Steeling My Haart (6 page)

        
She
quickly located her phone from her purse and saw a new message flashing.

LILY:
He’s home and we’re okay.
 
Hope you’re surviving? Thanks for this,
Em.
 
I owe you one. I’ll text later
x

        
She
was slightly relieved at the message and although it didn’t give much away, it
was enough to let her know the evening was going reasonably well.
 
Shooting a quick text back reassuring
her that the kids were fine and asleep, she then turned to tackle the clean-up
of her kitchen.
 

        
When
she finally had a chance to check the time it was already approaching ten pm
and Emma was exhausted. The kids were still asleep, and her kitchen was sparkling.
She reached for her salad box and when she opened it the limp lettuce and cold
chicken didn’t look appetizing at all. Throwing it in the trash, she headed
back to the main living area to relax on the large, overstuffed brown sofa, when
she suddenly remembered the Blaze’s Bake cupcake that Bobby had slipped into
her bag. It was too late for a large meal, but never too late for a cupcake.
She grabbed the bag and refilled her wine glass before heading back to the
sofa. Turning on her music dock, she selected some easy listening tunes on low
in the background. She reached for her laptop and set about working on drafting
applications for Bruce and a few other clients.

        
A
couple of hours later, Emma’s eyes started to droop and Leo woke again ready
for more milk. She quietly warmed him some more and with a final diaper change
she took them both to bed. Sleep came quickly for them all.

Emma felt like she had barely slept
when at five-thirty Adie was jumping on her and Leo, and the day had begun. How
the hell Lily could do this every day, she didn’t know. Groggily she got up and
threw on a pair of sweat pants and a vest and took the kids out in to the main
living area to get them breakfast. Regretting both the wine and the late night,
she went through the motions of making Adie toast and Leo his milk. After changing
his diaper again, she brewed herself a coffee.

        
She
loved the kids so much, and she had to admit, they hadn’t actually been too
troublesome. Emma was beginning to question her well-ordered life again. This
was something that she could see in her future, she was twenty-eight and the
thought of this being her future life was a really warmed her heart. Sitting at
the breakfast bar with Adie and Leo sitting happily in the small travel chair
Emma had found, she started to daydream about how all those years ago this was
very nearly the life she had. It should have been her and Charlie here with
their beautiful child and the sleepless nights and fun packed days. Instead she
was lonely and her none existent love life was depressing. She was still too
hung up on proving the point that she was fine on her own with just her career.
Sure, she had her share of casual flings from time-to-time but as soon as a guy
decided to get more serious, she bolted. She had never found anyone with whom
she shared the same instant connection that she had with Charlie. Nor that
special someone with whom she could see herself settling. There was no one in
her life that could replace him, and until she found that connection again, she
had long ago resigned herself to making the most of her current situation.

        
After
a couple of hours of dressing up and playing princesses with Adie, she was
exhausted.
 
Her nails had been
painted every color of the rainbow. Her hair was now being styled into yet
another ponytail by the over excited little girl. As she was treated to the
full princess makeover she still managed to have some fun giggling and playing with
Leo on his play mat.
 
These kids had
been a delight to have and had brought a ray of brilliant sunshine that weekend
into her monotonous life.
 
As Adie
prepared to put another clip her hair, the buzzer for the apartment sounded.

        
Checking
the baby was secured in his chair and Adie was under firm instructions to stay
put, she darted down to the door. She wondered who was calling at this early
hour.
 
She wasn’t expecting Lily
until at least lunchtime yet it wasn’t beyond the realms of possibility she may
be early.
 
Emma was stunned to see
George in the corridor, clutching an M’s Place bag.
 
She buzzed him in to her apartment and
greeted him at the door.
 

        
“George,
to what do I owe this pleasure?” It wasn’t the first time that he had
personally been round to her place to deliver her food, but certainly the first
early morning call she had taken, and an unexpected one at that.

