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“Between Ben and Dorian, it’s been a bit of a blur. I’m used to being busy but they are like herding cats. Honestly, I have no idea how Ashley, if he is as organised as he’s supposed to be, hasn’t killed Ben already.”
“That’s because he doesn’t run after Ben, just the weddings, and they tend to have firm deadlines and brides that don’t want things to go wrong.”
“Four times this week Ben has changed his mind on what events he was going to attend. I’ve told him if he does it again next week I’m refusing to do anything before he’s slept on it.”
Dara laughed. “Must be hard being so popular. I think the last event I got invited to was my own birthday, and I organised that myself.”
“I’m sure you prefer it that way. I can’t imagine you wanting to spend an evening making small talk with politicians.”
“Would be nice to be invited so I could turn them down. What about Dorian, how’s things going with him?”
Alex didn’t think Dara was talking about his professional interactions. This morning he’d handed Dorian contact details for a private investigator and told him he wanted nothing more to do with it, he wasn’t sure Dorian had heard that part. “He’s got a lot of things to organise but at least once he makes a decision, he sticks to it.”
“Does he now? Is that the same for when you’re out on your dates?”
“They are part of an agreement that we have negotiated, there’s no room for improvisation.” Not completely true as their weekend away had involved a lot less going out to places to see than they’d planned and more coastal walks. Then there was the last date where their dinner had been meant to be followed by a club but Dorian had called it a night as Alex couldn’t stop yawning. He smiled at the memory.
“Y’see those sort of little smiles that don’t speak to negotiated agreements.” Dara waggled his eyebrows. “Is he a good kisser?”
“How would I know?”
“You mean you’ve not sampled the goods?” Dara said, incredulous. “Surely that’s the number-one perk.”
“We have strict rules. We hold hands, put arms around each other and while there is a contingency for kissing it is limited to a chaste peck.”
“What a waste of opportunity! You’re both single, why not enjoy it?”
Alex stroked the condensation on the side of his pint glass. “Because if I do I might not want to give it up—we shared a brief kiss, it was kind of wonderful. And I keep getting the feeling that he might fancy me a bit, but he’s a bloody film star who could have whoever he wants and he’s collecting a list of names of blokes he’d like to try dating once we’re done.”
“A list of wannabe shags?”
Alex shook his head. “No, we’re charting long-term potential. He’s got a few on there that he wouldn’t mind exploring.”
“Hang on, are you helping him?”
“Yes, he wouldn’t know how to set up a spreadsheet. He can only just fill in the cells without deleting everything.”
“Why the fuck are you doing that?” Dara said. “If you like him, which you clearly do, it’s self-inflicted torture. And even if you didn’t, there’s no way a secretary should be doing that. Tell me you’ve at least put yourself on there?”
“No, don’t be daft. The sort of men on that list are actors or directors, there’s a couple of landed gentry, a lawyer and a CEO. I don’t fit the profile.”
“But you’re the one he’s dating. You said you thought he fancied you, so why don’t you do something about it before he picks Mr Column F?”
“Men like him don’t date men like me.”
“Ashley was an events planner when he met Ben. Robin’s world nearly ended when he thought he’d lost Simon—who’s a copper. So while I agree that most men like Dorian don’t date secretaries, most of them don’t come out and go into hiding at Crofton Hall.”
Dara sounded so logical. Alex liked to think of himself as an optimist, wanting Dara to be right. “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to probe a little. To see if there could be something.”
“Don’t be subtle about this, Alex. Most of us men need to be told straight. And a big old lumbering ox like Dorian probably needs to be hit around the head with the obvious stick.”
“He’s not that bad. He’s a lot more self-aware than people give him credit for.” Alex didn’t want to make Dorian out to be some kind of saint but he’d come a long way. “I know he was an arsehole, and some of the things he’s told me don’t paint him in a great light, but he’s not the same guy he was before Robin left him.”
“It was probably the best thing that happened to the pair of them if you ask me. They’d have killed each other eventually. Although Dorian seems to be getting on great with Simon, I didn’t expect that.”
“He didn’t either. They’ve been spending quite a few evenings walking the grounds so Simon can get some exercise.”
“Dorian better be careful, I hear Robin has been overprotective. Don’t want him getting the wrong idea.”
