The Perfect Match Read Online Free PDF Page A

again, entirely unexpectedly, was a shock, especially given his reaction to her. She sat down without waiting to be asked. It was either that or fall over. She put the flowers down without even handing them over.
    Dominic passed her a glass of champagne from the tray on the table. Jane was looking at her a bit oddly, she realised. Bella took the glass. ‘Are we celebrating?’
    ‘Dominic brought it. Isn’t it kind?’ Jane frowned. ‘Are you all right, dear?’
    ‘I’m fine!’ said Bella, sounding to her own ears a bit strangled, hoping no one had noticed she had yet to make eye contact with Dominic since sitting down.
    ‘Shall we have a toast?’ he said. ‘To the reuniting of family members and old friends.’
    He raised his glass to his great-aunt and then looked across at Bella, but she didn’t look back. If they’d been friends once, the look he had given her told her they were anything but friends now. But why? How on earth had that happened? She hadn’t said goodbye to him when she’d left, but surely he wouldn’t care about that? And certainly not three years on!
    Bella’s first sip of champagne at least made it possible for her to talk normally. ‘So, er – Jane, when did you last see Dominic? You might have told me, but I’ve forgotten.’ It wasn’t the best opening topic of conversation, but it was the best she could do.
    ‘He was a page boy at a family wedding when I last saw him,’ said Jane. ‘He looked enchanting. It was before he took after all the men in his family and his hair went white the moment he reached thirty. Then it was as dark as his eyes.’
    ‘I prefer to call it silver, not white, Aunt Jane,’ said Dominic and suddenly laughed.
    A jolt went through Bella and she took another desperate sip. Her body was letting her down. It had just been a schoolgirl crush – nothing had happened between them! Not unless you counted a kiss under the mistletoe that might have – but probably hadn’t – contained a hint of something more. Her brain told her it was just because the moment Dominic laughed, his rather severe features were transformed into something very attractive. His silver hair highlighted his dark eyes, framed with brows and lashes that were equally dark. It was only her body responding. Her brain was in charge; it would be OK.
    No one spoke and Bella sipped her drink, trying to think of something to say, wishing someone else would.
    ‘The garden’s looking lovely, Jane,’ she said at last, sounding like an actress who was ad-libbing rather unimaginatively.
    ‘Thank you. Since the weather has obliged I’ve been able to get quite a lot done,’ said Jane. ‘Oh, and thank you for sending that lovely young man. He’s set up a brilliant system so I can water my tomatoes without doing more than turn on a tap.’
    Bella smiled. She’d thought the lovely young man was to be a secret, but obviously her old friend felt it was all right to mention him in front of Dominic. ‘I’m glad it all worked out OK.’
    ‘And he’s quite happy to come and do some of the heavier things for me if I want him to. I have got Keith, who does the lawns, but he’s not really a gardener. I can’t trust him. But Aiden knows his stuff.’
    ‘Oh good,’ Bella said, deciding to leave the conversation instigation to the other two. If she went on she’d end up asking Jane what she thought of the latest goings on in the
Archers
.
    ‘Would you like some more champagne?’
    Bella looked up. Dominic’s expression was as cold as his laughter had been warm a moment ago.
    ‘Yes please,’ she said quickly. She was not going to get through this without some sort of support, and alcohol would have to be it.
    Much to her relief Dominic and Jane began talking about family members and Bella was left to her own thoughts.
    Was it just coincidence that had brought Dominic into her relatively new and comfortable life? He couldn’t have been following her, surely!
    Or did he want to tell her off