It Started With... Collection. Miranda Lee

       CHAPTER FIFTEEN

      ‘I STILL can’t believe it,’ Isabel said to Rafe as the returned honeymooners made the after-dinner coffee together in the kitchen.

      ‘What can’t you believe, darling? That you’ve come back home to find Rachel looking utterly gorgeous and glowing? Or that her creep of a boss—the one you’ve been ranting and raving about all afternoon—is actually a genuinely nice guy?’

      ‘Both. Frankly, I don’t know what to think any more. If I didn’t know Justin McCarthy’s history I’d say he just might be in love with her. The way he looks at her sometimes… As for Rachel, I’ve had to abandon any desperate hope I was clinging to that she might only be in lust with the man. She’s obviously mad about him.’

      Rafe glanced over the kitchen island at the woman he was mad about. ‘Then why are you still so worried?’ he said.

      ‘I just couldn’t bear to see her get hurt again. She’s had such a rotten deal in life so far, Rafe. She deserves to be happy.’

      ‘I know, sweetheart,’ Rafe said soothingly. ‘I know. But she’s a grown woman. She has to make her own choices and decisions in life. You can’t make them for her. Even if you could, what would you say? Leave him before he leaves you? You saw for yourself the physical transformation in her. Whatever happens between them in the end, that can’t be a bad thing.’

      ‘No… No, you’re right. If nothing else, falling for Justin McCarthy has done wonders for Rachel’s looks. It’s difficult to believe she’s the same girl who was worried about having a bit of red dye put in her hair three weeks ago today. I wonder what Alice makes of all this.’

      ‘Alice?’ Rafe frowned.

      ‘Justin’s mum. She was the one who got Rachel the job as Justin’s PA in the first place.’

      ‘Aah, yes. I remember now. Well, maybe Alice doesn’t know that her son’s new Girl Friday has been promoted to Girl Saturday and Sunday as well.’

      ‘If she doesn’t then that would be telling, don’t you think? You told your mother about us quick smart. Maybe I’ll try to find out over coffee.’

      ‘Isabel,’ Rafe said sharply. ‘Don’t interfere.’

      ‘But…’

      ‘No buts, darling, except butt out. It’s their life.’

      ‘Oh, don’t be so typically male! The trouble with you is you don’t really care. Rachel’s not your best friend.’

      ‘No. She’s not. Which is possibly why I’m a better judge of what you should and shouldn’t do. Now, let’s take this coffee out to our guests and finish this very pleasant evening chatting about non-inflammatory subjects.’

      ‘Such as what?’

      ‘How about Rachel’s new look? That should keep you two girls going till after midnight, talking about hair and make-up and clothes.’

      ‘Very funny.’

      ‘Justin and I could discuss manly things, such as money and football and sex.’

      ‘You’re a male chauvinist pig, Rafe St Vincent.’

      ‘Not at all. Just a typical male, as you so cleverly pointed out. And, speaking of typical males, I wonder if Rachel would consider accidentally on purpose getting pregnant to the marriage-shy Mr McCarthy. It’s amazing how the thought of your own cute little baby-to-be can focus even the most commitment-phobic people.’

      Isabel’s eyebrows arched. ‘Now, that’s an idea. But a bit too soon, I think. Though I might mention it to her later on. Trust you to come up with that one,’ she finished ruefully.

      ‘All brilliantly successful ideas should be shared. Come along, darling. If we don’t get out there with this coffee, it’ll be stone-cold!’

      Rachel knew Isabel was out there in the kitchen gossiping to Rafe about her and Justin. But nothing her friend could say would stop her from continuing with her relationship with Justin. The more time she spent with him, the more deeply she fell in love with him. And it wasn’t just the sex bewitching her. It was definitely the man. He was everything Eric had never been. Kind. Considerate. Caring. And funny, when he wanted to be. She’d been amazed at what a witty conversationalist he’d been over dinner with people he hadn’t met before. It was obvious Rafe liked him. And Isabel too, if she’d put aside her personal prejudice long enough to admit it.

      ‘I like your friends,’ Justin said whilst they were sitting there at the dining table alone, waiting for the coffee. ‘And I like their house,’ he added, glancing around the cosy dining alcove which came off the main lounge room upstairs.

      ‘They’ll probably buy a bigger place after their baby is born,’ Rachel remarked.

      ‘They’re expecting a baby?’

      ‘Didn’t I say so? I thought I had. Yes, Isabel was already expecting before they got married. But that wasn’t why they got married. They planned it that way. Or Rafe did. Actually, Isabel wasn’t going to get married at all. But she wanted a baby. Oh, dear, I’m not explaining this very well. It’s a bit complicated.’

      Justin smiled. ‘It sounds it.’

      ‘Let me try to explain it better. Now, let’s see…a few months back Isabel decided to have a baby using artificial insemination, then raise it by herself, because she was sick to death of falling in love with Mr Wrong. You know the kind. Not exactly good husband or father material. She’d already tried the idea of marrying with her head rather than her heart, and was engaged to this really nice architect who felt the same way, but two weeks before their wedding he fell head over heels for another girl and called the wedding off. It was around this time—only a couple of months back really—that Isabel met Rafe. He was going to be her wedding photographer. Right from their first meeting, she was very attracted to him. No, that’s understating things. She fancied him like mad. So much so that when she found out he was single and unattached she asked him to go away with her on her pre-booked and pre-paid honeymoon, on a strictly sex basis with no strings attached. Naturally, Rafe agreed.’

      ‘Naturally,’