“Well, Miss Emma, a lovely person came
a callin’ on their way home last night and ordered me to drop this off for you
in the mornin’.
 
I was told to come
early Miss but I know you need your rest an’ all after your busy week.”
 
Assuming that Lily had sent George she
was immediately touched by her friends’ generosity as she gratefully took the
large pumpkin spiced latte and bag George was holding out to her.
 

        
“Oh,
George, thank you so much.
 
I have
had Lily’s kids overnight so I have been up for hours, but this is certainly a
welcome treat.”
 
The smile on her
face said it all.

        
“Well,
Miss Emma, I won’t keep you from your duty.
 
And hope you enjoy your breakfast.
 
I slipped a couple of your favorites in
there, too. I’ll be seein’ you. The diner won’t run itself.” He chuckled and
with a wave and a smile he was gone.

        
She
was smiling as she wandered back to her small guests, but she immediately
noticed it had gone a little too quiet for her comfort. Kicking herself for
being too trusting with the cheeky three year old, she quickly glanced around
the room. She was horrified to find Adie drawing all over a giggling Leo with
what appeared to be a felt pen.
 
On
closer inspection, her heart dropped to her stomach as she realized it was, in
fact, a thick black permanent marker. The baby was covered from head to foot in
thick black permanent scribbles and a very pleased Adie looked at her with wide
eyes.

        
“Doesn’t
Leo look pwetty, Auntie Em? Look he’s got ‘piders and bugs all over his
‘jamas!” she announced proudly.

       
Trying,
but failing miserably, to contain yet another round of giggles, she replied,
“Oh Ad, he looks… covered.
 
What
have you done that for, sweety?”
 

        
“’Cause
he looked boring, Auntie Em, and he wikes his bugs! Look! He’s smiling at me!” she
said.

        
The
pride in her innocent eyes melted Emma to the core until she realized she had
no clue how to clean permanent marker from a delicate child’s skin.
 
In one swift movement she managed to confiscate
the offending pen from Adie’s clutches. Grabbing her laptop she immediately
searched the Internet for advice. Reaching for the television remote, she
quickly found a cartoon channel to occupy one fidgeting three year old and set
about trying to figure out how she was going to explain this to Lily when she
got there. Thankfully, it took her all of two minutes to figure that baby wipes
and the baby oil from the diaper bag would work. Within a few minutes, both
kids were ink free and changed.
 

       
The
rest of the morning flew by in a haze of trying to entertain a restless Adie
and seeing to Leo. They danced, sang, and drew pictures, using pencils and
paper this time, and even attempted to bake a batch of pretty dodgy looking
cookies. By the time the buzzer to the apartment sounded a second time,
signaling Lily’s arrival, Emma was almost ready to flop.

        
“Lil,
thank God you’re here! I’m exhausted.” The words just spilled from her mouth as
she took her friend in a warm embrace. Lily looked so much better than she had
the night before and the dull eyes, dark circles and messy hair had been
replaced by a much more presentable front. Still, there was something about the
lack of sparkle in her eyes and the thick layer of makeup she appeared to be
wearing that concerned her.
 
Emma
was sure Lily was trying to put on a front and it wasn’t quite as convincing as
it could have been.

        
“Em,
thank you for this. I feel so much better. We cleared the air last night and Gary
filled me in on a lot of stuff.
 
I’m
just hoping this means we can go forward and be happy. He told me everything last
night but I won’t bore you with details. I understand more about his new job and
what prospects he might have, and I feel a whole lot better.” Lily was being a
bit cagey about telling her too much but he guessed she would share more in
time. “Now where are my kids? I’ve missed them so much.” Lily hollered
cheerfully to her two children as she walked quickly into the main room.

        
The
delighted squeals of Adie and the happy cooing of the baby suggested that the
kids were as happy to see their mom back as she was to see them.

        
“So,
Adie, have you been a good girl for Auntie Em?” Lily asked between the showers
of kisses she was raining on Adie’s beaming face.

