Partners by Contract Read Free Page B

this time!
    She’d spent the last four years filling the gap this man had left in her life. Now she knew how spectacularly unsuccessful she’d been.
    ‘For me, too.’ Their gazes meshed. Phoebe flinched. Connor’s expression didn’t suggest that the surprise had been a pleasant one. She’d anticipated some residual hostility, maybe even a dollop of cringing embarrassment if and when they eventually met up again, but not this level of cold, savage fury.
    ‘We shared a flat as students, though Con was a couple of years ahead of me.’
    If Con wasn’t going to go into details, neither was she. Their audience heard her hasty explanation with a disappointed air.
    ‘This is quite a coincidence, Con.’
    ‘Is that what it is?’
    Her chin went up. ‘You always were the sharp one,’ she responded tensely. ‘The truth is out, folks,’ she announced flippantly. ‘I’ve been stalking the man for years—on account of his magnetic personality and startling good looks, you understand.’
    Her words were greeted with general laughter. Phoebe hoped that the person her words had been aimed at had received the message. All she needed now was for Con to run away with the idea she had in some way contrived this situation.
    ‘That’s our leader all right,’ Grace agreed, blowing a kiss in his direction before heading off with her student in tow. Connor’s eyes stayed on Phoebe’s face as Fran hugged him, then his gaze drifted reluctantly away.
    ‘You should have said you knew Con, Phoebe,’ Will said, a puzzled frown knitting his brow.
    ‘Oh, we lost touch years ago.’ She glanced at her watchand murmured a realistic-sounding squeal of horror. ‘Is that the time already?’
    ‘I expect she didn’t think I’d recognise her,’ Connor drawled.
    How could he joke about it? Talk about bad taste! Phoebe shot him a reproachful look and discovered that his expression wasn’t nearly as careless as his tone. His brooding examination sent an electrical surge through her tense frame.
    ‘Heavens, I’m running late! I must dash,’ she babbled. No longer caring if Will thought her behaviour odd, she did just that, as fast as her long legs would carry her.
    Her heart was thumping, only not from the burst of speed, by the time she inserted the key shakily in the lock of the car door. This is all my fault, she thought. Why didn’t I turn and run the moment I realised that Connor worked here? Oh, she’d spent plenty of time rationalising the decision, but the bottom line was that she’d known all along it had been crazy and self-indulgent to stay.
    She stood still for a few moments, waiting for waves of nausea to pass. When they did she hastily slid into the driver’s seat, glancing nervously over her shoulder as she did so. A showdown was inevitable but she wanted to choose the time and place. She was about to drive away when Will thumped the roof of her car. She let out a cry and jumped a mile.
    ‘Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you,’ Will said as the window slid down.
    ‘Well you did!’ she barked. ‘Sorry, Will, I’m just...I hate being late,’ she ended lamely.
    Easygoing Will brushed aside her stumbling apology. ‘I was wondering, Phoebe, are you calling in on Rob Marlow this morning?’
    ‘I thought I would, yes.’
    Phoebe was relieved the conversation had turned to more professional matters. Here at least she felt in control. Rob Marlow had been the first patient she’d seen at Hayfield. It had taken Phoebe about two seconds to see beyond his outward aggressive behaviour to the fearful young man beneath.
    ‘We’ve been discussing the idea of him getting used to using a long stick now while his sight is still reasonable.’
    The young computer programmer had been diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a congenital inherited degenerative eye condition, some years before, but up until recently he’d been able to lead a normal life as night blindness had been the only manifestation of the disease. Over the