The Yuletide Engagement

‘I still have Friday evening free, if you’re interested,’ he told her huskily.

Her eyes widened. ‘You do?’

He nodded. ‘Are you interested?’

She swallowed hard, wishing she could say no but knowing that, after what she had learnt today, she badly needed this man’s presence at her side on Friday evening—for moral support if nothing else.

‘Ellie…?’ he prompted at her continued silence.

‘I’m interested,’ she admitted abruptly.

‘Has something happened?’ he asked shrewdly.

Had something happened! Gareth, that selfish, unthinking, uncaring—

‘Something’s happened,’ Patrick acknowledged ruefully, standing up to pour her a cup of coffee from the hot percolator that stood on the side. ‘I’m sorry it’s nothing stronger,’ he apologised dryly as he handed her the cup and saucer. ‘You look as if you could do with a double whisky!’

‘I don’t drink whisky,’ she said vaguely, taking a sip of the hot coffee. Not because she thought it would make her feel any better, more for something to do with her shaking hands.

Cold hands, she realised belatedly as she wrapped them about the cup; the snow that had been threatening to fall all week had finally come tumbling down this morning. And in her agitation Ellie had completely forgotten to collect her outer coat and gloves before leaving the office earlier.

‘Is it anything I should know about?’ Patrick gently urged.

‘Anything…? It isn’t Toby, if that’s what you’re worried about,’ she hastened to reassure him.

‘I didn’t think for a moment that it was; as far as I’m aware Toby is in York today, with—with another of my employees,’ Patrick dismissed lightly. ‘I wish you would sit down, Ellie,’ he said softly.

Of course. He wouldn’t sit down if she didn’t. Ellie sat, the cup rattling precariously in the saucer as she did so.

Patrick moved back to sit behind his desk. ‘Take your time,’ he invited. ‘I don’t have any appointments for a couple of hours.’

‘It isn’t going to take me that long to—!’ She broke off, her face pale as she brought herself under control. ‘My ex-boyfriend intends announcing his engagement at the dinner on Friday evening,’ she bit out reluctantly.

‘Ah,’ Patrick murmured comprehendingly.

Ellie looked across at him sharply. ‘It doesn’t bother me,’ she assured him.

He raised dark brows. ‘It doesn’t?’

‘Look, Mr—Patrick,’ she amended as he raised those brows even higher. ‘I don’t know what Toby told you about the end of my relationship with Gareth, but—’

‘Nothing at all, as it happens,’ he assured her dryly. ‘Toby can be discreet when he needs to be,’ he added at her sceptical look. ‘He wouldn’t have lasted long as my assistant if he couldn’t!’

‘Yes. Well.’ Ellie grimaced. ‘I was the one to end my relationship with Gareth.’

Patrick frowned. ‘Then why—?’

‘He told everyone at the office that he was the one to end it,’ Ellie recalled disgustedly. ‘And when he was seen with someone else only a few days later…!’ She shook her head. ‘If I had tried to contradict his story then I would have just looked like “a woman scorned”,’ she reasoned heavily.

‘Hmm. Just out of interest—why did you stop seeing him?’ Patrick asked interestedly.

‘Because—’ She drew in a deep breath, shaking her head. ‘I think that also comes under the heading of “Private”,’ she told him stiffly.

‘Okay,’ he conceded reluctantly. ‘But if you aren’t bothered by his engagement…?’

‘I’m really not,’ she insisted firmly. ‘At least, only so far as… I have to work with all these people, Patrick.’ She grimaced. ‘Gareth informed me a couple of hours ago about the engagement announcement.’

‘Big of him,’ Patrick bit out scathingly.

It had been more out of spite, actually, but she was way past caring about anything Gareth did or said to her. ‘If I turn up alone on Friday evening and the announcement is made—’

‘All your work colleagues are going to end up feeling sorry for you,’ Patrick acknowledged hardly.

Her eyes flashed deeply blue. ‘Yes!’ And the pity of people she worked with on a daily basis—even misplaced pity—was something she just couldn’t bear to think about.

Even if it meant coming to this man and admitting she had made a mistake in so arbitrarily refusing his offer to act as her escort at the dinner!

‘If you agree—if you’re still willing—it will be a purely business arrangement if you consent to accompany me on Friday evening,’ she told him coolly. ‘I will, of course, be paying any expenses you may incur—including the petrol to get us there, any drinks we have to buy, the—’

‘Stop right there, Ellie,’ Patrick cut in firmly. ‘When I take a woman out for the evening I do the paying. Okay?

‘No, it is not okay,’ she came back, just as determinedly. ‘I’m taking you out. That means I pay. What do you mean, no?’ She frowned as he shook his head.

‘I’ll only agree to go if I take you. Otherwise the deal is off, Ellie,’ he added decisively.

‘But this isn’t one of your business deals—’ she broke off as she realised she had been the one to say Friday evening was to be treated on a businesslike footing.

Patrick laughed softly. ‘Ellie, isn’t the important thing here to show this Gareth that you’re more than capable of attracting a man other than him? Which, of course, you obviously are,’ he continued, his grey gaze sweeping over her with slow appreciation.

Ellie was dressed in one of the suits she wore to work, a fitted black one today, teamed with a blue blouse. Slightly damp from the snow still falling outside!

Ellie was under no illusions as regarded her looks; at best they could be called pleasant. She was neither fat nor too thin, and her hair—her one good feature as far as she was concerned—was always kept clean and well-styled. Her eyes were a clear blue, her lashes thick and dark, her skin smooth and creamy, but other than that her features were nondescript.

Which was why, when Gareth had joined the company six months ago—a blond Adonis with warm blue eyes and a charm that drew women to him like bees around honey—Ellie had been completely bowled over by his marked interest in her.

But she had definitely learnt her lesson where that sort of flattery and attention were concerned, which was why she knew that Patrick McGrath was just being polite now.

He was watching her with narrowed eyes. ‘How long is it since the two of you broke up?’

‘What does that have to do with anything?’ she came back stiffly.

Patrick shrugged. ‘I was merely wondering why you don’t already have a new boyfriend.’

She gave a humourless smile. ‘Because after my experience with Gareth I have no interest at the moment in finding myself a new boyfriend!’

‘This gets more and more intriguing by the minute,’ Patrick murmured interestedly.

Ellie shot him a reproving look. ‘Believe me, it really isn’t,’ she assured him dismissively.