Divorced, Free, and Single

by Rosemary Lynch

  “Now, I had intended to bring my new PA to lunch to find out more about her but - I think you and I know each other quite intimately,” he said, and as he looked at her, her heartbeat rose.

  “Alex, look, what happened last weekend, well, I don’t do that, and I certainly would not have if I had known you were my new boss. I like you, Alex I really do, but …”

  “You want to keep our relationship – professional,” he interrupted, sounding disappointed.

  “Yes, I do.” She did not, not at all, but she had too. “It was my first night out after my divorce came through, and I drank way too much ….”

  “I see,” he interrupted again. “So I was in the right place at the right time, is that what you are saying?” She looked at him, and he looked hurt by what she had said.

  “No, Alex, not all. I – I like you a lot, too much if I am honest, but I am not ready for another relationship especially with my new boss.”

  “Okay, I understand,” he said, his eyes looking down at his plate, as usual his mother had been right. She was not ready for a relationship, yet, but that did not mean she never would. “So will you at least allow me to be your friend as well as your boss?” he asked, looking back at her. She reached across that table and put her hand over his.

  “I would like that, very much,” she said, with a smile.

  Alex looked at her hand over his, and he smiled, she needed time. He lifted his eyes and gazed into hers, and the sparkle in them told her he did not intend to leave it at good friends. They finished lunch and headed back to work.

  “Jane, do you want to grab some coffees, and we will go through what’s out-standing?” Alex said, as they walked back into the office.

  “Sure thing,” she replied, and she put her bag in the bottom desk drawer, and went and made their coffees.

  “Oh, Jane, put the phone on answerphone, I do not want us interrupted,” he yelled through the door.

  She switched on the answerphone, grabbed her pen and pad, and went into his office. As she walked through the door, her senses filled with the aroma of his aftershave, and she breathed it in deep. He had taken his jacket off and slung it over the back of his chair again. He looked up as she came in.

  “Thanks,” he said, as she gave him his coffee.

  Jane sat down in the chair in front of his desk, put her coffee down and flicked open her notepad, ready.

  Alex’s eyes followed her as she sat down, and crossed her legs. The split in her skirt fell back, revealing her knee, his eyes wandered down her leg to her shoe as it hung on her toe, and she bobbed it up and down as she waited. His eyes lifted back to her mouth, to her luscious red lips, as she sucked her pen, and moved it in and out of her mouth.

  “Alex,” she said, when he did not say anything. He was staring at her, but no words had yet left his mouth.

  “What,” he said, when he realised she was talking to him.

  “Well, what do you want me to do?” she asked. “Pen and pads all ready,” she said, lifting them up in the air.

  “Oh, right.” Focus, Alex, focus, he said to himself and he looked down at his list. “Erm, Townsend contract first. Can you draw up an A1 contract for him? All the standard contracts should all be on the computer. Can you stick a twelve-month stipulation on there? I like his idea for the book, but I am not sure about his time commitment. So we have agreed on a maximum twelve months for the final draft to be finished. I am meeting with him on Thursday so if you can let me have it by tomorrow afternoon so I can go through it that would be great.” She jotted it all down, nodding as he spoke.

  “Next is the Jackson event. As I said at lunch I would like you to come with me, so can you confirm our attendance, book the flights and a couple of rooms at the hotel where they are holding the event? This Saturday, I’m taking mum to the ballet, so can you book a table at Riversong for five o’clock for two?” She looked at him and smiled. He was taking his mum to see a ballet, how sweet was that?

  “What is it?”

  “What is what?” he asked, glancing up at her.

  “The ballet?” she replied.

  “Oh, the Nutcracker,” he said, with a smile. “She has seen it three times this year already, but it is her favourite. Do you like ballet?” he asked. Jane shrugged.

  “I have never seen one,” she replied.

  “Really, well we will have to see about that,” he replied. “Right,” he said, and sticking on his reading glasses, he read the rest of his list. As she jotted it all down, she thought he looked even cuter in glasses.

