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In the end, Alex wandered downstairs into the café where he’d taken Harriet that fateful day not all that long ago. After ordering a bagel and another coffee, he sat down at the same table and stared through the window at the passing parade whilst his inner tension escalated to a level he’d never experienced before. By the time a pale-faced Harriet showed up for work shortly before eleven, Alex’s temples were pounding and his shoulder blades ached.
At least she didn’t keep him waiting. She came straight into his office, stood in front of his desk and said bluntly, ‘I’m not pregnant. So you can breathe easier now.’
He actually did let out a huge breath, having found that his heartbeat had been temporarily suspended. He could not help but notice that she noticed, a small, rueful smile on her lips.
‘The doctor said I’m late because I’m stressed,’ she went on before he could say a single word. ‘Which leads me to my next announcement. I’m resigning. Right now. I can’t work for you any more, Alex. I’m sorry to leave you in the lurch like this, but you can get a temp till you can fill my position permanently. There are plenty of good agencies who specialise in excellent temps. I seem to recall you were working with a temp before you found me, so you’ll know what to do. I’d take Romany with me, but animals still aren’t allowed in my building. Besides, he’d miss this place now. It’s his home. I’ll ask Audrey to keep an extra eye on him on my way out.
‘It’s been a pleasure working for you, Alex,’ she finished up while he just sat there, pole-axed. ‘Up till recently, that is. Still, what happened was as much my fault as yours. You didn’t force me to sleep with you, or do any of the other things we did together. As for a reference, I’m sure that when asked you will give me a good one. You might be a selfish man, but you’re not a vindictive one. Goodbye, Alex. No, please don’t say anything. I’ve made up my mind and you won’t change it.’
So saying, she whirled and was gone, Alex staring at the empty doorway without moving a muscle till Audrey stormed in a couple of minutes later, looking outraged.
‘Harriet’s just left,’ she informed him unnecessarily. ‘She told me she’d quit, but she wouldn’t tell me why. As if I can’t guess!’
Alex suppressed a sigh as he snapped forward on his chair and adopted his firm ‘boss face’. ‘Why Harriet resigned is none of your business, Audrey. Please go back to Reception.’
‘I always thought you were heartless where women were concerned,’ she spat at him. ‘I just didn’t realise how heartless. That girl’s fallen in love with you. That’s why she’s quit. Blind Freddie could see how unhappy she’s been these last couple of weeks. It’s you! You seduced her that Friday you took her away with you, didn’t you?’
‘I did not seduce Harriet and she’s not in love with me,’ he stated, trying not to sound as shaken as he felt. ‘So please don’t go saying any of that to the others.’
‘I wouldn’t be bothered. But, just so you know in advance, I’ll be looking around for another job. Even if you didn’t do anything wrong with her, I don’t want to work for a man who’d let a fantastic girl like Harriet just walk out without fighting to keep her. Don’t you care how upset she is?’
‘Of course I care. But she can be very stubborn.’
‘But if she’s not in love with you, then why did she leave?’
‘I don’t know, Audrey. Maybe it has something to do with her break-up with Dwayne. Maybe she just needs a change.’
‘But she loved working for you.’
Alex was as close to weeping as he’d been in decades. ‘Look, I’ll give her a call later and see if I can change her mind.’ Even as he said the placating words, he knew he wouldn’t do any such thing. It was over.
‘Go back to work, Audrey,’ he said.
After she left, Alex sat there for ages, thinking about everything Audrey had said.
You seduced her. She’s in love with you. If she’s not in love with you, then why did she leave?
Could he be wrong in assuming she didn’t love him? If she did love him, it would explain a lot, especially if she thought he didn’t love her.
And why wouldn’t she think that, when he’d gone to such great lengths to make her understand that he didn’t do love and marriage; that any relationship they had was strictly sexual?
God, but he was an idiot!
Jumping up, he pulled on his jacket, grabbed his keys and headed out, telling Audrey as he passed Reception that he was off to get Harriet back.