        
“Yes,
Mommy, I’ve been weeeely good for Auntie Em. We made snow all over the kitchen
and I drew all over Leo and I’ve pwayed pwincesses, too!” The excitement was
almost bursting from her little mouth as she spoke.
 

        
“Do
I ask?” Lily turned to Emma with a huge grin on her face.

        
“Best
you don’t, I think! But we did have fun, and honestly, I think I’ve needed the
distraction. I haven’t ever had as much fun on a Saturday morning as I have
today. Oh, and thanks for the drink delivery this morning, too.
 
I really appreciated that.”
 

        
Looking
up at her quizzically, her friend replied, “What delivery?”

“You know, the latte and cupcakes you
sent from M’s Place?”

“Ohh, Em, I never sent those.” Lily’s
eyes lit up and she grinned widely and winked. “I wonder if you have a secret
admired, then!”

“Oh…” was all Emma could muster in
reply, and mentally taking note to ask George later who had ordered the
delivery.
 

        
After
a couple of hours of mindless chat with Emma filling Lily in on her trip to
Vegas that next week, it was time for them all to leave. Once they had packed
up the last of the kids’ stuff, Lily and the kids said their goodbyes.
 
They all headed down to the lobby arriving
just as a cab pulled up to the door. After a round of hugs and kisses from Adie
she waved them off and headed back to her apartment. Emma was once again alone
and actually appreciating the peace and quiet. Still slightly concerned, Emma
vowed to have a long chat with Lily after her trip to Vegas next week. For now,
she had a pile of paperwork to get through if she had any chance of going on
the trip.

        
Heading
to the bathroom to shower, Emma noticed a pool of water seeping out from under
the closed door.
 
As she slowly
pushed it open she took in the flooded room. Adie. That little girl just
attracted mischief. It looked like an entire roll of toilet paper had been
stuffed down the bowl and the lavatory had been flushed. If Emma hadn’t had so
much fun already that weekend she would have been mad. Thinking back to how stinking
cute Adie had been made the task of extracting the blockage and mopping the
floor much less arduous.

        
Eventually,
she showered and changed, rinsing off the kiddy grime she attracted
overnight.
 
Grabbing another coffee,
the excitement of the sleepover was forgotten as she opened the laptop again.
She spent the rest of the weekend to tackle the mountain of paperwork she had
to clear to allow for the Vegas trip on Tuesday.
 
It was well past midnight when she
finally gave in. After losing track of time she went to bed having gone another
day without eating. It was about time she started to look after herself, she
admitted silently. Sleep came almost instantly as her weary head hit the
pillow.

        
Monday
flew by in a blur of meetings, phone calls, and copious note taking by Jennie.
She had been fed a constant supply of coffee but again had not been given a
chance to eat.
 
By nine pm Emma was
starving and heading home by cab making a mental list of the things she needed
to do before the morning. Jennie had told her that a car would be by at seven
am to collect her and drive her to the airport to meet the private jet that
Bruce had arranged. All she would need really would be to pack a few key pieces
in her carry-on suit bag and the couple of files she had to review by Friday.

        
As
the driver was about to cross the intersection opposite M’s Place, she faltered
and noticed they were still open. Knocking on the dividing window, she asked
him to loop back. She decided to grab one last treat before she headed out for
the week. She had an addiction to those things and even the thought of not
having a pumpkin latte for three whole days was enough to set her into a spin.

        
As
the cab pulled to the curb she handed the driver his fare and a nice tip and
headed straight to the counter. She was slightly sorry to see that tonight she
was too late to see George and ask him about the mystery delivery. She quickly
grabbed a hot drink and a club sandwich and headed home.

        
Packing
for the trip took all of about an hour and by the time she had showered and
dried her hair, it was time to head to bed.
 