  Alex looked at his watch, and took off his glasses.

  “Are you okay with all of that?” he asked, as he finished.

  “Yep, no problem,” she replied, flipping her notepad shut. She rose from her chair, tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, and gave him a smile. She walked out of his office, settled down at her desk and began her tasks. Jane had brought a new electronic diary, which she linked into the computer. That way she would have what he was doing and where he was supposed to be on her at all times. Apart from putting a few calls through to him, she did not see him for another hour and a half.

  Alex shuffled his papers back and forth, but he could not concentrate. He glanced towards the door. It was going to take every ounce of self-control that he had to keep his mind on business, and to keep their relationship professional. It was all he could do to stop himself from walking out that office door, declaring his love for her, striping her naked and making love to her on her desk. He looked at her picture on his phone, and a rush of arousal stirred between his thighs.

  “Shit,” he groaned, and taking a deep breath, he put the phone down, he had to stop thinking about her and get on with some work. He pushed his papers across the desk, stood up and went to the window. He looked at river, and observed the boats ferrying tourists back and forth, he had lived, and worked in London for twenty years, and he was sick of it. He had been so busy that in twenty years, he had not even visited The Tower of London, Madam Tussauds, and he could not remember the last time he went to a museum. Even the London Eye, which was five minutes from his building, he had never bothered to go on.

  God, no wonder his mother was always nagging at him to sell the business, find himself a wife, and give her some grandchildren. He smiled at the thought of kids, he never used to want kids, but last this last year or so, seeing his friends with babies, and children growing up, he changed his mind. Settling down and having a family of own family, was something he longed for. If he had kids, he could take them to London Zoo, he had not been there either, or the London Aquarium, again five minutes from his building. He ran his hands through his hair, groaned and returned to his desk.

  Alex pulled the paperwork back in front of him, and he got on with it, well almost. He decided he would take Jane on the London Eye, but he would have to come up with an excuse as to why.

  She glanced up as his office door opened.

  “I have a board meeting now, and it is going to be a long one so I will see you in the morning,” he said, stopping at her desk.

  “You don’t need me to minute it?” she asked.

  “No, thank you, it was arranged ages ago, before we knew when you would start. Eric Grant’s PA is doing them.”

  “Oh, okay. I will see you in the morning,” she replied, looking up at him.

  “Jane,” he started. “Look I know we met under different circumstances, but I am glad you are my PA, I have feeling we are going to work really well together.”

  “Thank you, Alex, I think we will too,” she replied, her eyes catching his, he stared at her for a moment.

  “Night, Jane,” he said.

  “Night, Alex,” she replied, and watched as he left the office. She glanced up at the clock, it was already five, and today had flown by.

  Chapter Four

  Jane kicked her heels off as soon as she got through the front door, and her toes wiggled in relief, the rest of her body seeking a hot, bubbly bath. She chucked her keys and handbag onto
the hall table, and made her way into the bathroom. Jane switched on the taps, poured in the bubble bath, headed into her bedroom, and stripped off her clothes. Five minutes later, she submerged herself into the hot, steamy water.

  She closed her eyes, and thought of Alex, and her insides stirred. Was it coincidence that they had met at the hotel, or had it been her fate to meet him? After all, if she had not she would have still met him today, and she was certain that attraction she felt for him would still have been there. She gave a sigh, he was her boss, and that was that. On hearing her phone beep, she opened her eyes. It was probably one of the girls, so she closed them again. They could wait.

  Half an hour later, she got out of the bath and checked her phone. It was Sophie.

  “Hi hon, fancy a drink? x ” She smiled, she sure did and she text back.

  “Yes please! x ” A minute later came the reply.

  “Meet me at Dell’s, half an hour?”

