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Herolled his eyes.Thatone move shot her blood pressure through the roof. ‘Look,I’msorry.Itwas a bad call—’
‘You’retelling me.Sowhy were you at her house?Ithought you were meeting at a restaurant.’
‘Well, the good news is that…Igot the job.Wewent back toValentina’sso we could discuss the assignment and go over the ideas with more space, have some champagne…’
‘Ha!’Stellathrew her head back with the exclamation. ‘Please,Valentinawas probably hoping for aménage a trois.’Sheshook her head and slit her eyes to the open door of the examination room.Outside, a mother bounced a baby on her lap on the orange melamine chairs of the waiting room.Shewas watching them like it was theSaturdaymatinee.
Ifshe wereClaudia, she would have told the woman to mind her own business, but she wasStella.Sheshut the door.
‘Connor, did you sleep with her?’Hervoice dropped low.
‘No!Ofcourse not.Ican’t believe you’d ask me that.’
Stellapoked him in the chest, her voice rising. ‘Youbreak your promises all the time,Connor!Likethe stair gate.Youpromised you’d put it up whileIwas at the wedding.Iasked you a million times to do it.Thiswouldn’t have happened if you’d kept your promise.’
‘Sothis is my fault?’Heput his fists on his waist.
Sheknew it wasn’t fair, but she said, ‘Yes!Youhad three days to do it.Butyou were too busy…texting withValentina,Iguess.’
Adark look passed over his face. ‘Andwhat were you doing when this was all happening?Wereyou on your phone?’
Thefact that he’d got it spot on made her pause.
‘Iknew it,’ he said.
‘Ifyou must know,Iwas texting you to see how your meeting went.Butof course you didn’t get it because you were too busy turning your phone off and being shady withValentinaet al.’
Hisjaw clenched and he dipped his head back in frustration. ‘Itold you, nothing happened.’Andthen, caging her with his grey eyes: ‘Don’tforget that, between the two of us,I’mthe one who’s never had an affair with someone who’s married.I’mnot starting now.’
Ragesaturated her in a flash, her flesh turning red, her eyes popping wide.Shecouldn’t believe he’d gone there.
Runninghis hands over his face and hanging his head, he said, ‘I’msorry,Ididn’t mean—’
‘No!You’rejust the one who slept with bridesmaids and mothers of the brides and everyScandinavianmodel with a pulse beforeImet you.’Hurtchased the rage through her veins.Connorknew the circumstances of her affair.Howthe fallout had caused her panic attacks for a year.Healso knew how hard it had been for her to put it behind her.Tearsthickened behind her eyes.
Connorplowed on. ‘It’snot my fault thatValentinacomes onto me all the time.’
‘Herand every other woman!’
‘Exactlymy point!’Hepointed at her, then pointed to the world at large. ‘Iget itAll.The.Time.It’sexhausting.’
‘I’mcrying for you.’Shecrossed her arms and studied the sharps disposal box.
Takinga deep breath, he leaned back onto the examination table, holding the edge with his hands. ‘Didyou know that the air stewardess on our flight home gave me her number?’
Cuttingher head back towards him, she said, ‘No.’
‘Andthe wedding planner at the hotel inCapeTownwhereIdid the shoot?Shehit on me.’
‘Thatdoesn’t surprise me.Shehad her eyes on you from the start.’
Hereached out to take her hand, but she pulled it away, not ready for that yet.Hesighed and said, ‘Doyou know whyI’vebeen trying so hard to get another assistant?It’sbecauseIdon’t like to shoot without one.Forsecurity.’
‘Why?Becauseyou don’t trust yourself?’
Hegroaned with frustration. ‘No,Stella, becauseIdon’t trustthem.Beforeyou came along,Ihad an experience where a client got angry with me whenItold herIwasn’t interested.Sheconvinced her husband thatI’dcome onto her, which was…not fun to diffuse.Afterthat,IdecidedI’dalwayshave an assistant on shoots with me.’
‘Younever told me this.’
