The next day, my dreams of scuppering his adventures came to an end as I received a call from my business partner, Annie, telling me that she needed to take some time off work because her mother had fallen and broken her leg. I would have to work flat out over the next week so that our project was delivered on time. While I commiserated with her, part of me wanted to kick her mother’s other leg because I knew that had been my chance to put a stop to Harry’s shenanigans.

“Don’t worry, darling,” Harry said when I told him. “It’s just a work trip. I’ll be too busy to spend any time with you.”

And when he returned from Paris on Sunday evening, he certainly looked exhausted.

But then, so was I.

CHAPTER 23

Emma

Harry was flying out to Paris on the eight P.M. flight, which meant he had to be at the airport at six. All week I’d been trying to get bits of information from him. I learned that the other guys would be there from Thursday night as there were people there they needed to speak to. Ruby would be traveling with him, because—oh, who knows, he gave some convoluted reason about her having to be at work on Friday to take minutes at a meeting.

That Friday he was up earlier than usual and spent more time in the shower. Getting himself Ruby-ready, I suspected, but a huge part of me hoped like crazy that I had the wrong end of the stick. He hadn’t mentioned her for a while, and only then when I asked him a direct question. He wasn’t a good liar, but he was consistent.

“You’re pretty quiet this morning,” I said as he drank coffee in the kitchen.

He looked at me, startled. He seemed so preoccupied I think he’d forgotten I was there. “I am? I’m just thinking about the meeting we’re having this morning about the new selection of snacks we’re planning. I’m anticipating problems with Production.”

“I thought you hadn’t made a final decision about them. Wasn’t that what you were going to Paris for?”

He was like a rabbit caught in the headlights. “I am. Yes. That’s what the meeting’s about.”

“Wouldn’t it make more sense to have the meeting after you’d been there?”

Now he was back to his old self. “Emma, don’t tell me what to do at work, will you?”

“No, but it’s just . . .”

“Stop it. I know what I’m doing.” He must have seen my face fall. “Sorry, sweetheart. I’m just preoccupied with it all at the moment.”

“That’s okay. Your flight’s at eight, right?”

“Yes.”

“The others went yesterday?”

He nodded.

“So it’s just you and Ruby going tonight?”