The Man Who Broke Hearts by Stephanie Howard

Author:Stephanie Howard
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2011-06-10T00:00:00+00:00

But he didn’t. Clearly, he had no desire to remember those days either. Instead, he said, ‘It’s a fairly recent acquisition. I bought it just over eighteen months ago.’

‘For weekends, you say? How very pleasant. Eunice must enjoy it too.’

Tina felt rather pleased by her light tone as she added that last bit. By introducing Eunice into the conversation so coolly she had neatly dashed any false suspicion she might have provoked in him that she gave a damn about their past. And she’d even managed to use the wretched woman’s name for once!

Justin showed no reaction. He picked up his lager and drank. ‘Yes, I suppose she does,’ he agreed.

Tina watched him through narrowed eyes. She had no desire to talk about Eunice or about his Cotswolds house or any of that. What she wanted to talk about was the future of Scope. He was well aware of that, of course, but he was enjoying keeping her on tenterhooks. And, though Tina knew it would be useless to try and twist his arm, perhaps, if she was subtle, she could guide the conversation round.

She leaned casually across the table and fingered her lager glass. ‘I couldn’t help noticing that Eunice left early. Was there any particular reason?’ She smiled an innocent smile. ‘I mean any reason why you wanted to be on your own.’

For it had occurred to her that perhaps he had packed Eunice off so that he could have a word with Tina in private. Perhaps, since he and Eunice were spending the weekend together, he’d had second thoughts about Tina coming to the house later on.

But Justin wasn’t to be caught out so easily. ‘Why? Did you want a word with her?’

‘No.’

‘I didn’t think so. You don’t like Eunice, do you?’

Tina was a little taken aback, but she could scarcely deny it. She tilted her chin at him. ‘And she doesn’t like me.’

‘Eunice has nothing against you.’ Justin was shaking his head at her. ‘The only thing I’ve ever heard Eunice say about you is that she considers you to be an extremely talented journalist.’

Could that possibly be true? Tina stared at him in amazement. If it was, then Eunice was every bit as devious as her fiancée. Tina suddenly felt outsmarted and at a bit of a disadvantage. Considering the things she’d said about Eunice, she must look a total bitch!

Justin more or less confirmed that as he proceeded to assure her, ‘Eunice didn’t even notice you were here, as it happens, and I certainly didn’t bring your presence to her attention.’ He smiled without humour. ‘Knowing your penchant for scenes, the last thing I was likely to do was bring you together. I had no desire to see Eunice upset.’

Tina felt like punching him for his smug superiority. Or maybe it was for that declaration of support for his fiancée. She didn’t like to admit it, but that stuck in her throat.

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