The Eleventh-Hour Groom

CHAPTER THREE

JAY was caught up in the early-morning traffic when the phone rang. He frowned and looked around the car in some confusion. Where was that ringing coming from? He didn’t have a mobile phone with him. It took him a moment to realise it was coming from Elizabeth’s briefcase.

Checking in his mirror, he switched lanes and pulled to a standstill next to the kerb before opening the case to answer it.

Just as he got it out, it stopped. ‘Damn things,’ he muttered, and was about to put it away when it rang again.

He pressed the button and connected the call. ‘Hi, it’s Lucy.’ A warm and very attractive voice said in his ear. ‘We’re still on for tonight, aren’t we?’

‘I don’t know,’ Jay drawled with amusement. ‘That depends on where you are planning to take me?’

‘Sorry.’ There was confusion in the voice now. ‘I seem to have the wrong number.’

‘Are you looking for Elizabeth?’ Jay asked.

‘Yes.’

‘Then you haven’t got the wrong number, just the wrong person. I’m Jay…Elizabeth’s husband.’

‘Really?’ The voice sounded alert and amazed now. ‘Are you two getting back together? Gosh, that’s so good to hear. I do like a happy ending. When did you arrive in London? Beth hasn’t said a word.’

‘Only yesterday—’

‘Well, listen, I’m glad you’ve answered the phone,’ she gushed on without pausing for breath. ‘You know it’s Beth’s thirtieth birthday today?’

‘Yes—’

‘Well we’re having a surprise party for her after work. It’s at the Mayfair Tower Hotel. I’m calling for her at the office at six-thirty. She just thinks we’re going for a few quiet drinks, so it’s going to be a great surprise for her…well, I hope it is. She isn’t suspicious, is she?’

‘Not to my knowledge,’ Jay said truthfully.

There was a moment’s silence, a moment where Jay could almost hear the other woman’s mind ticking over.

‘Seeing as we are having this friendly chat, maybe you could tell me about the guy Beth is seeing,’ Jay said nonchalantly.

‘What guy?’

‘She says she’s seeing someone and it’s quite serious.’

He heard the woman swallowing nervously at the other end of the line as she realised she had made a big mistake and a huge assumption. ‘You’re not getting back together, are you?’

‘Not quite. But don’t worry about it, Lucy.’ Jay took pity on her. ‘And your secret is safe with me. Thanks for the invitation, by the way.’ Then he hung up.

For a moment he sat at the edge of the traffic and thought about things. Was there someone serious in Beth’s life? Her friend hadn’t seemed to know what he was talking about. On the other hand, she couldn’t know much about Elizabeth if she could assume so easily, from him answering a phone, that they were back together.

Jay reached for a piece of paper and scribbled down the address she had given for the party tonight. Maybe he’d check it out.

‘The report you wanted from Marketing.’ Robert put the stack of papers down on top of the manila envelope. ‘Cheer up, Elizabeth.’ He leaned over and grinned at her. ‘It might never happen.’

‘I hate it when people say that,’ Beth murmured.

‘Yes, so do I,’ Robert admitted with a laugh. ‘Because it usually does happen…well, it does to me, anyhow.’

She smiled at him.

She’d always liked Rob. He was a couple of years younger than her, a pleasant guy, always helpful at work. He wasn’t bad looking either, she supposed. Tall with dark hair that fell forward over his forehead like an absentminded professor. She knew he liked her; it was obvious from the way he kept asking her out. But, although she thought he was a nice person, she didn’t feel any attraction for him.

Maybe she should try and make herself feel an attraction. There hadn’t been anyone in her life since she had left Jay. She needed to change that, get on with her life. Next time he asked her out, she’d accept, she thought suddenly.

But for the first time ever, Robert hurried away without issuing his usual invitation for a drink. She sighed. Maybe it was just as well. Getting involved with a work colleague could lead to complications.

She picked up the report he had left. Beneath it the manila envelope stared at her, heavily foreboding.

Jay had dropped her briefcase at the reception early this morning. Now it was late afternoon and she still hadn’t got around to looking inside that envelope. Nor had she got around to having any lunch. The day was turning out to be even more hectic than usual.

Wonderful way to spend a birthday, Elizabeth thought as she rushed off to another meeting. Still, at least she could look forward to having a quiet drink with Lucy after work.