  “Okay”

  She threw off her dressing gown and flicked through her wardrobe full of new, sexy outfits. Jane pulled out a little black dress and held against her body, it would do fine. She put on black knickers and slipped on the dress and a pair of black heels. She quickly did her hair and make-up, tied a red silken scarf around her throat, and left the flat. They had been going to Dell’s for six months and now it was a five-minute walk away from her new flat. As she walked in she saw Sophie at the bar, she waved at her, and smiled as she walked towards her.

  “Shit, Jane, I still can’t get over how hot you are,” she said, passing her a southern comfort and lemonade.

  “Thanks,” she replied, taking it from her. “Me neither,” she said with a grin.

  “So how’s work been with sexy boss?” she asked.

  “Great, we work well together,” Jane replied.

  “So, spill the beans?” Sophie said.

  “Soph, there is nothing to tell, we have agreed to keep our relationship professional.”

  “Yeah, sure, sorry is this, the same guy that last weekend you wanted to marry and have his babies!”

  “Oh shut up,” she said, at her teasing.

  “Jane, come on you can tell me,” she pushed.

  “Okay, I think he is seriously hot and yes I would love there to be something more, but I can’t.”

  “Why can’t you?” Sophie asked.

  “Because, he is my boss, that is why and I need this job. I promised myself that I was not going to step straight back into another relationship, besides sleeping with your boss would be too complicated. I am going to have some fun, remember?”

  “Right,” she said, with a nod.

  “What is that look, for?” Jane asked.

  “What look?” Sophie replied.

  “The rolling eyes?” she said.

  “Honey I know me, and Claire are always nagging at you to have fun and lots of wild sex, but it may not be for you. You may just be a one man kind of woman, and what if Alex is that one man?”

  Jane shook her head.

  “He’s too good for me, Soph.”

  “Rubbish!”

  “He is. You haven’t heard how he speaks, oh my god his accent. He’s smart, and funny. We’ll have sex, it will be fantastic, then he will get bored of me and move on to the next PA,” she said sadly. “People like that always do. Christ you’ve read enough romance books to know how it works, I would just be his plaything for a while and then unemployed.”

  “Jane, do you really think that about him?” Sophie asked, with a frown.

  Jane dropped her shoulders and gave a sigh.

  “No.”

  “So what is it?”

  “I’m scared okay, that I will fall in love with him and get hurt all over again.”

  “Jane, he’s not Sam. You can’t keep comparing every man you meet to him.”

  Jane shook her head.

  “Well I guess I will not know unless I try.”

  “What with your boss?” Sophie asked. Jane shook her head.

  “No,” she said, “with other guys.”

  “Mum,” a young man’s voice called. Jane turned, recognising his voice and she smiled. “I knew I would find you here,” he added, with a grin.

  “Michael, what are you doing here, you are not supposed to be here until tomorrow?” she said sliding off her bar-stool. She opened her arms, and gave him a hug. In her heels, she was nearly the same size as him.

  “We finished early and decided we may as well get away earlier. Mum, this is Josh,” he said, introducing his friend.

  She turned to his friend, and her first thoughts were, shit he is hot, and her second was, no way is he the same age as her son.

  “Pleased to meet you, Mrs Decland,” he said, in a strong Australian accent. His eyes took her all in, and he looked at Michael, wow, he had a sexy mother.

  “It’s Archer,” she replied, correcting him.

  “Oh sorry, Ms Archer,” he said, with a smile.

  “Actually call me Jane,” she said, smiling back at him. Ms Archer sounded awful!

  “Jane,” he repeated, and he held out his hand. He had the deepest blue eyes, a curly mop of blonde hair, and he looked like he should have been surfing on Bondi beach. He must have been at least twenty-seven if not older. She took his hand and he shook it.

  “Mike, you never said how beautiful your mum was,” he said, looking at her son. Michael raised an eyebrow at him and he looked back at her.

  “So how’s the flat?” Michael asked.

  “Great, still not unpacked everything yet, but your room is ready,” she said. “Do you want a drink?” she asked and he nodded.

  “Josh?” Jane offered.

  “Yes, thanks, a pint please,” he replied.

