Ellie Darkins – Conveniently Engaged To The Boss (страница 2)

Joss couldn’t bring himself to look, but he could almost hear the huge grin on his father’s face, verging on a full-on laugh.

‘We’re waiting for you.’

His father left the room before Joss could explain that nothing had been going on between him and Eva. He shot a look at her, and saw she looked as taken aback as he did as she struggled with her dress. He pulled the zip up for her—no lingering this time—and strode for the door.

‘What are we going—?’ Eva started.

‘I’ll handle it,’ Joss said.

He walked into the boardroom, still fighting images of Eva’s lingerie-clad body and the look of intrigue and delight on his father’s face when he’d so clearly misinterpreted what had been going on in his office.

He was more used to seeing disappointment from his father, especially when it involved him and women. Since Joss’s first marriage had failed, his father had tried to hide his disappointment that he’d not been able to settle down with anyone else. He knew that when he’d first told his parents he was getting a divorce, they’d blamed the break-up on him.

And then, when he’d walked into the office as a single man, emerging from the dark clouds of clinical depression and divorce, he had realised the strength of his attraction to his father’s executive assistant.

He’d told himself that he would not be going near her—under any circumstances. His father doted on her, and would not take kindly to her feelings being hurt. And after what Joss had done to his marriage—the destruction he’d been powerless to prevent—he knew that he couldn’t expect to make any woman happy.

At least his father respected him professionally. He’d been working for the family’s chain of luxury department stores since he was in primary school, and had earned his position as Vice President of UK Stores. But professional respect and personal pride were two very different things, and Joss knew that an abundance of one would never compensate for the lack of the other.

All eyes turned to him as he entered the full boardroom, with Eva right behind him. They found a couple of spare chairs in the corner. Sunlight flooded in through the old lead-paned windows, brightening the panelled room, which could feel oppressive on a gloomier day.

Joss tried to catch his father’s eye, but he was either deliberately avoiding his gaze or so entranced by the view out of the window that he couldn’t bring himself to look away. The well-heeled streets of Kensington were bustling below, and Joss could tell just from the hum of the traffic that the pavement outside the store was filled with shoppers and tourists, stopping to take in the magnificent window displays for which the store was renowned.

Eventually, though, the old man cleared his throat and looked around the room, glancing at each of the board members in turn.

‘I’d like to thank you all for being here,’ Edward began, with a smile that Joss couldn’t interpret. ‘Especially at such short notice and on a Friday afternoon, when I’m sure you’d all rather be at a long working lunch. I’m afraid that, as some of you may have guessed, an emergency board meeting is rarely called to share good news, and today is no different. So, it is with regret that I have to announce that due to ill health I will be resigning from the company in all capacities with immediate effect.’

Joss felt fear and dread swell in an all too familiar fashion in the base of his stomach as the deeper meaning of his father’s words sank in. His father must be ill—seriously ill—to even consider leaving the business.

But Edward carried on speaking, leaving him no time to dwell.

‘You all know that over the years we have taken steps to ensure a smooth transition when the time came for me to hand over the reins, and so—if you are all still in agreement—I will be leaving you in the capable hands of my son, Joss, who will become Managing Director and Chairman of the Board in my place. Eva, of course, will be assisting Joss in his new role, as I suspect she knows more about my job than I do. I know you will continue to support them, just as you have supported me. Now, I imagine there will be questions, so I’ll answer them as best I can. Who’s first?’

The room sank into silence as Edward finished speaking. Joss looked closely at his father. Ill-health? His father hadn’t taken a day off sick in his life, and yet now he was resigning completely? Yes, they’d talked about succession plans. Any sensible businessman had contingencies for all eventualities, and Edward would not have wanted to leave the company in chaos if anything had happened to him. But had there actually been more to it than that? Had his father known that he would soon be stepping down?

The dread in Joss’s stomach twisted into stark fear as the implications of the announcement sank in and he realised what this must mean. His father wouldn’t resign because of a dodgy hip or ‘a touch of angina’, as he’d once described a health scare. He’d always sworn he’d be carried out of a Dawson’s department store in his coffin. For him to resign must mean he had had some terrible news.