The last meeting of the day overshot and it was almost six-fifteen by the time Elizabeth managed to finish.

She raced to the cloakroom to freshen up. Changed out of her work blouse into a sparkly halter neck top. Re-applied some deep red lipstick. Fluffed up her hair and then bent closer to the mirror to examine herself with a critical eye.

Not marvellous, but she’d do, she decided, putting on her black jacket. She picked up her bag with the divorce papers tucked safely inside and made her way out of the building. Nobody was around. Most people seemed to have left early today for some reason.

Lucy wasn’t in the reception, but had left a message saying she was caught up at work; could they meet outside the Mayfair Tower Hotel?

Sounded as if Lucy’s day had been as hectic as hers, Elizabeth thought as she hailed a taxi.

Lucy was waiting inside the foyer when Elizabeth arrived. She was twenty-nine, blonde and extremely attractive. She was also great fun. They had been friends ever since Beth had handled an advertising contract for Lucy’s dating agency eight months ago.

‘Happy birthday, you old codger!’ she said now, reaching to kiss her.

‘Wait until it’s your turn.’ Beth grinned.

‘So how are you?’ Lucy asked casually as they made their way through the busy foyer.

‘Don’t ask.’

‘That good eh?’ Lucy slanted a look over at her. ‘Any news?’

Elizabeth shook her head. ‘Apart from my husband asking me for a divorce, you mean?’

‘Oh, hell!’

‘Never mind. I’m over all that now.’ Elizabeth smiled and linked her arm through her friend’s. ‘In fact I’m so over it that I’m going to buy all the drinks tonight by way of a celebration. What are we doing here, by the way?’

‘Someone told me about a new bistro, so I thought we’d try it.’ Lucy explained airily as she led the way down a corridor.

Elizabeth frowned; she hadn’t heard about a new bistro here.

‘You’re not setting me up on a blind date, are you?’ she asked, suddenly very suspicious as they stopped outside one of the function suites.

‘Would I do that to you?’ Lucy teased, opening the door and stepping back for her to enter the room first.

‘Yes—’ Elizabeth walked into a darkened room with a frown.

‘Surprise!’

Lights flooded over her and a chorus of voices sang ‘Happy Birthday’. She looked around the room in a daze as her friends and work colleagues came across to slap her on the back.

Someone took her jacket; someone else pressed a drink into her hand.

‘Many happy returns,’ John, her boss, said with a grin. ‘Sorry I worked you so hard today.’

‘That’s okay.’ Elizabeth wasn’t sure if she was pleased or horrified by all this fuss. She cringed as she saw the banner saying ‘HAPPY 30’ hanging over the table of food. She had been hoping to keep her birthday quiet.

‘I’ll kill you, Lucy,’ she murmured to her friend, and then had to smile. ‘But, thanks, anyway.’

Then she saw Jay standing at the far side of the room and her heart seemed to do a forward roll. He was standing slightly apart from the crowd. Two secretaries from her office were engaging him in conversation. He raised his glass to Elizabeth as their eyes met across the room.

‘What’s he doing here?’ she asked, horrified.

‘Who?’ Lucy followed her gaze across the room.

‘Jay,’ Elizabeth enlightened her, then fixed her with a level stare.

‘Oh, Beth!’ Lucy looked truly horrified. ‘I’m really sorry,’ she hissed. ‘I didn’t think he’d come, not really—’

‘He’s coming over.’ Beth downed the drink someone had given her in one gulp. It wasn’t wine, it was some sort of punch and it tasted awful.

She noted the purposeful expression on Jay’s face as he headed towards her. He wasn’t going to ask her for those divorce papers, was he? she wondered in panic. Surely even Jay had more sensitivity than to do that at her birthday party.

‘Happy birthday, Elizabeth.’ He stopped next to her.

‘Thanks.’ She tried not to let her gaze wander over the expensive cut of his dark suit, the colourful tie. He looked good, she had to admit, somewhat grudgingly. But, then, he always looked good. ‘At the risk of sounding rude, Jay, why on earth are you here?’

‘Lucy invited me.’ He slid a sideways glance at Lucy. Elizabeth was amazed to notice how her friend blushed as their eyes met. Another conquest, she thought dazedly. How and when had that happened?

‘I presume you are Lucy?’ he asked, dispelling the notion in Elizabeth’s mind that they had already met.