Walking through the apartment she began
to mentally organize what she hoped to get out of the trip. Bill, her boss, had
just told her to “Go get ‘em!” which was a lot of use but she sensed he was
confident she knew what to do and who to schmooze. Bill was as enthusiastic at
her simply going along to entertaining Bruce and his father and keeping them
happy. They were her department’s biggest source of work. She was nervous of
having to spend so much time in Bruce’s company. On the other hand, he would also
serve as a friendly face.
 
He was
more experienced at attending conferences of this scale. She felt sure that
despite her reservations about him, he would be the perfect person to show her
around and make introductions. She was also pretty pleased to hear from Jennie
that several people had already been enquiring as to whether she would be
attending.
 

        
As
she laid back into her large, soft bed, her mind then drifted to Bruce. She
knew him well enough to know he would be the perfect gent during the day and
would bring a lot of potential clients to her. She was slightly worried about
how to handle him when they had some downtime. He had been a touch over-familiar
with her of late; although he had never put her in a position to ever make her
feel uncomfortable in his company. He was the epitome of a perfect gentleman in
his actions and words whenever she had been in his presence. But she still felt
that there was something off with him and it still concerned her. She couldn’t
quite put her finger on it, but one thing that had concerned her was that she
had been the only woman he had been seen out with in a long time. She knew nothing
was going on but he never suggested anything to the contrary, even to the press
who had them pegged years ago as a couple.
  

        
The
conference ran from Tuesday through Friday, and it was likely that she would be
able to grab a few hours here and there especially at night where there would
be time to relax.
 
She had never
been to Las Vegas before and was excited to see the place, but she knew it
wasn’t somewhere that she would feel happy exploring alone.
 
She had to be careful to keep Bruce at
arms’ length. She vowed to stress to him how important it was that their
working relationship came first if things got out of hand. It was a perfect
excuse yet she hoped not to have to use it.
 
Besides she knew from speaking with Bill
that, although the firm had no strict non-fraternizing with client’s policy, it
was something that they didn’t look upon favorably. Especially in the case of
the lawyer-client relationship between Bruce and Emma, which had become pretty
pivotal, owing to the amount of work Bruce’s father brought into the firm.
   

        
She
would have to remain clearheaded and focused for the entire trip, and much as
she would have loved to kick back her heels and relax, she knew this wasn’t on
the agenda.
 

        
All
too soon, the alarm was blaring and Emma reluctantly dragged herself out of bed
to the bathroom.
 
After washing and securing
her long dark hair into a stylish topknot, she applied light makeup and put on
her comfy black slacks and a light pink sleeveless blouse.
 
She put on her casual summer jacket and
grabbed her favorite chiffon scarf and wrapped it around her neck then popping
on her over large sunglasses to finish the outfit.
 
She had decided to take her large black
leather purse. It could double as a briefcase for the conference as well as
being suitable enough to just carry her belongings.
 
Double-checking she had her passport and
plenty of cash, she went about straightening up the room around her.

        
When
the buzzer to her apartment rang right on seven am she grabbed her bags and a
travel mug full of coffee and headed down to the first floor.
 
As the elevator arrived, a very casual
looking Bruce was waiting in the lobby and he immediately stepped in to take
her flight bag and greet her.

        
 
“Morning, Emma, you are looking lovely as
ever,” he greeted her, and she noticed him giving her an admiring once over as
she walked past him to the lobby door. “This way please, m’lady, your carriage
awaits!” He swept his arm in the general direction of the town car limo parked
at the curbside.

        
“Morning,
Bruce, you’re extremely happy, considering the early morning hour.” She
grumbled, taking a huge gulp of her coffee. “It has everything to do with the
sparkling company I have for the next few days, if truth be known.
 
And you really aren’t a morning person,
are you, Emma?” He replied cheerfully.

        
She
smiled slightly at his remark and took another much-needed gulp before
replying, “Give the caffeine a chance to kick in and I’ll feel better.
 
It’s a business trip Bruce, I doubt I
will have much time to sparkle between the serious stuff.”

