Page 13 of Modern Romance September 2026 Books 1-4

‘Yes, there’s a lot to do if we’re going to make this convincing. There’s an event this evening that we can attend, and while we’re doing this I think it’s a good idea for you to stay at my property.’

‘Now, hang on a second—’

‘It’ll be entirely above board. You’ll have your own private suite of rooms and my property is fully staffed. I don’t intend for you to feel uncomfortable. This is purely for practical reasons. We will also need to travel, which I’m assuming won’t be an issue with documentation as your work already involves travel?’

‘Um, no, I mean, yes…that’s all in order.’

‘Then you don’t need anything but your passport. I’ll be here to meet you when you arrive.’

And then he was gone. The call terminated. Hope lifted the device away from her ear and looked at it. A whirlwind had just happened and she was in the eye of the storm.

She couldn’t stop the rush of butterflies in her gut even as she belatedly registered the way he’d said there’s a lot to do if we’re going to make this convincing. She couldn’t really be insulted. He was right. She had no clue about his world.

Had she just made the most rash decision of her life? Undoubtedly. Was it ethically questionable to transgress the boundaries like this? Without a doubt. Did she regret it? She waited a second for regret to hit, but it didn’t.

Stifling a little semi-hysterical giggle, she realised she now had less than an hour to pack up her life for an indefinite period of time, and raced for the shower.

* * *

‘We’re here, Miss Smith.’

Hope didn’t need to be told. She looked out of the car window to see a grand white stucco house. Three stories. It was on a quiet leafy residential street in the kind of London neighbourhood Hope had no business visiting. There had been a security hut at the entrance to the street.

The house was set back behind formidable-looking gates and there was a wide generous area in front of the house with enough room for a bus to do a circle.

Derek opened her door and Hope got out, feeling seriously intimidated. There were steps leading up to a massive front door painted in immaculate glossy black.

Then the door opened and a woman in a black and white uniform appeared, smiling and holding out her hand. ‘Good morning, Miss Smith. I’m Rachel, Mr Drakos’s housekeeper.’

Hope shook her hand and said, ‘Please, call me Hope.’ She immediately felt shabby even though she’d dressed in what she considered one of her smartest outfits—a pair of slim-fitting straight trousers in black and a sleeveless cream silk shirt, paired with flat open-toe sandals—but now she realised she could be mistaken for staff.

It was late summer and still muggy and she could feel a bead of sweat at the small of her back.

‘Very well, Hope, come with me. I’ll show you to your rooms.’

Hope hesitated. She’d packed a small wheelie case, but even as she registered that thought she saw Derek take it out of the boot and almost winced at its shabbiness just as a young man appeared from seemingly nowhere and Derek handed it to him.

‘Don’t worry,’ said Rachel cheerfully. ‘It’ll be delivered to your room.’

Hope dutifully followed the woman into a black-and-white-marble-floored hall. In the centre was a circular table and in the middle of that was a huge vase containing a profusion of colourful blooms.

Hope stopped in her tracks. ‘The flowers are stunning.’

Rachel said sotto voce, ‘The boss usually never has flowers in the house but for some reason he ordered them first thing this morning.’

Hope’s insides felt squishy. Was that because of her? Well, he had ended up wearing a flower she’d put in a vase. And also, how on earth could you order flowers literally within the last two hours and have them here?

A door opened on the far side of the hall and a slim woman in a suit with her hair back in a sleek chignon came out, pulling the door behind her again but not before Hope had caught a glimpse of a long table and people in suits and not before she’d heard the familiar deep timbre of a voice. His voice. It sent something else through her, like a frisson of electricity.

‘Hope? This way.’

Hope came out of her stupor and hurried after the housekeeper, who was walking up a grand set of stairs leading off the hall. They were carpeted, a deep almost silver-grey colour, and Hope’s feet sank into the luxurious pile. She whispered at Rachel’s back, ‘Should I take off my shoes?’

The woman glanced back at her. ‘Oh, that’s not necessary.’

No, because some staff member would probably be right behind her hoovering in her wake.

She had to hurry to keep up with Rachel’s brisk walk as she led her down a long corridor and then opened a door and stood back to let Hope precede her inside. Hope couldn’t help gasping. She’d never been in a five-star hotel but this was how she imagined it would be.