With This Man by Jodi Ellen Malpas

Author:Jodi Ellen Malpas [Malpas, Jodi Ellen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Orion Publishing Group
Published: 2018-03-20T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter 30

The car park is jam-packed. I spot Drew’s car in one of the reserved bays and pull up next to it, quickly making my way around the car to help Ava out. She’s quiet as I walk her to the modern building. It couldn’t look more different from The Manor. The club is still luxurious, but nowhere near as ostentatious. The reception area is buzzing when we enter.

‘Is that a salon?’ Ava asks, pointing to one of the four shop fronts on the ground floor. ‘And a beauty parlour?’

‘Yes, and Raya operates from that one there.’

‘What does she do?’ Ava lets me take her hand, seeming a bit overwhelmed by the place already.

‘Sports therapy.’ I nod to one of the girls on reception who quickly lets us through the turnstiles. ‘And that one over there is a health food store.’

‘It’s like health heaven,’ she says, smiling awkwardly when the girls on reception all wave hello. ‘And I work here?’

‘You sound disappointed.’ When we arrive at the juice bar, I spot Drew through the glass window that overlooks the pool area. He’s at the top of the diving board giving Georgia instructions.

‘Well, I’ve always dreamed of owning my own design company,’ Ava says.

‘You gave up work to have the twins.’ It was way before the twins came, but how Ava came to leave her employment at Rococo Union isn’t something I’m going into. I often wonder whether that prick Mikael still owns it, or if he sold it off as soon as my wife quit. ‘When the kids started school full-time, you decided you wanted to have an input here.’

A doubtful look lands on me. ‘I decided, or you made me?’

‘You decided,’ I confirm, and order her favourite power shake. ‘In your words, I’m crap at organising financial stuff and you weren’t about to let someone else do it.’

‘So you pay me?’ She accepts the shake, eyeing it suspiciously.

‘Handsomely,’ I reply, my voice suggestive and low.

She tosses me a playful filthy look. ‘Very funny.’

‘You’re a director, Ava. Like I said, we own it.’

I can tell she’s happy about that, her lovely lips taking the straw and sipping thoughtfully as she gazes around the bar, where laptops clutter tables and people chat post-workout. ‘Hmmm, this is lush.’

‘Glad your taste hasn’t changed,’ I say, motioning her to the stairs that lead to the gym floor.

Her face is suddenly bright and chirpy as she flanks me, her lips stuck to the straw. ‘That would have been a bit of a shock for you, wouldn’t it?’

‘What would?’

‘Well, if I came around and didn’t fancy you.’ She titters as we take the stairs, amused.

‘So you fancy me?’ I say, sounding casual and unaffected.

‘You’re all right, I suppose.’

The nerve. I nudge her and she chuckles, coming to a stop at the top of the stairs when the gym floor comes into view. ‘Wow.’ Turning slowly on the spot, she takes in the vast space. It could take her a while. A Bodypump class is happening on

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