  “Two pints, Rick, please,” she asked the barman.

  “Sure, Jane,” he replied.

  They had a few drinks, and at chucking out time Jane said goodbye to Sophie who got a cab home and she walked the five minutes home with the boys.

  “Here, this is your key,” she said, taking the key from the pot on the hall table and giving it to him.

  “Thanks Mum. Erm, Mum, there’s just one thing,” he said.

  “What?” she asked, as she walked into the lounge.

  “I’m going to dads on Saturday, until Sunday, to say hi to Jack before they go away. I realise it’s awkward with Josh, but I invited him back before I realised Jack was going with dad.” She frowned for a moment at the thought of having a stranger in her home for a couple of days without Michael being there. As she looked at his lovely face, she softened.

  “It’s okay, Michael,” she said.

  “Thanks, Mum,” he replied, and he kissed her cheek.

  “Mikey, how old is Josh? Is he in your class?”

  “He’s twenty-eight, no he’s not doing engineering, he’s doing catering, but we hooked up one night at the pub. It’s not a problem is it?”

  “No, no,” she said with a shake of her head.

  “Cool,” he replied.

  Chapter Five

  Her first week at work flew by, and it had not been as bad as she had first thought. Alex never mentioned their night together and he kept their relationship professional. He was away on business, Thursday and Friday, so she had chatted a few times to him on the phone, confirming details for the following week. He had left her a few audio tapes to do, and she loved listening to his sexy voice as she typed. Every now and then, he cracked a joke, and she found herself laughing aloud at them.

  This was more than she could say for her relationship with Josh. Having another male in the house, who was not her son, was becoming difficult. He did not make it obvious in front of Michael, but when her son was not around Josh was flirtatious. He walked around the flat in his boxer shorts or in a towel when he came out of the shower. Without giving it a thought about her seeing him and everything, he had to offer.

  It was Friday night, and usually she went down Dell’s with the girls, but this weekend they had gone to see Sophie’s
parents in Wales. So instead, she applied a cucumber facemask, and had a leisurely bath. When she got out, she stuck on her jogging bottoms and a thin-strapped t-shirt and went into the kitchen to make dinner. She threw together a chicken salad, poured a glass of wine, and went into the lounge. She switched on the TV, sat on her wide, comfortable, sofa and ate.

  When she had finished, she grabbed her art pad and pencils, curled up on the sofa and began to sketch. She loved to draw and paint, and did it whenever she had the time.

  She glanced up as she heard the front door open.

  “Mikey is that you?” she called.

  “Nope, just me,” Josh replied, and he stuck his head around the door.

  “Oh, hi, Josh,” she said, giving him a smile.

  “Mike’s gone to his mate’s Steve,” he told her.

  “Oh, right okay. If you are hungry there is some chicken left in the fridge,” she offered.

  “Thanks, but I’ve got a pizza,” he said, lifting the box and showing her. “Do you want some, it’s pepperoni?”

  “No, thanks, I’ve eaten.”

  “Beer?” he asked. She shook her head.

  “Oh, but you can top this up if you like, the wine’s in the fridge,” she asked. He walked towards her, and as she leaned towards him to pass him her glass, he saw straight down her top. She was not wearing a bra and his eyes took in her 34DD’s.

  “Sure, no problem,” he replied, as he took the glass from her. Josh went back into the kitchen and filled her glass. He was having a big problem controlling himself around her. He did because Mike was his mate, but seriously, his mum was so sexy he did not think he would be able to much longer. He took in her wine.

  “Thanks,” she said, giving him a smile.

  “No worries,” he said, staring at her as he thought. How can someone look so sensual wearing trackie bottoms and a t-shirt? He went back into the kitchen and came out with his beer and pizza.

  “Is it okay if I eat in here?” he asked. She glanced up at him.

  “Sure, so long as you don’t drop it over my carpet,” she replied.

  “Oh, no I won’t,” he said, giving her a shake of his head.