She had felt like a little rowboat that had accidently come away from its moorings and was drifting out to sea. So she’d made a secret scrapbook about her mother and hidden it in her wardrobe and brought it out when she’d been at her lowest. Writing down the things she needed to achieve in a journal after that had been a natural progression. Reading over them had helped to ground her. Helped her to keep things real in her head. But had she become a little bit obsessive about those goals? A little bit rigid?
‘I must say I’m surprised to see marriage way down on your list.’ Lukas’s comment from weeks ago came back to her. He’d said it only made her more attractive to him. She went over the scene they’d just had in her kitchen. Fortunately, he wasn’t the type who would ask her to reprioritise her goals so why was she even questioning them?
* * *
Lukas paused behind the wheel of his car after leaving Eleanore’s apartment. What had just happened up there? One minute he’d been thinking about inviting her to spend the day with him and taking her to a couple of buildings he was thinking of purchasing for his school and the next he’d panicked. It had been those damned cookies. Or muffins or whatever the hell they were. No woman had ever baked for him other than Maria and she was sixty. She baked for anyone and everyone. When he’d found Eleanore in the kitchen looking like, yes, a domestic goddess, he’d felt special.
He released a shaky laugh and realised that his hands were trembling. He tightened his grip on the steering wheel. For all he knew Eleanore baked all the time as well and passed her wares around like confetti. She’d told him earlier on that she could cook so... He chuckled and let out a long breath.
Special?
What a fool.
Clearly the sex had fried his brain cells. That was all that had just happened.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
‘ELEANORE, YOU’VE DONE an amazing job.’
Eleanore beamed at Isabelle and gave her a quick hug. ‘I’m just so happy you came.’
‘I apologise for missing the opening of Glaciers. Work has been crazy busy.’
‘That’s okay. It’s water under the bridge. How’s Olivia?’
‘Getting married.’
‘I just heard! And to a Chatsfield... I can’t wait to meet him.’
Isabelle tossed her dark hair behind her shoulder. ‘Please don’t mention that name to me. Of course I’m happy for Olivia but going to family Christmases will be untenable if Spencer happens to be there. Those ones I might have to miss.’
‘He still giving you grief?’
‘He gives me nothing but grief.’ Something sparked in her sister’s eyes but Eleanore couldn’t place it. Was it pain? Had Spencer done something to harm her?
‘Issy, are you okay?’
‘Fine. I’d rather not talk about Spencer though. I’d rather talk about your email.’
‘Oh, right. I was a bit fired up the day I wrote it but...’
‘Don’t apologise. I thought it was excellent. And you’re right. You should have more responsibilities within Harrington’s.’
‘Really?’ Eleanore blinked, wide-eyed.
‘Really.’ She paused and Eleanore could almost hear a drum roll. ‘How does Vice President of Business Development Australasia sound?’
Eleanore nearly dropped her mocktail. ‘Come again?’
Isabelle smiled. ‘I’m really sorry, El. I’ve been so caught up in getting the business up to speed since Dad died I should have thought of it earlier.’
‘Vice president...’ Eleanore grinned. ‘Are you kidding me?’
‘You don’t want it?’ Isabelle teased, smoothing her hair behind her ear.
‘Of course I want it but...’
Isabelle’s dark brows drew together. ‘But what?’
Yes, Eleanore, but what?
‘But...’ Eleanore tried to work out the mixed emotions tumbling around inside her stomach. This was everything she had dreamed about and more and yet even now her eyes were seeking out Lukas. She hadn’t seen him since they had parted ways that morning and she’d been hoping to walk in with him to gage his reaction to the gala opening. Watch him turn those bright blue eyes on her as he took in the bar staff and their swanky, specially lined black tie jackets, the waiters on ice skates carrying silver trays filled with canapés above their heads, and the who’s who quaffing special drinks designed by Lulu for the night.