Page 87 of Never Gonna Happen

‘Are you seeing anyone?’

Emily smiled awkwardly, then looked down at the table in her best attempt at Lady Diana-level coyness. ‘Yes.’

Mark looked visibly shocked, like somehow he expected her still to be pining for him, or taking orders as a nun. Honestly, men and their egos.

‘Wow. That’s great news,’ he lied, his eyes casting round in various directions as he tried to process this bombshell. ‘Are YOU happy?’

‘Actually, yes I am,’ said Emily. ‘It’s somebody I work with, but a bit more legitimate this time round.’ No doubt he’d want more information, but this was all he was getting.

Mark gave a hollow laugh. ‘Just give that knife a twist, why don’t you.’

‘You don’t want me to be happy? You’d rather I was alone and miserable?’

‘Absolutely. Then I’d stand a better chance of persuading you to come back to me.’

Emily tilted her head in amusement. ‘Professionally or personally?’

‘Personally. My new PA is perfectly competent, but I miss hanging out with you in a naked context. Aside from your excellent shorthand, you were a spectacular fuck.’

Emily shook her head and smiled. This was all a game to Mark; the same one he’d played over lunch in October. She’d turned down his advances then, but he wasn’t a man who gave up easily. It was a matter of male pride now, a test of his manliness to establish if he still had what it took to seduce a woman sixteen years younger than him. He was going to be sorely disappointed. ‘It’s never gonna happen,’ she said, suddenly remembering the last time she’d heard someone say that. It was Jamie, the day after the Christmas party when he told her how he felt about her. Look how that turned out.

‘Never?’ said Mark, doing puppy dog eyes.

‘No. You and I had a good time, Mark, but I don’t want to be your bit on the side. I’m in a much healthier relationship now.’

He sighed, then picked up his wine glass and raised it to Emily grudgingly. ‘Fine, you win for now. But you can’t blame a man for trying.’

Once their plates had been cleared away, Mark poured the remainder of the wine into their glasses and rested his chin on his hands. ‘So, why am I here?’ he asked. ‘You’ve already rejected my sexual advances, I’m not sure what else I have to offer.’

Emily laughed. ‘OK, fine. Have you ever heard of a man called Charles Hunter?’

Mark thought for a second, then shook his head. ‘I don’t think so.’

‘He made a fortune in software and online gaming, sold his company a few years ago for gazillions.’

‘Oh yeah,’ said Mark. ‘I remember reading about that. Isn’t he some kind of viscount or duke or something?’

‘Something like that. He’s who I work for.’

Mark looked impressed. ‘Wow. I bet that’s really interesting.’

‘It is. He has a son, Adam Hunter.’

‘Ah, now him I do know,’ said Mark, holding up a finger. ‘He’s in property, very well connected, not very well liked.’

‘Hmm. Why am I not surprised?’

Mark eyed her expectantly, clearly wondering where she was going with this.

‘Look, I need some information about Adam Hunter, but it needs to be top secret. It’s really important that he doesn’t find out that anyone is sniffing around. Like, my job depends on it.’

‘OK,’ said Mark, twiddling the stem of his wine glass.

‘It’s a big ask, so feel free to say no. And there might not be anything to find, but I didn’t know who else to ask. I need someone I can trust.’

‘It’s fine,’ he said softly. ‘I’m glad you thought of me, even if it wasn’t in a wanton fucking capacity.’

Emily smiled. ‘Thank you.’