Rumor Has It (13 page)

    Tilly swallowed. On the bright side, Fergus hadn't been playing the field. Aware that Max had made the connection, she said, 'Look, Erin's my friend. I didn't know about all this when I met you the other day, but she's told me since. And I promise you, she isn't like that. She'd never steal another woman's husband.'

    'You're her friend?' Stella raised an eyebrow. 'Good luck there then. Keep her well away from any boyfriend
you
might want to hang on to.'

    Hyper-aware of Jack standing next to her, Tilly said again, 'She's really not that kind of person. And she told me herself, she only started seeing Fergus a few weeks ago.'

    Stella half laughed. 'Well, of course she did. She's always going to
say
that, isn't she?'

    'Because it's true!'

    'But it's
not
true, is it, because why else would he leave me?' Clearly finding an alternative scenario impossible to comprehend, Stella stroked the cream fur collar of her coat and flipped back her glossy, straightened, high-maintenance hair.

    'Anyway, let's change the subject,' said Max.

    'Absolutely.' Declan put an arm round Stella and presented his cheek. 'Happy birthday to me.'

    'Sorry, Declan. Happy birthday.' Stella gave him a kiss and Amy did the same.

    Then Amy said gaily, 'Ooh, now I just want to kiss
everyone,
' and gave Max a kiss. Realizing why, Tilly kept a straight face as Jack neatly turned to greet a friend, just as Amy had been about to launch herself at him. For a moment, disappointment flared in her lavishly mascaraed eyes, then the smile was plastered firmly back in place.

    'So you're Max's new assistant,' Amy said brightly. 'Stella told me about you. No boyfriend at the moment.'

    'That's right.' Was this how Stella and Amy categorized people around here? Tilly felt herself being given a critical once-over by two women who devoted more time in a week to their beauty routine than she had probably done in her entire life.

    'Ah, she's doing fine,' said Max. 'Settling in a treat.'

    'Making new friends.' Jack, who had rejoined the conversation, said, 'Woof woof.'

    Stella's eyebrows lifted. 'What?'

    'Sorry.' He grinned. 'Just a joke.'

    Evidently keen to demonstrate that she did have a sense of humor, Stella said, 'He's gone barking mad.'

    Amy wasn't amused. Her glance flickered suspiciously from Jack to Tilly. At that moment, a mobile went off nearby. As it was an swered, Jack tilted his head like Betty and said inquiringly, 'Woof?'

    'Don't worry,' said Tilly. 'He's just making fun of me.'

    Clearly sensing danger, Amy gave Jack's arm a possessive squeeze. 'Jack and I went out to dinner the other night. We had such a great time, didn't we?'

    'Of course we did.' Jack's reply was warm; it would be easy to humiliate someone so gushy and over-keen but Tilly sensed he would never do that.

    Amy glowed. 'Maybe next time we could try out that new restau rant in Tetbury.' She paused, pretended to think. 'I can't remember, did I give you my mobile number?'

    'Yes, yes… oh, could you excuse me for a minute?' Across the pub a tall brunette was calling his name, beckoning him over. With a genial smile Jack removed himself, easing his way through the crowds.

    'Marianne Tilson.' Amy shot the brunette a look of disdain. 'Honestly, talk about desperate. She's so
obvious
. Jack doesn't even like her.'

    'When's that ever stopped any woman throwing herself at him?' Max winked at Tilly as he lit a cigar.

    Amy turned back to Tilly. 'Do you fancy Jack?'

    There was more than a hint of accusation in her tone. It seemed only sensible to say no. Shaking her head, Tilly said, 'Um… no.'

    'Oh, come on, of course you do. Everyone does.'

    'He's very… good-looking,' Tilly conceded. 'But I don't go for men with his kind of track record.'

    Amy looked suspicious. 'So if he asked you out, you'd turn him down? You wouldn't even be tempted?'

    God, this really mattered to her. 'OK, never say never, because in twenty years' time, I might change my mind. But the way things stand at the moment,' said Tilly, 'no, I definitely wouldn't be tempted.'

    'Wouldn't be tempted to do what?' Jack's voice behind her made her jump. Had he heard the rest?

