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Cally saw her mother’s brows lift even higher in utter disbelief, then she registered the stillness in Blake’s body.
He wasn’t directing his words at either Cally or her mother.There was a hidden meaning for Paola and he was fixed on her reaction.Equally, she was fixed on him but she didn’t seem to be listening.She stepped closer to him, cutting out Cally from her gaze and her conversation.
‘You should still be in front of the camera, Blake.You’re even better looking now than you were then.’
Cally’s jaw dropped.
At that movement Paola deigned to look at her, smiling at her surprise.‘Didn’t you know he’s a former model, Cally?Sportswear catalogues mainly.’Paola was clearly pleased to be able to inform Cally of another fascinating fact about her husband.‘About ten years ago, wouldn’t it have been, Blake?’She looked at Cally with a gloat.‘I knew him very well back then.’
‘Great,’ Cally replied woodenly.‘In that case I’ll leave you to catch up for a bit.’
She only just got to the bathroom before the nausea claimed her.And as she wiped at her face all she could hear was Paola and her less than oblique reference to—what?He was good at getting a woman pregnant?And he’d asked her to marry him?
Cally didn’t want to know any more.She just didn’t want to.But, oh, God, she did.And she knew the answers were nigh on going to kill her.
She spent some time in front of the mirror trying not to get distressed but to put on a little armour, failing in both.
He was waiting for her when she finally emerged.Not even a hint of friendly in his face—just fed up.
‘I’ve said you have a headache.’
She did.
‘We’re leaving now.’
Fine.
Twelve
Cally puther bag on Blake’s kitchen bench and finally asked the lesser of the burning questions.‘Why didn’t you tell me you used to model?’
‘I didn’t think it was relevant.It’s just one of the many jobs I did back then.You want to know about my paper round and my stint as a filleter in a fish factory as well?Should I provide you with a detailed CV?’
She absorbed his irritation.He was bothered—more than she’d ever known him to be.It was that woman.She’d hurt him badly and she still had the power to hurt him.Cally’s heart tore in two.
‘It’s not something I’m that proud of, Cally.’Even his attempt at expansion was offhand.‘That whole thing is not my scene.’
She nodded.Stayed silent.It seemed to irritate him more.
‘I’m not that shallow, Cally.I didn’t think you were either.’
He reached for a glass and poured himself a whisky.‘Who’s Luc?’
So he had heard Alicia’s dig.
‘An ex.’
‘What happened?Why were you mad with her?’
Cally didn’t reply.
‘Did she steal him off you?’
She could understand why he’d jump to that conclusion, Alicia hadn’t exactly been subtle in the way she’d sized him up.‘Quite the reverse—she set him up with me.In fact—’ Cally tried to say it brazenly, as if it hadn’t cut her through so completely ‘—she paid for him to go out with me.’
‘What?’He was right to sound stunned; it had been unbelievable.Cally had longed not to believe it.
‘She thought I was too old not to have started dating so she paid him to go out with me.’
