Free The Mill House by Susan Lewis Page B

Bowden's?'
    'A fax is coming through now. Ed Granger just called from New York, he wants .. .'
    'So that's who you were busy yabbering with as I left,' he teased. 'I'm jealous.'
    'You'll get over it.'
    He chuckled, and felt himself relax into her humour for a moment. How easy she always made life seem. Nothing ever managed to faze her - she was even mordantly witty about the husband who,
    ten years ago, had taken off to recapture his youth with a backpacking Scandinavian who boasted a bust size of double her age and an IQ around about half. Of all the dumb decisions the bloke had ever made, leaving a woman like Marina had to rate as one of the worst.
    'Ed's coming over next week and wants to take you and Julia to dinner,' she was telling him. 'He's bringing a new author he wants you to meet, apparently the typescript's being couriered even as we speak. I said you might not have time to read it all before he gets here, but you'd probably manage the first three chapters. I'll precis them for you, and let you know if you think they're any good.'
    Wondering how he'd ever cope without her, Josh said, 'I hope you'll be joining us for the dinner.'
    'That's what I said about you, when he invited me,' she responded. 'I don't go anywhere without you while Ed Granger's loose in the town without a wife.'
    'Did you tell him that?'
    'Of course. He's keener than ever now. Hang on, another call coming in.'
    As she went off the line, Josh checked where he was, and quickly instructed the driver to make a detour to Kensington Church Street.
    'That was Shannon,' Marina informed him. 'She'll call on your mobile. So what's this about with Falcon Hotels?'
    'A photographic history. Not sure how interested I am, but it's worth taking a look. That'll be Shannon trying to get through. Anything else?'
    'If there is, I'll call you back.'
    Clicking over the line, he said, 'Hi gorgeous, how are you?'
    'What if it hadn't been me?' Shannon demanded.
    'Sorry. Who's that?'
    'Yeah, very funny, but only you would think so.'
    'What can I do for you?'
    'I've just spoken to Mum and she says I have to ask you if I can stay out late for Gilly's birthday on Saturday night. Mum's totally cool with it, but because you're like in the Dark Ages ...'
    'So how late is late?' he interrupted. 'And where are you going?'
    'To this kind of club, but before you go off on one, it's specially for teenagers, which is what I am.'
    'Does it serve alcohol?'
    'Duh. Gilly's mum said I could stay over ...'
    'Out of the question. Home by ten.'
    'Dad!'
    'OK, ten thirty.'
    'That is so not going to happen. There's no point me going if it is.'
    'Let's have this conversation when I get home,' he said, as the driver pulled up outside the address he'd given him. 'I have to go now. Are you still at school?'
    'Just finished.'
    'Then straight home, no loitering about with boys.'
    'You always say that, and it always winds me up.'
    'I know. Love you.'
    Silence.
    'Love you,' he repeated, as he got out of the cab. More silence.
    'I'll let you have a ride in my Porsche.'
    'I thought it was Mum's Porsche.' He grinned. 'She gave it back. Right, I'm really going now. See you after Dan's football,' and ringing off, he pushed open the door of a lingerie shop where he and Julia had spent a small fortune over the years.
    After selecting a transparent white negligee that would just cover the bottom, and a pair of hold-up stockings with lacy tops, he paid an unfamiliar assistant with cash, then gave a friendly wave to the shop's owner who was busy with someone else, before hurrying back out to the cab.
    Minutes later he was talking to another client on his mobile, while mentally urging the traffic to do a Red Sea number to let him through to his four o'clock - or better still, just snarl up completely to stop him getting there at all.
    When the cab finally arrived at Sydney Street it came to a stop outside one of the elegant town- houses that could easily have been mistaken for a private dwelling, but was actually