    'Run the London Marathon.' She turned and looked at him. 'Amy was just saying, she's very keen to do it next year.'

    If ever a girl was surgically attached to her spindly four-inch stilettos, it was Amy. Her face was a picture. Jack said, 'Amy, you didn't mention that! Rather you than me, but I'll definitely sponsor you.'

    Amy looked like a stunned goldfish. 'Er… thanks.'

    'You should give it a go too,' Max told Stella. 'Take your mind off other things. It'd do you the world of good.'

    'No thanks. God, aren't I already miserable enough?' Stella smartly sidestepped that trap. 'Anyway, exercise is for people who need to lose weight. If anyone should be running marathons it's my husband's new girlfriend.'

    'Stella.' Max shook his head at her.

    'What? She's fat! Why can't I say that?'

    'Because Tilly's here and Erin's her friend.'

    'And Erin stole my
husband
, who has to be having some kind of

breakdown because he's
never
liked fat girls. I'm sorry, but I'll call her whatever I like.'

    Tilly briefly imagined the reaction if she were to chuck her drink in Stella's face. But no, this was Declan's birthday—and he'd supplied the drink, come to that. There would be no public scene. Instead she would simply rise above it, meet rudeness with grace and serenity.

    And everyone would think she was a lovely person as a result.

    'That's fine.' Tilly did her understanding smile. 'Stella's bound to feel—'

    'Jack! Jack! Oooh, you naughty creature, come here and give me a big kiss!' Tilly, knocked to one side by a slinky-hipped brunette in a silver halter-neck top and tight-fitting designer jeans, spilled her drink over Max's sleeve. So much for not wasting it.

    'Bloody hell,' said Max, shaking his arm. 'See what I mean about coming out with him? We should get danger money.'

    'Lisa.' Jack allowed the brunette to give him a kiss on each cheek. 'How nice to see you again.'

    'If it's nice to see me again, why haven't you been in touch? You promised you would.' Lisa pouted and clung to him. 'I've been waiting for you to call.'

    'Sweetheart, I'm sorry. I've been rushed off my feet.'

    'Sleeping with Marianne and Amy and God knows who else,' Max murmured in Tilly's ear. 'I'm telling you, this man makes Mick Jagger look like a hopeless amateur.'

    Jack turned. 'What was that?'

    'Nothing.' Max looked amused. 'I'm just glad I don't fancy you myself.'

    Tilly escaped to the ladies and phoned Erin.

    'It's me.' She closed the toilet seat and sat down on it, keeping her voice low. 'I'm at the Fox. Stella's here. She
knows.'

    Erin wailed, 'I know she knows! Is she still furious?'

    'And outraged. I told her you didn't break up the marriage.'

'So did I. Did she believe you?'

'Not for a second. How did she find out?'

    'My Jo Malone scent. Never mind, it was always going to happen sooner or later. I was scared she was going to come into the shop today, make a scene.' Erin heaved a sigh of relief. 'At least that didn't happen. Oh well, who else is there?'

    'Loads of people. Me and Max. Stella and her friend Amy.' Tilly paused. 'Jack's here. Women keep coming up and grabbing him.'

    'Always fun to watch. So long as you're not tempted to join in.'

    'Don't worry, I'm not. The more I see him in action, the easier it becomes to steer clear.' Tilly meant it. Watching the other girls clamoring over Jack made her determined not to join in. She felt powerful and confident and… well, whatever the word was for the opposite of a besotted pushover.

    'Well, good,' said Erin. 'That's the safest way.'

MAKING HER WAY BACK from the ladies, Tilly met Jack in the white washed corridor.

    He smiled. 'Enjoying yourself?'

    'Yes, thanks. I hardly recognized you without all those women clinging to you like barnacles.'

    'Sorry about that. I don't ask them to do it. Pretty embarrassing really.' When he did that self-deprecating shruggy thing he looked irresistible. 'Anyhow, you did well with Stella.'

    'I did very well.'
Considering I could have ripped out her exten
sions
. 'In fact, I was saintly.'

    Jack looked amused. 'She's flirting with Max now.'

    'Best of luck with that then.'

