‘What are you doing?’
‘Angelina’s helping me make tortellini. Will you have time to eat before you go? I’ll get some ready now if you like.’
He nodded his thanks to Rosa, took one final look at the thankfully mute woman standing by her side and made his exit, tugging on his tie as he went. He hadn’t seen her since that night in his office. He’d kept his distance and she’d kept out of his way and it had proved this thing was possible. He’d known it would work out. In a house this size, there was no reason why they should bump into each other at all.
‘Dominic?’
Then again…
He turned. She looked abashed. ‘Sorry. Mr Pirelli.’
‘Dominic is fine. It is my name.’
‘Oh.’ Her lips were pink, her cheeks were red, except for where she’d left a swipe of flour. He had to stop his hand from reaching out and wiping it off. ‘Only if you’re sure.’
‘Of course I’m sure. As I will drop the Mrs Cameron and call you Angelina. I’m assuming Cameron is Shayne’s name?’
She nodded, her teeth catching her bottom lip, some kind of paper dangling forgotten from her fingers.
‘Then you don’t need it. Angelina it is. And now I really must get moving, if that’s all?’
‘Mr Pirelli—Dominic. I wonder if you would do me a favour.’
He regarded her suspiciously, registering for the first time that she wasn’t wearing jeans; instead, had some kind of skirt on behind that apron. Nice ankles, he had time to register before he asked, ‘What kind of favour?’
‘I wondered if you could possibly be a referee for me.’
‘What?’
‘Only there’s this job going at the local supermarket. I could use my old contacts, only it would look so much better coming from you.’
He turned away. ‘No. No reference.’
She stopped him with a hand to his arm. ‘Oh, but—’
He looked down at her pale fingers, wondered why something so cool-looking should feel so warm. ‘Because you don’t need a job. Don’t I give you enough money?’
‘It’s not about the money.’
‘Good. So we’re agreed. You don’t need a job.’
‘No! It’s about keeping busy. I’m bored, Dominic. There’s nothing to do here but loll around by the pool and read books or magazines all day. I need something to do.’
He wasn’t sure he was hearing her right. A woman was complaining about having nothing to do but lounge by the pool or go shopping? Carla had never complained about not having a job. Carla had never complained about not having anything to do. But he shoved thoughts of Carla away. At least he knew from what he’d seen and what Rosa had confirmed, she knew how to eat. ‘You didn’t sound bored when I walked in before.’
‘Rosa took pity on me. She’ll soon get sick of it. But if I had a job at the supermarket—’
‘No.’
‘It’s only just around the corner—’
‘Out of the question.’
‘Just a few shifts a week—’
‘Is there something wrong with your hearing? I said no!’
She stamped her foot. ‘Then what am I supposed to do all day? What am I allowed to do by the lord and master of the house?’
He shrugged, half smiling to himself. Did she have any idea how cute she looked when she got angry and stamped her foot?
‘Why not decorate the nursery, if you’re so keen to keep busy?’
‘The nursery?’
‘I’ll need somewhere for this baby when it’s born.’
‘But I don’t…It’s not…Dominic, it’s not my place to organise your baby’s nursery. It’s not like it’s my baby.’
He looked at her levelly, resenting the way she could so easily divorce herself from the child she carried as if it meant nothing to her. Wasn’t she a woman? Surely she must have one maternal bone in her body? ‘You wanted a job. I’m giving you one.’
Singapore was hot. Drenching. The negotiations over the sale of an office and shopping complex even more draining. But the buyers had wilted first, and he’d got his price and even an earlier flight home to Sydney. Now all he wanted was a shower and a cold beer and a chance to read the article he’d spied in a woman’s magazine left on the seat next to him in the plane, not necessarily in that order.
He pulled the car up outside the garage. He’d put it away later on when he went down to the workshop after dinner. It relaxed him even when it frustrated him, and it frustrated him a lot. He still didn’t know what he was doing, but he sensed he was getting better. Or maybe he just needed the escape.