‘Yes, that’s me.’ Lucy gave an apologetic smile over at Elizabeth. ‘I spoke to him by mistake on your mobile phone this morning.’

‘Yes, we had quite a chat, didn’t we?’ Jay said with a grin.

‘Would you like a glass of wine, Elizabeth?’ Lucy asked, changing the subject and obviously desperate to get away.

As she disappeared amidst the crowd, Elizabeth trained her attention back on Jay. ‘You’ve embarrassed her,’ she accused coolly.

‘Oh, come on, Beth. It’s a sad situation if I can’t come and wish you a happy birthday…don’t you think?’ he murmured. ‘Anyway I didn’t like the way we left things last night.’

‘What way was that?’ she asked innocently.

He smiled and his eyes moved over her slender figure. ‘You might find this hard to believe, Beth, but I don’t like being at loggerheads with you.’

‘Don’t you?’ She shrugged. ‘Well it doesn’t much matter any more.’

‘It matters to me,’ he answered softly.

She felt a tremor of awareness race through her body. When he spoke like that, when he looked at her like that, she felt so confused. She battled against the feeling of weakness inside her, the voices that were reminding her how wonderful it had once been to be held in his arms, cradled close, kissed passionately.

‘I’ve brought you a gift.’ He handed her a small black jewellery case wrapped with a gold bow. ‘Happy birthday.’

She stared at it suspiciously before looking up at him with narrowed blue eyes.

‘Well, go on, open it.’ He grinned. ‘It’s not a time bomb.’

She took it and, with hands that were none too steady, flicked back the gold bow and opened the case.

A topaz pendant on a fine gold chain stared up at her from the velvet box. It was a stunning piece of jewellery. One, judging from the name on the box, that he had obviously purchased in the Caribbean.

‘It’s beautiful.’ She frowned, trying to make sense of this. ‘But there was no need for it…’ She snapped the lid shut on the gift. ‘I’ve told you I’ll sign the papers. So you can cut the phoney caring stuff.’

Before Jay could reply they were interrupted by Robert. He pushed a glass of champagne into Elizabeth’s hand and reached to kiss her on the cheek. ‘Happy birthday.’

‘Thank you.’ She smiled at the other man. She was aware that he was looking at Jay now, waiting for an introduction. Before Elizabeth could say anything, Jay stretched out his hand. ‘Hi, I’m Elizabeth’s husband,’ he said easily.

‘Oh!’ Robert stared at him for a moment, surprise clearly evident in his expression.

Elizabeth was taken aback as well. Uncertainty rushed through her. Why had Jay introduced himself like that? He might be her husband by law, but he certainly had no right to stake such a claim in public.

He smiled at her. It was the kind of smile that made butterflies dance in her stomach.

‘You didn’t tell me you were married, Beth.’ Robert’s voice broke the spell holding her, bringing her sharply back to reality.

‘Didn’t I?’ She wrenched her eyes away from Jay, noticing the dismayed expression on Rob’s face. Taking pity on him, she explained, ‘Jay is soon to be my ex-husband.’

‘Oh! I see.’ Robert’s face cleared. ‘Well, it’s good you can remain friends. Always the best solution, I think.’

‘Do you?’ Jay murmured, a hard edge to his tone. ‘I suppose you are right.’

Elizabeth glanced back at him. The dark eyes looked cold now as they met hers. He looked angry, she thought and then wondered if she had imagined it as he smiled lightly.

Music started to boom from the speakers beside them as the DJ started the evening’s entertainment.

The lights dimmed and coloured strobe lights swept around the room, giving the illusion of a dark, smoky nightclub.

‘Come on, Elizabeth, come and dance,’ someone urged.

She looked around and saw Lucy beckoning to her by the edge of the dance floor. Glad of the reprieve, she handed Jay his gift back and with a polite smile headed towards her friend.

‘I’m really sorry, Beth.’ Lucy had to shout over the music. ‘But I honestly didn’t think he’d come.’

‘Doesn’t matter, forget about it,’ Elizabeth shouted back as she put her champagne down and followed her friend onto the dance floor.

Jay pocketed the gift again and watched Elizabeth from the shadows.

She’d lost weight since leaving him, he observed, his eyes moving over the long length of her legs in the black trousers to the silver of her top…a top that left little of her sensual curves to the imagination.

He felt desire stir within him, just as he had the moment he had seen her again at her office. She had always been an attractive woman, but now…now she took his breath away.