Panic and grief gripped his throat as he noticed for the first time the slight grey tinge to his father’s skin, and the lines around his eyes that suggested a habitual wince of fatigue. Why hadn’t he noticed before? Why hadn’t he been looking? His father wasn’t exactly a spring chicken, and he was still working sixteen-hour days long past the age when most people would expect to retire.

He should have made his father take things easier—should have taken more off his plate.

He met his father’s eye and saw sympathy and understanding in his father’s gaze. He wanted to rush to embrace him, but something froze him to his chair, chilling his blood.

And then warmth crept from the tips of his fingers as a hand slid into his and he heard Eva’s voice.

‘Edward, are you in pain? What can we do to help?’

Joss’s eyes swam and he clenched his jaw, determined not to allow a single tear to fall, to keep control over his emotions. Besides, swiping a falling tear before anyone saw would mean taking his hand from Eva’s, and at that moment he couldn’t see how he was meant to do that.

‘Perhaps we should speak in my office?’ Edward said to Joss, his voice gentle. ‘And you lot—’ he addressed the remaining members of the board ‘you have a good gossip while I’m gone and think of what you need to ask me. Head back to the pub and finish your lunch, if you want to. But get your questions to me sharpish, because I’m planning on being on a sun lounger by the end of next week.’

Edward rose and Joss noticed, as he hadn’t before, that his father leaned heavily on the table for support.

Joss snapped out of his trance and back into business mode as they walked down the corridor and back to Edward’s office, firing questions all the way.

‘Dad? What’s happening? Are you okay? Was this what you wanted to talk to me about?’

Edward collapsed into the chair behind his desk and rested back against the padded seat. ‘Yes. I’m sorry, son. Of course I wanted to tell you first, but you didn’t arrive for our meeting—’

‘Dad, if I’d known—’

‘I know.’ He softened the words with a smile. ‘I know. But it was difficult for Eva to get everyone here at such short notice. I couldn’t delay it any longer.’

‘Couldn’t delay? What’s wrong with you, Dad?’

‘Sit down, son.’ His father indicated the chair opposite. ‘And you, Eva. You both need to hear this. It’s cancer, I’m afraid, and there’s nothing they can do about it. I ignored it for a bit too long, it seems. So I thought it was about time I took that holiday I’ve been promising myself for the last thirty years and let you get on with running the business while I’m still around to answer your questions—there’s no deadline for you two, of course.’

Joss stared at his father, unable to take in his words. His hand found Eva’s again and he gripped it hard, taking strength from the solid presence of her, the warmth that always radiated from her.

‘How long, Dad?’

‘Oh, you know doctors. Never give you a straight answer. A few months, it seems. Long enough to have a little fun before I go. I love this business—you know that I do—but news like this makes you rethink, and I don’t want these four walls to be the last thing I see before I go.’

‘I’m so sorry, Edward.’

Joss could hear the tears in Eva’s voice, and he squeezed her hand. He knew how fond she was of his father, and that her grief must mirror his own. ‘Are you sure you’re comfortable? Is there anything we can do?’

‘Quite comfortable for now, my dear. Thank you for your concern. Now it’s my turn to ask the questions.’ He glanced at their clasped hands. ‘Is there anything you two would like to tell me?’

* * *

Eva sat in shock, silenced by Edward’s words. She couldn’t believe that the old man was dying. Sure, he’d looked a little creaky around the joints lately, but he’d never complained of so much as a runny nose. It just didn’t make sense that he could be terminally ill.

Joss had taken hold of her hand and she could feel the contact burning her skin. She hadn’t thought about it when she’d slid her fingers between his back in the boardroom. Hadn’t thought about all the times she’d imagined the slide of his skin against hers over the years. All she’d been able to feel was the grief and fear radiating from him, and she had acted on instinct, trying to ease it in any way she could.