Obesssion Read Free Page A

cheeks blooming in a very pretty fashion as she shook her head. “I’m getting married, Josh.” She pronounced it the French way, Zh-osh.
    I immediately made a joke. “Wow, when did I propose? How long have we been engaged?”
    Her teasing little smile appeared, accompanied by a wagging finger. “Naughty. It’s Dev.” I must have looked blank, for she elaborated. “Devereaux. My ex from Paris.”
    “ Oh, that Dev.” Who the hell was Dev? Had she mentioned him before?
    “ Yes chéri , that Dev. I’ve known him since I was a child. I think he always knew I’d go back to him.”
    I leaned forward, curious. “So why are you?” Dani passed me the wine bottle. Absently, I topped up my glass.
    “ Josh, I’m thirty-two years old. I want to have the chance for a family… and Dev proposed to me again.” Her voice was gentle. I sensed no rebuke, but it felt as though I’d been slapped in the face. I thought Danielle was like me, a loner, a confirmed singleton, someone else with a pathological fear of relationships.
    Obviously not.
    I hastened to cover my awkwardness. I placed my glass on the side table and crossed the room to pull her to her feet. Smiling, I pulled her into my arms for a hug.
    I can’t wait for you. Her voice rang inside my head.
    It shocked me. I hadn’t realised Dani wanted more than this. Everything I’d read from her up to now… Had I been so wrong? I scrambled to recover. “Congratulations, Dani. I’m very happy for you. I guess you’re moving back home?”
    When she didn’t release me straight away, I threw caution to the wind and whispered in her ear. “One last night together?”
    In reply, Dani disentangled herself and stepped back, creating a physical space between us. I could see she was already establishing an emotional space, too, and I gave up. “I was joking. Really . Now, come on, tell me all about your plans.”
    Her dark eyes gazed up at me. “You don’t mind?”
    I shrugged. “I just want you to be happy. Come on, spill the beans.”
    “ Such an English expression,” she murmured, but relaxed. Over pizza and a second bottle of wine, Dani dismantled all my previous ideas of her, piece by piece. It left me wondering if I could be so wrong about her, had I been wrong about all the others, as well?
     
     
1.6 Suki
     
    Gabe spent much of the evening in his office, occasionally coming downstairs to bug me. I still couldn’t believe I’d agreed to prepare lunch for eighteen people. We held regular dinner parties, but never for more than eight at a time. This was just crazy. Gabe had been adamant we wouldn’t use caterers, as he wanted the magazine people to be impressed with my home cooking. I’d made a compromise to prepare the starter and dessert courses, but the turkey dinner would be catered.
    The groceries had been delivered and mostly put away, apart from a swathe of small items strewn across the kitchen table. Before I attended to those, I needed to chop a mountain of fruit for tomorrow’s dessert course. As I tackled a bowlful of apples, Gabe came to get a drink, poking through the random groceries as he did so.
    “ Do we really need all this stuff?”
    I glared at him over my shoulder. “Dinner. Tomorrow. Your idea. You know, you could give me a hand if you’re not busy?”
    “ Not finished yet.”  He stared into the fridge. “Where’s my beer?”
    “ There wasn’t space. Go look in your den.” Gabe had converted the basement to his man cave. Apart from his cars and motorbikes in the garage, that was his pride and joy.
    “ Uh-huh. Do we have any wine?”
    Sighing, I pushed back a stray lock of hair from my forehead, instantly regretting it as I realised how sticky my fingers were. “Red or white?”
    “ Either.” He was bored, I could tell by the tone of his voice. Next thing, he’d moved up behind me, fondling my bottom. “We should try some more baby-making tonight, Suzu.” I froze. This was one subject we really needed to talk about, but