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‘So what? You can walk down a set of steps with someone, can’t you? I do it all the time.’ She pressed her lips together, knowing she’d given herself away fully now.
‘I had my arm around her. That was because half a dozen paparazzi had suddenly appeared out of nowhere and were in her face.’ Leo usually left the press to come to whatever conclusions they liked, preferring to just rise above it all and get on with his job. But this time it mattered to him.
‘What you do is none of my business, Leo.’
‘No, I know it isn’t. But, despite that, I have an irrepressible urge to explain that I’ve known Evie for years, and she and I were just talking about some of the issues that you and I have been covering on my show...’
‘Oh, pull the other one, Leo...’ At last, an honest response. This, he could work with.
‘Evie’s sister used to run for the American national team. She contracted meningitis last year and that’s put a stop to her career for the time being. Arielle always said that she wanted to work with kids when she took a step back from competing, and this project’s been bubbling under for a while now...’
‘And you just happened to bump into her sister at this drinks do.’
‘No, I’d arranged to see Evie there—that was one of the reasons I asked you to come. She was there with her partner—he’s the guy behind us on the steps.’ He paused for a moment to see whether Alex was going to come up with something in reply, but she just stared at him dumbly.
‘Of course she lent a bit of much-needed glamour to what was otherwise quite a dry evening. But that was incidental...’
What was he saying? The one thing that never went down well with women was calling another woman glamorous. They wanted to know that they were the only person in the room.
‘Is she the same in real life?’
‘She’s a nice person.’
‘I meant is she as beautiful? I saw her last film...’
‘Evangeline’s a film star. It’s her job to be beautiful. She doesn’t get paid for being nice, but she’s that too. She’s promised to give me an interview for the show on Friday.’
‘Right. Good.’ Alex seemed lost for words, wrenching open the door of her car and throwing her sports bag onto the back seat.
‘Are you going to listen in?’
‘I’ll try.’ She got into the car and the engine growled into life. Then Alex reversed out of her parking space so quickly that she almost shunted into the back of his car. Leo grinned. She’d be listening.
CHAPTER SEVEN
LEO THE IMPOSSIBLE. Being with him was like standing in a hall of mirrors, unable to tell whether the man in front of her was the real Leo or just a reflection.
She guessed from the smug look that Leo had given her as she drove off that he knew she’d be listening on Friday, but she did it all the same. Evangeline spoke passionately about her sister’s illness and how it had prompted them both to think about setting up a scheme for young athletes with disabilities. Alex was sorry she’d misjudged her. But she knew she hadn’t misjudged Leo. Whether he was lost to her because of another woman or because he was a different person now didn’t really matter. He was lost to her and that was it.
If she’d remembered that, it would have made life a good bit easier. But instead she’d been jealous of Evangeline and, worst of all, Leo knew that now. Monday was going to be difficult.
* * *
She arrived at the radio station early. She’d thought about this and if there was going to be an atmosphere between her and Leo the listeners would know it. She had to clear the air. Half an hour alone in the restroom preparing herself only made her more nervous, and then Leo breezed in.
‘Ready to go?’ He smiled at her.
‘Leo... Leo, wait.’ Better get it over with now. ‘I’m sorry. About the picture in the paper and...’
He turned his bright blue eyes on her and she fell silent, feeling her cheeks flush.
‘The paparazzi jumped to the same conclusion and so did everyone who read the paper. Why not you?’
‘It was none of my business.’
‘I put myself out there, Alex. I have to accept that what I do is sometimes noticed. I care about what you think, which is why I bothered to explain myself.’
That... That sounded suspiciously like a compliment. ‘Are you being nice?’
