Unlike me, Natalie thought wretchedly. No wonder Mike avoids me like poison. If I were a man, I would, too.

‘You know, I don’t think I ever thanked you properly for dropping in that day,’ Alanna said.

‘It was the least I could do.’

‘Not everyone would have bothered. Anyway, Natalie, that’s not why I’m ringing. The thing is, I had a call from Mike earlier today.’

‘Oh?’ Natalie said tentatively.

‘He told me about your coming marriage.’

‘Did he?’ He’d warned her that he would, but she still wished he hadn’t.

‘He’s asked Reece and myself to help Richard and Holly with the arrangements for the wedding.’

Natalie tried not to feel hurt. And totally left out. But, darn it all, marriage of convenience or not, she was still the bride, wasn’t she?

‘I hope he explained that our marriage is just a temporary business arrangement,’ she said sharply. ‘Not some silly love match.’

‘Yes. He was very emphatic about that.’

‘I can imagine,’ Natalie said drily. ‘Mike made it perfectly clear right from the start that he’s allergic to love and marriage.’

‘I can just hear him saying that. But is that the case with you too, Natalie? Are you allergic to love and marriage? I mean…why start up a matchmaking service if you don’t believe in romance?’

‘I do believe in romance,’ she confessed, ‘but the reality of life has dented my faith in the opposite sex somewhat.’

‘Yes, I know what you mean,’ Alanna agreed, perhaps thinking of her first, rather horrific marriage. ‘So this marriage to Mike is strictly a matter of money for you as well, then. You don’t secretly fancy him, do you?’

Alanna waited for Natalie to say of course not in her usual businesslike fashion. But when there was no immediate answer from down the line, Alanna realised that maybe—just maybe—there was more to this marriage than met the eye. At least on Natalie’s side.

‘Natalie?’ Alanna probed gently.

The sigh she heard was rather telling. It looked as if Holly had been right, Richard’s wife having immediately put a romantic spin on Mike’s coming marriage to Natalie.

‘No decent girl marries a man just for money,’ Holly had pronounced when they’d discussed the situation over the phone. ‘If this Natalie is as nice a person as you say, then she must be attracted to Mike.’

‘You do fancy him, don’t you?’ Alanna persisted.

Natalie sighed again. ‘I have no idea why. He’d have to be the most irritating man I’ve ever met.’

‘He is a hunk, though.’

‘True.’

‘So would I be mistaken in saying that the no-sex side to this marriage doesn’t meet with your approval?’

Natalie didn’t deny it. ‘It’s no use wishing for the moon, Alanna. Mike’s not attracted to me at all.’

‘How do you know that?’

‘He said so.’