Fixed Up Read Free Page A

particular colour choice.’ She held up a couple of colour charts. ‘Or perhaps reliving her Disney princess phase with this one?’
    â€˜Damn. I’ve really got it wrong, haven’t I?’ Thoroughly bemused, Luke ran his fingers through his hair.
    The woman nodded again as she gazed up at him. ‘Why isn’t your mother here making her own suggestions? I’m sure she knows her own likes and dislikes. Women usually do, you know.’
    Luke had no doubt this particular woman knew exactly what she liked. And clearly wouldn’t be afraid to say it. His interest in her amped up another notch. She might be petite, but what she lacked in stature she made up in grit and fire.
    And her voice was as sexy as all hell. Low and slightly throaty. It suited her, he thought. She looked like a good girl, a bit buttoned up, but then she opened her mouth. He wanted to keep her talking.
    But she looked at her wrist and frowned. ‘I have to go,’ she said, her tone stern again. ‘Good luck. My best advice would be to actually get your mother involved in the redecorating. Not too unreasonable, given she has to live with the results.’ And with that, she took off.
    Yowza . Luke released an appreciative whistle as he watched her disappear around the corner for the second time in ten minutes. That sexy schoolmistress thing she had going was a knockout. With a stab of disappointment, he realised he should’ve asked her name. He should’ve found out something about her. She intrigued him. And she’d slipped through his fingers.
    Twice.
    He ditched the trolley and raced after her. He knew he only had a slim chance but he had to try. He could see her up ahead. She walked quickly, bouncing and swaying as she moved towards the entrance to the King of the Castle’s offices. Still in the building. He tried to catch her but she gave the heavy door a vigorous push and disappeared from sight.
    Luke considered following, but the thought of her adding ‘stalker’ to the list of weirdoes she’d encountered today was downright degrading. Notching this one up as a lost opportunity he drifted back to the shopping cart, a sense of disappointment washing over him.
    The cart stood exactly where he’d left it. He poked about at the contents, sighed, and continued his way towards the home decorating department. These samples wouldn’t do. Whatever-her-name was right about that, even if she had it wrong about his mother; she had no need to set foot in a store like this as long as Luke could do it for her. He’d empty the trolley and start again.
    So much for in and out.
    ***
    Harper stepped into the reception area of King of the Castle, her skinny heel catching slightly as she adjusted from concrete floor to plush carpet. She approached the high desk, gripping her bag hard to stop her hand shaking, and peered over. There was no one there.
    Odd.
    Harper checked her watch. She’d timed it perfectly despite all the distractions back in the store and so she stood and waited for the receptionist to return.
    And waited.
    And waited.
    The minutes ticked by. Harper could feel her eye twitching again and she fought the urge to touch it. She sat down on one of the large reception couches, sinking into the squashy cushion. Help, she thought. I’m being sucked into the couch. She pulled herself up and perched on the edge, her knees firmly tucked together and her back straight. She noticed she’d scuffed one of her shoes and kicked her foot out a little to examine the damage. This is what happens when your silly shoes can’t hack the pace of life .
    She fought the temptation to get her notes back out of her bag. Really, she didn’t need them after all the research she’d done on Cliff King and his mega-franchise. Blindfolded and standing on her head she could have recited it all. Harper knew you didn’t waste opportunities like this by not doing your homework. She had