Clouded Judgement. NICHOLA HARVEY
organising the necessary arrangements, we’re all set to head to Perth for these interviews: business class of course.”
Not expecting anything less from Asher, I scoffed sardonically. “A suggestion you orchestrated, no doubt.”
“Naturally.”
Eyeing him suspiciously, I cocked a brow sharply. “I sense a hidden agenda.”
It was Asher’s turn to scoff. “You know me...” That I did.
With the feeling I’d unquestionably regret asking him later, I casually waved a hand, motioning for him to continue. “Enlighten me with your reasoning.”
Pleased, he smiled broadly. “Firstly, for the booze, and secondly, for those gorgeous, leggy airline hostesses in the hope they’ll consider joining the Mile-High Club with me.”
Laughter bubbled to the surface. “Mind always in the gutter, Ash. Now, can we get back to the matter at hand, please? As in the relevant details?”
“Righto.” My mouth twitched in suppressed amusement as his doleful gaze glanced down at the iPad balanced in his lap. “Um, Monday, next week; I’m assuming that suits you?”
I acknowledged with a curt nod. “That’s fine. I’m presuming we’ll be there for a few days, yes?”
“We arrive Monday afternoon, so I thought why not spend the remainder of the day relaxing, have dinner etcetera, then start Tuesday morning afresh? Space the interviews out until Wednesday afternoon and fly home Thursday morning, how does that sound?”
I voiced my approval. “Sounds good. So, where are we staying? Leaving the details with Teddy’s imperative.”
A ghost of a smile danced on Asher’s lips. “….Whittemore’s in Adelaide Terrace.”
His choice of accommodations hadn’t surprised me in the least either.
What initially began as a small boutique hotel in the upmarket district of South Kensington, London at the start of the century by his great-great-grandfather, Whittemore’s Hotels quickly gained quite the glowing reputation due to a first-rate service given to all their customers. Thus, becoming one of the fastest growing chains around the world. His wild and womanising great-great-grandson, Damon, managed the Perth branch alongside his quirky parents, Sebastian and Catherine. Besides his philandering appetite, you couldn’t fault him, though. A visionary, he continually looked to expand the family’s empire. His most recent acquisition of fifty-six hectares on Phillip Island for a cool four million was a prime example of that vision. He’d also taken it upon himself to acquire the services of my company to build the one hundred room resort with the contract drawn and signed already. But until Port Phillip Council approved the plans, we were at a standstill. I scribbled in my diary, making a note to call them later in the hope I’d find out what the hold up was.
“I’ll flick Damon a quick text to make him aware of our visit,” I stated happily. “I haven’t seen the old boy in ages, so a catch up is definitely in order.”
“Hence my reasoning behind us staying a few days.” I chuckled as Asher continued, “Damo’s quite the character, it’ll be good to let our hair down.”
My brows shot up. “Where he’s concerned, we’ll be doing a lot more than that, I can assure you.”
A dirty laugh escaped Asher’s quirking lips. “Demon Damon has always been a hoot to hang out with.”
I snorted derisively; Eve hadn’t called us the troublesome trio without reason.
“Is that all?” I queried purposely changing the subject. “I have a few more tasks that require my full attention before day’s end. Otherwise, Teddy shall kick my arse if I spend another late night at the office.”
Azure blue eyes twinkled at me as Asher shook his head. “I swear your brain’s visible man, ‘cause that thumbprint…has grown to a cavernous size.”
I threw the pen grasped between my fingers directly at his head. “Haven’t you got someone else to annoy?”
“Only the lovely lady at the coffee stand outside.” He grinned, ducking his head. “But she’s not free for another hour.”
∞
Teddy
HAVING SPENT THE MORNING running around in the scorching heat, I thumped down in the chair and leaned back, grateful for the cooling vent above as it fanned my overheated face. “It’s bloody boiling out there.”
“I feel sorry for anyone who doesn’t have the luxury of air-conditioning,” Emily rambled, slouching in her seat and propping her Roman sandal-clad feet up on the desk.
“I’m glad I have it, as well as the pool, which I’ll be jumping into the second I get home.” I sighed and took a sip of water from the bottle I’d purchased from the café downstairs on my way back. “Do you mind if we have lunch downstairs today? This awful weather is making me feel nauseous, and I don’t feel up to walking too far.” Strangely enough, though, I was starving. Pregnancy was weird that way.
“Sure.”
Considering I was hungry, I picked. Instead of eating my choice of salad, quinoa and brown rice with grilled salmon, I pondered, blocking out the noises flowing around me. Chattering became indistinct as did the clatter of dishes and the scraping of chairs. Emily too became a victim of my vague state. Mind you I think I’d switched off well and truly before she began eating her Thai beef salad amidst prattling on about a guy she’d started dating only a few weeks prior to my disclosure. She might have possibly told me. But I surmised the preoccupation of my past, present and future may have caused it to slip my mind.
Although time had passed since giving full disclosure, the drama consequently following still weighed heavily—likewise, the bothersome tension brewing amongst Ari’s immediate family. A discord I’d triggered, and equally, it ran along the same parallel lines as my morning sickness, persistently annoying as well as arduous.
Ari’s family wasn’t the only it seemed as Emily suddenly vexed her frustration at my lack of attention, making me bear witness to a temper she’d never shown before.
Startled by the fork slamming onto the boho patterned ceramic plate, I jumped in my seat. “Was that necessary, Emily?”
“Have you heard anything I’ve said? At all?”
My brows furrowed as I met her blazing gaze. “Honestly, no. I must have zoned out there for a minute.”
“Oh, it’s great to see you’re interested in whatever I have to say!” she chastened, hurt marring her voice.
“I wasn’t doing it intentionally!” I shot back defensively, dropping my cutlery either side of my plate.
She scoffed. “What, just because my life isn’t as exciting as yours, it’s not worth listening to in your eyes?”
“I’ve always shown an interest in your life!” I argued, deliberately lowering my voice at the realisation our intense argument had attracted attention. “And simmer down, people are staring at us.” I winced. I sounded like the one person I never wanted to aspire to be; my mother.
Emily’s aggrieved gaze glanced around the café. “Yeah, so. They should learn to mind their own business.”
“Don’t be petulant, Ems,” I scolded. “I do listen to you, and I’m sorry I wasn’t earlier. I’ve just got a lot going on right now, no excuse I know.”
“You’ve been distracted for months now. I thought we talked about everything, and lately, you’ve refused to share anything with me.”
Sighing heavily, I picked up the napkin in my lap, twisting it between my fingers as I contemplated. But it had become clear that Emily’s