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“Hello?” The speaker on the wall came to life, making her jump. “Hello, miss, are you planning to stand out there all day or do you have some business with Benson Security?”
The voice was female and polite, but it still made Isobel rub her clammy palms on her jeans. “Um, I was hoping to see Callum. Callum McKay.”
“Do you have an appointment?”
“No.” Should she have made one? “I can come back if he’s busy.” Maybe.
She wasn’t sure she’d have the guts to go through this again. In fact, the only reason she was there this time was because she had backup. Her sisters and the kids had come with her to London. They were at the zoo while she went to talk to Callum, and would be there to pick up the pieces after she’d learned that this was all a mistake.
“What’s your name?”
She cleared her throat, wondering if she should give up and walk away. “Isobel Sinclair.”
“Oh my goodness! You’re Callum’s woman. Come in, come in.” There was a buzzing sound and the door popped open.
Hesitantly, Isobel let herself into the building. The reception area had obviously been remodelled, and was more open than she would have expected. There were massive plants everywhere, a comfortable waiting area with beautifully upholstered seating that matched the colour scheme and a grand staircase that led upstairs. Dominating the space was a large reception desk, painted lilac, with the company logo in the centre of it, and behind that was an office. A woman peeked out of the office door, but didn’t come any closer.
“Hi,” the woman said shyly. “I’m Julia. The office manager. Sorry about the intercom. Our receptionist moved to Scotland and I don’t like to man the desk.”
“Hi,” Isobel said, and awkwardly came to stand in front of the reception desk. “Is Callum in?”
Julia nodded and said to her shoes, “I’ve sent for Joe. He’ll take you up to him. Callum’s in a team meeting in the conference room. I’d take you, but Callum’s been shouting a lot lately. A lot more, I mean.”
“Oh.” Isobel glanced behind her and wondered if she should sprint for the door.
“Don’t scare Callum’s woman, babe,” a handsome man said as he came down the stairs. He looked Italian and sounded American, and his eyes melted at the sight of Julia. He held out a hand to Isobel. “Joe Barone, Julia’s fiancé. You have no idea how glad we are to see you. Callum has been like a bear with a sore paw for weeks.” Joe studied her. “Please tell me you’re here to stay?”
“Joe!” Julia said. “That’s between Isobel and Callum.”
“Babe, he’s driving us nuts. He needs his woman.”
“So I’ve been told,” Isobel said wryly.
She’d had daily phone calls from different members of Callum’s team, extoling his virtues and begging her to take him back. She’d explained that she’d never kicked him out, she only needed time to think, but nobody paid any attention to her protests. She’d even had a scary old woman called Betty call her and tell her to get her backside to London and give Callum some nooky to calm him down. Isobel shook her head at the memory.
Joe’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “Been getting some hassle from the crew, then?”
“And someone called Betty.”
“Ouch. You attracted Satan’s attention. That’s not good.”
Isobel wasn’t sure what to say to that, so she said nothing.
“Come on, I’ll take you up to him.” He started for the stairs.
“Good luck,” Julia called before disappearing back into her office.
“You aren’t going to break his heart, are you?” Joe said as they went up the stairs. “If that’s why you’re here, it’s probably best if you just leave. I don’t want Callum losing his mind. He has the access code for the armoury in the basement, and I don’t fancy trying to disarm a pissed-off Scot.”
“As your fiancée would say, that’s between Callum and me. But I’ll try to keep him away from weapons.”
“That’s not the answer I was hoping for.” Joe led her down a corridor towards what sounded like a riot. “Tempers are fraying. Especially Callum’s.”
As they approached the door, with the brass plate declaring it the conference room, Isobel could make out voices.
“I don’t care if you think it isn’t your job,” Callum shouted. “Suck it up and get on with it.”
Isobel shivered at the sound of the voice she’d missed so much these past weeks. It didn’t even matter to her that he sounded like he was about to go on a rampage.
