a marriage that hadn’t had any love in it for years? Laurence suffered for trying to find love, by loving your mother I think he was punished enough.’
‘But his loving my mother produced me,’ Lauri said dully.
‘He wants to see you, Lauren.’ He studied her closely. ‘And I think deep down you really want to see him.’
‘Yes,’ she admitted with a sigh. ‘I want—I want to know about the love they shared, how he felt when he saw me for the first time. There are so many things I want to know. Alex, I—’
‘Lauri, are you—Mr Blair!’ Steve stood behind them. ‘What are you doing here?’ he asked bluntly.
‘Borrowing your niece for an hour or so,’ Alex answered him pleasantly enough.
Steve looked at Lauri. ‘But you can’t leave now. What about the engagement?’