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She sat at her computer and composed a quick, brief and professional letter of resignation. She attached it to a one-line e-mail and clicked ‘send’ before she changed her mind. Then she switched off her computer and left the lab without a backward glance.
Alex had a hangover the next morning when he opened the e-mail. He’d been drinking too much lately, and after his meeting with Sonya to secure further monies from MediCorp he’d imbibed more than he should have. It rankled to have to deal with her on a professional basis.
He read the e-mail through bleary eyes. Isobella was resigning? Effective after Reg came back to work and was settled back in?
What the—?
‘Over my dead body,’ he muttered as he dialled her number. He needed her in Brisbane, damn it. She was practically running the project single-handed.
‘Trop Med—this is Isobella.’
Alex could have reached through the phone as her cheery greeting jangled through his aching head. ‘I don’t accept.’
Isobella gripped the phone hard. ‘Alex.’
‘What’s the meaning of this?’ he demanded.
‘It’s all in the e-mail.’
Alex’s top lip curled. The letter was textbook. It told him nothing. ‘It’s rubbish, Isobella. I thought you were dedicated to the project? I thought it was the most important thing in your life? The centre of your universe?’
It had been. But now her love for him took pole position. ‘I don’t have to give you any reasons, Dr Zaphirides.’
‘The hell you don’t. ’First she slept with him, and then she told him to forget it had ever happened, and then she resigned? One of his best researchers?
‘I’m not going to leave you in the lurch, Dr Zaphirides. I’ll wait until Reg has resumed full duties. It’ll give you plenty of time to find a replacement.’
Replacement? God damn it, he didn’t want someone else. He wanted her.
‘I’m flying to Brisbane today.’ He scanned his diary looking at what he could postpone or cancel. ‘This afternoon. I’ll book a table at Daniel’s. I’ll pick you up at seven.’
She did not want to have dinner with him. Even if Daniel’s was one of the poshest restaurants in Brisbane. She certainly didn’t want him picking her up. ‘You don’t even know where I live,’ she said exasperatedly.
‘You forget, Isobella, I’m the boss. I know everything.’
His gravelled voice left her in no doubt that he was thinking of all the things he knew about her.Even the things he shouldn’t. She swallowed. ‘Dr Zaphirides—’
‘I swear to God, Isobella, if you call me Dr Zaphirides one more time…’
Isobella shivered as the husky threat hung in the air. She sighed. ‘It won’t make any difference, Alex.’
‘It’s not a request, Isobella.’
She bristled at his autocratic statement, and remembered how he had presented her with the Piccolofait accompli in much the same manner. She’d forgotten in all her mooning how determined he could be.
Alex waited for a response, unsure as to why he was being so hard-nosed. All he knew was she couldn’t leave. ‘Isobella. I think you owe me a face-to-face on this.’
She knew he was right. Whether she wanted to ignore it or not, they were more than acquaintances, more than just colleagues.She loved him, for God’s sake!
It was on the tip of her tongue to ask whether Sonya would be joining them, but she bit down hard to prevent the green-eyed monster having its way.
‘Fine,’ she snapped, and banged the phone down in his ear.
Alex smiled despite his annoyance. There were very few employees who would hang up on him. But then Isobella wasn’t a run-of-the-mill employee. For a start he didn’t know any of his other workers so intimately, and nor did he want to. And there wasn’t one of them he’d fight this hard to keep. Not when they so patently wanted to go.
Somehow telling himself it was all about her research skills just wasn’t washing. Maybe it was the thought that she was ruining all his plans. Having her in Brisbane had been perfect. She was near, but not too close. He could be in contact, make subtle changes, force her out of hiding under the guise of the job and slowly bring her out of her shell.
He could see her regularly, check on her progress, slowly insinuate himself into her life. Maybe eventually coax her into a date or two. And then a repeat performance of what had happened on Piccolo. God knew, he hadn’t been able to think of anything else for weeks.