    'Actually, you could do me a big favor.' He gazed at her intently. 'I'm being put under a bit of pressure by, um, a couple of people in there.' His head tilted in the direction of the bar.

    'A couple? Or maybe three?'

    'OK, three.'

    Tilly said, 'It must be exhausting, being you.'

    'Now you're being sarcastic. Will you do me this favor or not?'

    'Come on, you seriously expect me to say yes when you haven't even told me what it is?'

    'I've been invited to a charity dinner in Cheltenham and I have to take a guest along with me.' Jack paused, leaning back against the wall. 'The thing is, word's got out and all three of them are angling to be the one I ask. To be honest, it's turning into a bit of a nightmare and I could really do without the hassle. They're all in competition with each other. So I'm thinking the best way round it would be to take you instead.'

    Was he serious? Tilly said, 'Are you trying to get me publicly stoned and run out of Roxborough?'

    'But you're new. I can tell them you're already involved with the charity, and that the organizers asked me to bring you along. That way, nobody feels snubbed. And I can relax and enjoy myself. We'll have a great evening, I promise. No barnacles, no one thinking they've won and reading too much into it…'

    'I can't.' Tilly shook her head. 'Amy was quizzing me earlier. She wanted to know if I'd go out with you if you asked me. I said no.'

    'God, like a bullet through my heart.' Clutching his chest, Jack said, 'You know how to hurt a man's feelings, don't you?'

    'Excuse me. You're the one hurting
their
feelings.'

    'But Amy meant would you go out with me if I asked you out on a date. And this wouldn't be a date, would it?' He shrugged. 'It wouldn't be romantic. In any way at all. So I don't see the problem.'

    Tilly's stomach was churning. Was he playing some kind of game? Because if he was, it was working.

    'Look, it's a straight favor, nothing more.' Jack shook his head, his tone persuasive. 'If I had a sister I'd take her along with me. But I don't, so the next best thing is if I take you instead. Purely platonic.'

    Perversely, it rankled to be thought of as the next best thing to a sister. But if she said no, would he think that was what was bothering her? Oh God, now this was starting to get complicated.

    'Unless you don't want it to be,' said Jack.

    Which didn't help
at all
. Now her stomach was going like a washing machine on spin. He was a nightmare, and if she had an ounce of sense, she'd turn him down flat. To make matters worse, her mouth was so dry she could barely swallow.

Having waited, Jack raised his hand. 'I'll take that as a no.'

    Nooo! Tilly got that eBay feeling when you see the lot you've been bidding for slip from your grasp.

    'When is it?' Her voice came out a bit squeakier than expected. 'I'd have to ask Max, see if he'd give me the night off.'

    As they rejoined the others in the bar, Tilly was aware of Amy's eyes on her. Then she glanced briefly to the left and right and saw that she was the focus of Lisa and Marianne's scrutiny too. And this was the kind of attention Jack had to deal with all the time.

    Then again, only because he'd slept with them.

    'I was looking at some of the websites this afternoon.' Stella, deep in conversation with Max, said, 'It's brilliant. I had no idea! If you want George Clooney, you can have him!'

    'Well, that would be the answer to all our prayers,' said Max. 'But you can't
really
have him, can you? Because George isn't
really
ad vertising himself on the Internet, is he? Lonely God-like Hollywood superstar seeks anyone at all for long walks and cozy nights in.'

    Stella rolled her eyes. 'You haven't been paying a bit of attention, have you? Honestly, Max. I'm not talking about dating websites here!'

    'Oh. Sorry, I drifted a bit. But you do go on,' said Max. 'OK, fire away. I'm listening now. Websites to do with…?'

    'Donor sperm!'

    Spraying wine, Max clapped a hand over his mouth. 'Is this a joke?'

    'Do I look as if I'm joking? I want a child.' Stella's back was very straight. 'My husband's buggered off and the thought of having sex with another man makes me feel physically sick. So this seems like the answer.' Defiantly she added, 'If you can think of a better way, please let me know.'

    Tilly glanced at Max. Stella certainly sounded as if she meant it.

    'But…' Amy was perplexed. 'You can't really buy George Clooney's sperm.' She frowned. 'Can you?'