November Harlequin Presents 2(12)

‘Morgan, it’s a disaster. You have to get back here right away.’

‘Why, what’s wrong?’

‘Maverick, that’s what’s wrong.’

A split second of silence answered the announcement. ‘What do you mean? He’s in Milan all week. How can he be a problem?’

‘Giuseppe Zeppa had a heart attack. The Zeppabanca deal is on ice, at least for the time being. Maverick is here.’

‘Oh, hell. So what happened?’

‘I told you, it’s a total disaster. You have to come back straight away.’

‘You mean he knows?’

‘He knows something isn’t right.’

Another pause.

‘But he doesn’t actually know you’re not me?’

‘Not yet, but he’s here. Isn’t that bad enough? I can’t do this, Morgan. It was a crazy enough plan to pretend to be you when he was away, but now that Maverick’s here it’s impossible!’

‘But Bryony’s wedding is tomorrow! I can’t leave now.’

‘So why does she have to get married on a Tuesday, anyway—and all the way over in Hawaii? Why couldn’t she just get married at her local church like any normal person?’

‘You’ve met Bryony. She just likes to be different. It’s going to be a gorgeous wedding. I really want to thank you for doing this for me so I can be here for it.’

‘Stop thanking me! You can’t abandon me like this—not with Maverick here. There’s no way it will work.’

‘Hey, you promised me, remember?’

‘But that was before—and you know I was never happy about the idea anyway. But now it’s hopeless. You have to come back, don’t you see?’

There was silence at the other end of the line. ‘Morgan?’

‘Sorry, sis, I was thinking. Look, even if I did manage to get a ticket and leave on the first flight tomorrow, then I still wouldn’t make it back to work before Wednesday…’

‘And?’

‘And that means you’ll have been working with him for two days already by then.’

‘Which is two days too long!’

‘But the chances are, if he didn’t twig to our switch today, then…’

Panic flared in Tegan’s gut. ‘And what makes you think he won’t twig to it tomorrow?’

‘Look, it makes sense. If you made it through today with him convinced you were me, then he’ll just assume it’s business as usual tomorrow.’

‘But in any case you’ll be back the next day, then?’

‘Well, I kind of figure that if you can make it through two days in the job you’ll be a shoe-in for the week.’

‘No! You don’t understand. I can’t work with him.’

‘I know he can be difficult, but I know you—you can do it.’

‘Morgan, it’s not exactly the work I’m worried about.’

Tegan coiled the phone cord around her finger nervously while she waited for her sister to respond.

‘What do you mean?’ Morgan said at last.

‘Listen, I know you’ve always referred to him as the boss from hell, so this may seem like a silly question, but has Maverick ever tried to come on to you?’

Unrestrained laughter met her question. ‘You must be kidding! The kind of woman Maverick goes for socially is hardly his PA. He made that plain when I took the job. “Don’t get ideas,” he told me flat at the interview. “Because you’ll be out of here on your ear before you know it.” And that suits me fine. He’s really not my type.’

But that made no sense, Tegan reasoned. Maverick had been coming on to Morgan tonight—hadn’t he?

‘So, you mean he’s never shown any interest in you?’

‘Of course not. What’s happened, Tiggy, do you think he made a pass at you or something?’

Tegan winced. Normally she’d tell her sister everything, but there was no way she was about to confess to everything that had happened tonight. ‘Well, maybe something like that.’

‘Then forget it. Maverick isn’t like that. It’s one of his mantras. Don’t mess with the PA. Apparently it happened once before and ended badly, and he’s never forgiven the woman. And he’s made sure he’s never let himself get into the same position. So don’t worry. Whatever it is, you’ve probably just blown it out of all proportion.’

If only. But, then again, if what Morgan said was right maybe Maverick was already regretting that kiss. Maybe that was why he’d rung—to apologise and to promise her it wouldn’t happen again. And she’d all but hung up on him. Tegan squeezed her eyes shut at the memory. Well, at any rate, that would help convince him he’d been right not to mess with his staff.