‘What?’ Morgan recoiled like she’d just received a shotgun blast. ‘You’re having an affair—with my boss?’
‘Guilty,’ Tegan said, dropping her head into her hands. ‘I didn’t want to.’
‘Don’t tell me,’ Morgan interrupted with disbelief. ‘It just happened.’
‘I’m sorry. Why do you think I wanted you to come back so soon? I knew I was in trouble. You were only supposed to have been gone a week.’
‘I know, but an affair! With my boss! What were you thinking?’
I was thinking I’d take all I could get, while I could get it.
‘It wasn’t that simple. Maverick and I rubbed each other up the wrong way. And it was like you said—he was pushy and demanding and unreasonable as anything. But he was also as sexy as hell.’
‘Fine, but he doesn’t date PAs! I told you that.’
‘Yeah. Maybe you should have reminded him of that. I sure tried. Look, I’m sorry, sis. I didn’t want it to come to this. He said whatever it was between us would burn out, and I thought it would be dead and buried before you came back. But it hasn’t, and now I’m set to have a big Christmassy lunch tomorrow with him and his grandmother, and the whole Royalty Cove team. And now you’re back and he still thinks I’m you, and I’ve been lying to everyone and I don’t even know who I am any more…’
Tears welled up in her eyes, tears fat with hopelessness and anticipated loss and future disasters. Morgan leant over and pulled her into her arms, resting her chin against her twin sister’s head.
‘Hey, Tiggy, don’t worry. I’m sure it will work out somehow. And maybe falling in love and having an affair with him wasn’t a great idea, but you just have to look on the bright side.’
‘You mean there’s a bright side?’
‘Yeah,’ Morgan assured her, giving her sister a squeeze. ‘It could always be worse, silly. At least you’re not pregnant.’
Tegan stiffened in the hug and her sister slowly released her enough to look into her eyes, only to do a double take at what she saw there. ‘Oh, Tiggy,’ she said, pulling her into her arms again. ‘Please, no, not that.’
Christmas Eve bloomed bright and beautiful, with a bank of fat white clouds hovering over the hinterland that gave promise of a sticky summer’s day to follow.
The sisters sat quietly subdued, Morgan enjoying her first latte for weeks, Tegan sipping gingerly on a cup of weak tea after the eggs and toast her sister had just about had to force feed her. Her stomach had just started to feel unsettled in the mornings, but how much was due to the baby and how much was sheer dread with what lay before her she wasn’t sure.
‘I think I should come with you,’ Morgan said suddenly. ‘You can’t face Maverick on your own. Not like this.’
‘No. I made this mess. I need to sort it out.’
‘But I got you involved in the first place. You were only doing me a favour.’
‘Hey, you didn’t force me to have an affair with your boss, and you sure as hell didn’t get me pregnant.’
‘But, Tiggy—’
She held up a hand. ‘Thanks, but every time I’ve tried to tell him the truth something has happened, and it’s ended up getting more involved. This is something I have to unravel. Besides, you’re hardly up to taking on Maverick right now.’
‘He’ll want to see me eventually. Probably just to sack me. But I need to talk to him too, if only to apologise for everything.’
Tegan squeezed her sister’s hand. ‘I know. But let me be the one to break the news, okay?’
Morgan nodded. ‘You know, maybe it won’t be as bad as you think. If he was attracted to you enough to break his mantra never to get involved with his staff, maybe he won’t be so upset about a baby.’
‘Nice try, but no. I asked him about Tina—about what she’d done that was so bad. He told me himself—she’d got pregnant and she’d lied to him. I don’t think he’s going to be too happy about another woman committing the same crimes.’
‘So what’s the plan?’
Tegan took their empty cups to the sink. ‘I told Maverick I’d meet him at his house at twelve. I didn’t want him coming here.’ She glanced over at the wall clock. ‘Which gives me two and a half hours to work up a smile. Do you think I’ll make it?’ It didn’t seem anywhere near enough time, given it felt more like she was heading for the executioner than to a Christmas lunch.
Maverick stashed the shop-wrapped presents on the back seat and eased into the driver’s seat, feeling good as he set the powerful Mercedes into action. For the first time in what seemed like for ever he felt good about Christmas. For the first time in years he was actually looking forward to lunch with Nell.