'Are these the sort of hours you expect to be paid for? Because there's no place for freeloaders in this organisation.'
'I can't help it if the trains are late.'
'It's your job to get to work on time. Period. If the trains can't get you here on time, find a reliable form of transport.'
'I'll work through lunch. I'll make it up.'
'Damned right you will.'
'Fine,' she said with a sniff, pulling herself upright that way she did as if it added inches. 'At least we agree on something.'
He stopped, the wind taken out of his sails as soon as she'd stopped defending herself. His pause gave him his first chance to really look at her. Her soft linen shift fitted her well without being tight, its pastel tones cool and perfect for summer. By contrast her hazel eyes were blazing but instead of her face glowing red she looked so pale, her skin almost translucent.
'Are you okay?'
Something flared, bright and potent in her eyes, before it was just as quickly extinguished. 'Perfectly well.'
'It's just that you look a bit … washed out.'
Could he tell? Was it that obvious?
'Er, I ran all the way from the station and … ' She licked her lips. She'd been going to wait until after their discussion of the roll out of the new campaign, but maybe this was as good a time as any. It might serve to wipe that pompous look off his face.
He watched her. 'And?' he prompted.
'And I'm pregnant.'
Stunned silence met her announcement. But only for a few moments. Then all hell broke loose.
'You're what?'
'I'm pregnant.' Actually, now that she'd said it out loud, she felt pretty good. It was good to say it. It was good to tell someone who didn't have the title of doctor before their name. A smile made its way to her lips as her hand rested over her tummy. 'I'm having a baby.'
His eyes followed the movement of her hand but there was no accompanying smile. In fact the way his lip curled made him look positively hostile.
'How the hell did that happen?'
She shrugged, still unable to stop smiling. That smug look of his was nowhere to be seen. 'The usual way.' She thought about that for a second more, enjoying the experience of turning the tables on him. 'Or not so usual, I gather.'
He grunted, clearly unimpressed, his anger wrapped around him like a shroud. 'I didn't pick you for being careless. I certainly hope you're more responsible when you're at work.'
'I was careless? Oh, that's rich, coming from y-'
'If you don't mind,' his terse words interjected, 'we're supposed to be talking about the campaign-that is, if you're up to it.'
'Of course I'm up to it. But Damien, I need to tell you that-'
His body jerked up in his seat. 'That what? You're not thinking of leaving the company, are you? That would be damned inconvenient after promoting you. I'm relying on you to see this new campaign through.'
'No, nothing like that. Not unless you think I should.'
'Why would I think that?'
'Well, it's just that … '
She paused, aware of a disturbance down the hall which was rapidly escalating into a commotion-someone was arguing with Enid. A moment later the door was flung wide open.
Her mouth dropped open as her ex-fiancé, carrying a large bunch of stem roses and a bottle of champagne, burst in with Enid close on his heels.
'Excuse me, Mr Chalmers, you can't go in there.'
'Relax,' Bryce crooned as he lit up one of his dazzling smiles. 'I'm sure whoever this is-' he nodded dismissively towards Damien '-will excuse us. Philly and I have important business to discuss.'
'Mr Chalmers, would you please leave. This is not Ms Summers's office.'
'Don't worry, Enid.' Damien took a step back as he lowered himself into his chair, sensing an opportunity to learn more about the secret life of Philly. First pregnant, now this character, whom one could only assume to be the father. Was he the reason she'd knocked back Damien's advances at the Gold Coast?
He felt himself bristling at the thought.
Bryce completely disregarded everyone's presence but Philly's, sitting himself down on the desk opposite her. She made an attempt to get up but he pushed her back down, thrusting the bunch of flowers into her lap. 'For you, sweetheart, and hey, you're looking better than ever.' He leaned over and pecked her on her still open lips before he began removing the foil from the top of the champagne bottle.
Philly stared blankly at the flowers but had finally found her voice. 'Bryce-what's going on? What are you doing here?'
'I was going to surprise you when you got home but I thought it would be much more fun to whisk you away from here to a nice romantic restaurant some place. You've moved up in the world. Last time I visited you in here you were on a lower floor. Sam-someone-or-other told me where to find you.'
Damien made a mental note to have a quiet word with Sam about company security while he thought about grinding Bryce's face into the carpet for stealing that kiss. But then why would she be so shocked about her child's father turning up-unless they'd broken up after the baby had been conceived? His little brown mouse had more layers than the DeLuca Tower.
'Bryce, why are you here? This doesn't make sense.'
The visitor ignored her protest and, despite the early hour, levered out the cork, setting it free with a loud pop, and pouring the wine into two glasses he'd extracted from his pocket. He handed her one and took a swig from the other.
Then he turned and locked his baby-blue eyes on her, a lock of his blonde hair escaping from under the designer sunglasses perched on his head.
'Then let's go make sense somewhere private,' he said. 'Away from all these cronies.'
Damien couldn't keep silent any more-whoever this guy was, there was no way he'd let Philly leave while he was paying her salary.
'She's not going anywhere with you.'
Bryce turned, obviously displeased to find the company he'd so readily dismissed hadn't instantaneously vaporised.
'Excuse me, this is a private conversation.'
Enid tut-tutted at the door and put her fists on her hips.
'Imagine that, and we all thought it was you interrupting a private conversation.'
Bryce smiled a false smile that got no further than his bared teeth. 'I appreciate your loyalty to Philly. It's very … touching. But she's safe with me. Aren't you, Philly?'
Philly took a long look at Bryce as she put her untouched glass on the desk. Even in the midst of her surprise, when he'd first walked in she had been blown away with how good-looking he was, with his tanned skin, blue eyes and blonde hair. For just a while there she'd felt this huge sense of loss-she'd loved and lost this perfect specimen.
But then she'd noticed the way he treated people, the way he rode roughshod over anyone who didn't serve a purpose to him, and the way he'd assumed she would fall into his arms without a thought to ask her what she wanted.
Why had she put up with him for all that time? She must have been so desperate to have a child it had completely blinkered her view. But the shutters were off now and there was no way he was barging his way back into her life.
'Philly?' Bryce prompted.
She looked around Bryce to where Damien was sitting poised, ready to pounce. With his face like thunder, he looked as if he was prepared to tear Bryce limb from limb. Standing behind her at the door, Enid looked more than ready to deputise.
It was empowering having them both here for moral support. And comforting. Only this was something she'd have to deal with herself. Besides which, if she was going to have to explain her pregnancy to Bryce it would be better not to have Damien around to complicate matters.
She exhaled on a long sigh before glancing up to Damien and Enid. 'I'm sorry, I don't know what's going on, but if you'd give me just a moment to sort this out? I appreciate your support but we need a little privacy. If you don't mind, we'll continue this in my office. It won't take long.'
Enid and Damien looked at each other, as if neither was prepared to be the first to leave.
'You're sure?' Damien asked.
'I'm sure.'
'Then you stay here. I'll be right outside if you need.'
She smiled. 'Thanks.' Their eyes met again and locked. It'll be okay, they seemed to be saying. Warmth spiralled through her, touching her in places only he seemed to be able to reach. It was a good feeling.
'Right!' Bryce announced, clapping his hands and jolting her out of her mood. 'You've both been a wonderful audience but the show's over. Allow me to show you the door.'
Damien stood, visibly bristling even as Enid made for a quick exit. Bryce stopped dead in his tracks. 'Come on,' he urged, sounding less cocky, 'you heard the lady. We'd appreciate a little privacy.'
From her chair Philly could tell Damien was itching to do something-she didn't know what, but he looked as tight as a drum. His dark eyes took on the character of petrified wood-the hardness of stone, polished and glinting.