        
“Oh,
well, that is where you are wrong, Miss McKellan, I have tickets for the first
two days of the conference, then we have a day free to explore before the jet
is booked to fly us home,” he explained as the driver closed the door behind
them and set off for the airport. “Plus, I have a treat or two up my sleeve for
you to chase away those lonely evenings when we are there, on company expenses
of course.” He winked.

        
Her
heart dropped when she saw the cheerfulness radiating from his face and knew
that it wouldn’t be a good idea to spend a lot of alone time with him. “Really,
Bruce, that’s a nice thought, but I have brought some work to keep me occupied during
the evenings. Besides, I am sure you and your father have better things to do
than babysit a lawyer on your trip to Vegas,” she countered, trying to dodge
the suggestion she thought was headed her way.
 
Thank goodness Bruce’s father would be
there to act as a chaperone and to generally control his son thus helping Emma
to avoid any embarrassing scenarios.

        
“Oh,
Emma, I’m sorry I forgot to mention, my father can’t make it anymore.
 
He apologizes but he was asked at the
last minute to guest lecturer at another conference in London and is probably
half-way across the Atlantic, as we speak. I’m sorry I didn’t mention it
sooner.”

        
She
sighed inwardly wishing he had mentioned something earlier and muttered, “Oh,
great…”

        
He
winked at her again across the limo and cocked his mouth up in a half grin,
looking pretty pleased with himself.
 
Desperate to steer the conversation into a different direction, Emma
made sure they spent the rest of the journey to the airport talking about more
neutral work issues.

        
Reaching
the airport, the limo headed through the private entrance and the two of them
were ushered through a private security lounge and directly onto the tarmac. A
large, white and blue jet was waiting for them. There were a set of stairs to
the front of the plane and a gorgeous, petite blonde cabin hostess was at the
top ready to greet them. Emma noticed that Bruce never gave the stunning
hostess a second glance, despite the fact she was obviously checking him out.

        
As
Emma sat in a large leather chair opposite Bruce, the hostess handed her
another coffee and a tray of delicious-looking pastries. She took another good
look in Bruce’s direction before heading back to the galley. Emma took a moment
to take him in. Bruce was frowning deeply as he concentrated on typing a
message out on his cell phone.
 
He
was sporting a pair of black tight fit denim jeans and a white t-shirt that
stretched tight across his lean and surprisingly defined chest. He had a light
cotton sweater slung over his shoulders. His dark hair was messy, as if he’d
just jumped from the shower and dried it off without a thought. Even Emma had
to admit that she found him good-looking as she took him in. He definitely had
the looks to be a model.

        
It
made her wonder why he never seemed to have a significant other or why he
attended a lot of the work functions with her in tow, rather than some stunning
piece of arm candy. She knew he was single and that he rarely dated but asking
him why was going to be difficult. Especially with the promise she had made to
herself to keep this trip strictly professional. Catching her unaware, Bruce
looked up and caught her blatantly checking him out. “Liking something you see,
Miss McKellan?” He chuckled, evidently amused at her discomfort and he was watching
with a grin on his face as she turned beetroot red.

        
“Erm,
no, sorry, I just, erm, I’ve just never seen you wearing anything other than a
suit,” she blurted, cursing herself for the stupidity of getting caught.
Quickly glancing away and grabbing a random pastry and her coffee, she watched
out of the cabin window to her side as the plane taxied down the runway.
 
After a swift safety briefing and
announcement from the flight deck, they were lifting off and on their way to
Las Vegas.

        
Once
the plane had reached its cruising altitude and it was safe to walk around,
Emma nestled herself away from Bruce in the far corner of the luxurious
cabin.
 
The cabin hostess served a light
meal as the flight continued in an awkward silence. She managed to whip through
the entire batch of paperwork she had brought to review during the reasonably
long flight.
 
She had noticed that
after the earlier embarrassment Bruce seemed preoccupied with his cell. He had
spent a lot of the flight either scowling at it or simply gazing out of the
cabin window with an absorbed look on his face.