‘So, who’s the guy?’ Ruth, one of the secretaries, who had been speaking to Jay earlier, caught up with Elizabeth on the dance floor. ‘He’s gorgeous.’

‘Do you think so?’ Elizabeth didn’t need to ask who she was talking about.

‘I think I’ve died and gone to heaven,’ Ruth drooled. ‘Listen, do you mind if I ask him out, or are you and he…?’

‘No. Go ahead,’ Beth told her airily, and watched as Ruth lost no time heading off in Jay’s direction with a look of determination on her face.

The music changed and Lucy put her hand on Beth’s arm. ‘Shall we have another drink?’

‘Why not?’ Elizabeth shrugged, ignoring the warning bells inside her body. She still hadn’t eaten so the few drinks were having more effect than normal. She could feel them working their way through her system, making everything distant and a little unreal.

She watched across the room as Ruth caught hold of Jay’s arm and led him towards the dance floor.

‘Does it bother you?’ Lucy asked, following her gaze.

‘No, of course not,’ Elizabeth said brightly, too brightly, she feared, by the look of sympathy in her friend’s eye.

‘Why do you think he came here tonight?’

‘Because you asked him?’ Elizabeth ventured with a grin.

‘Yes, but only because I thought you were back together…it was a misunderstanding. I didn’t think in a million years he’d turn up tonight. I mean, it’s not customary, is it, for an estranged husband to want to be at his ex’s party?’

‘Jay’s never been one for observing social niceties,’ Beth murmured. ‘He probably thinks it’s quite logical to come to my birthday party, and assumes that if he can keep things friendly I won’t make the divorce difficult for him.’

‘What happened between you two anyway?’ Lucy asked curiously. ‘You’ve never really talked about why the marriage broke up.’

Elizabeth hesitated.

‘If you’d rather not tell me, I’ll understand,’ Lucy said quickly.

‘No…it’s all right.’ Elizabeth shook her head. ‘I’m over all that anyway.’ Despite the words, her voice wasn’t entirely steady. ‘I caught him with his secretary. Apparently they had been having an affair for some time.’

‘Ouch!’ Lucy grimaced. ‘I’m sorry, Beth. I shouldn’t have asked.’

Elizabeth shrugged as if she couldn’t care less. But, in truth, the memory of Lisa Cunningham entwined in Jay’s arms, her lips pressed against his, still had the power to make her feel sick inside. ‘Well…ours was never really a love-match in the first place.’ She tried to lighten her tone. ‘And at least I escaped with my pride intact. I was the one to finish with Jay. To this day he doesn’t realise that I know about the affair, or that I saw them together.’

‘So you managed to make a dent in his ego on your exit?’ Lucy smiled. ‘Good for you.’

‘I don’t think anybody could dent Jay’s ego,’ Elizabeth murmured.

‘Hey, Beth would you like to dance?’ Robert asked, sauntering over.

She was about to say no, until she noticed the way Jay was dancing with Ruth. Her arms were around his shoulders and he was holding her close. He’d got some nerve, she thought furiously, watching as he smiled down at the pretty blonde. Jay had always had a thing for blondes. Lisa was blonde.

‘Elizabeth?’

She looked back at Robert and found herself smiling. ‘Yes, why not?’ she said blithely.

The evening seemed to pass in a blur of people wishing her well, asking her to dance. Even chauvinistic Colin asked her for a dance, and some guy she’d never met before who said he worked in Accounts. Then Robert again.

‘I almost let the secret out today in the office,’ he said smiling down at her. ‘You looked sad and I wanted to say, Cheer up, nobody has forgotten your birthday—’

‘Thanks, Rob.’ She couldn’t concentrate on what he was saying because suddenly over his shoulder she had noticed Jay talking to Colin and her boss at the bar.

‘How about having dinner with me next week?’ Robert asked suddenly.

‘Yes, that would be nice,’ Elizabeth murmured. She frowned as there was a guffaw of laughter from the bar. What were they talking about?

‘Robert, would you mind if I sat down?’ she asked suddenly, deciding to go over there and find out.

‘No…of course not.’

‘Thanks. See you later.’ She pulled away from him and headed towards the bar.

Colin pulled a stool out next to him as he saw her approach. ‘Really good party, Beth,’ he said amiably. ‘Can I buy you a drink?’

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