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‘How do you cope with the pressure?’
‘I stay up to date, I listen to mothers and midwives, I don’t ignore small warning signs because they invariably mean something and, having done all that, I relax. If you worry too much, you cease to be effective. Put my coat on. You’re shivering.’
He noticed everything, she thought as she reached into the back seat for his coat and snuggled underneath it. ‘Pregnant women are supposed to be hot all the time. I’m frozen.’
‘Probably something to do with the fact that we had two inches of snow last night and you haven’t eaten since lunchtime.’ He turned the heat up in the car and took a sharp corner carefully, his hands steady on the wheel. ‘You must be starving. Or, at least, I hope you are because you’re about to be presented with a mountain of food.’
‘We’re going out?’
‘I’m too tired to cook and I’m sick of pizza.’ He suppressed a yawn. ‘I’m taking you to dinner with some friends of mine. Christy is a wonderful cook. All we have to do is sit there and eat.’
She was horrified. ‘But I can’t just turn up to dinner! I don’t know them and—’
‘I know them.’
‘But who are you going to say I am? How are you going to introduce me?’
He slowed the car as he drove down a narrow lane and into a huge driveway. ‘A friend? My lodger? How would you like me to introduce you?’ He switched off the engine, gave her a maddeningly placid smile and then climbed out of the car.
She followed him with a million questions on her lips, none of which she was able to ask because instantly the door opened and a beautiful red-headed woman stood there, smiling.
‘I hope you’re hungry because I’ve over-catered.’
‘Those are the words I’ve been fantasising about all day. No lunch—big appetite. Hello, my angel, how are you?’ Jake leaned forward and kissed the woman warmly. Miranda stopped dead, suddenly feeling all sorts of things that she didn’t want to feel.
Who was the red-headed woman?
And why did she feel such a powerful urge to know?
Jake was perfectly entitled to have a girlfriend.
She was still trying to rationalise her thoughts when a handsome, dark-haired man appeared behind the woman. ‘Unhand my wife, Blackwell.’
His wife?
The tension left Miranda and she had a wonderful evening. The conversation was lively and the food excellent. After tucking into salmon in a creamy herb sauce, Miranda helped clear the plates and was immediately trapped by Christy in the kitchen.
‘So—where did you meet Jake?’
Miranda put the plates down on the table. ‘We’re working together,’ she said carefully, deciding not to reveal the story of their Christmas Day meeting.
‘That’s nice.’
‘I’m just his lodger. We’re friends, nothing more,’ Miranda said hastily, and Christy shot her a searching look as she pulled open the fridge door and removed a large fruit salad.
‘Am I allowed to ask about the baby or is it a taboo subject?’ Balancing the dish on one hand, Christy opened a drawer and rummaged for a large spoon with the other. ‘If it’s a tactless question, ignore me.’
‘It’s not tactless.’ Miranda rubbed a hand over her abdomen. ‘I’m seven months pregnant but I’m not with the father any more. It was a short relationship and he turned out to be married. I didn’t know that until afterwards.’ Somehow it was important to her that Christy knew the truth.
‘Ouch. You poor thing.’ Christy’s voice was soft. ‘That must be difficult for you. Still, at least you have Jake now.’
‘Oh, no!’ Miranda looked at her, startled. ‘I don’t have Jake. It isn’t like that at all. He just—’
‘He just can’t take his eyes off you,’ Christy finished with a womanly smile. ‘I’ve never seen Jake so smitten and I’ve known him for a long time. I’m thrilled. Alessandro and I have been waiting for him to meet someone special.’
‘I’m just his lodger.’
Christy’s smile widened. ‘To the best of my knowledge, Jake doesn’t have any financial problems, so his reasons for wanting you to share his house must amount to more than a boost to his income.’
