The Perfect Match Read Online Free PDF Page B

when she heard Bella’s key.
    Bella came into the kitchen looking wretched.
    Alice was disturbed. ‘Are you all right? What’s the matter?’ She couldn’t think what could have happened to make Bella so sad in the course of drinks with an old lady. ‘Mrs Langley hasn’t died, has she?’
    Bella shook her head, almost laughing at Alice’s somewhat melodramatic suggestion. ‘Nothing as bad as that, thank goodness, but not good.’
    Bella looked as if she needed to talk. ‘Big drink? Cup of tea?’ Alice suggested.
    ‘Tea, please.’ She pulled out a chair and sat down.
    ‘Did the nephew make a pass?’ Alice asked after she had put the kettle on, trying to make Bella smile or at least stop looking quite so down. ‘Put his hand on your knee while you admired the peonies? Bore you senseless?’
    Bella managed half a smile. ‘No.’
    ‘Well, that’s something. Does this emergency need chocolate? I’ve got some in the freezer.’
    ‘It’s OK.’
    ‘So tell me what happened with the nephew.’
    Bella sighed deeply.
    Although she’d never said anything, Alice knew that when Bella had come to live with her three years ago, she hadn’t given her every single detail of why. ‘Yes?’
    ‘It wasn’t what he did, it was who he was.’
    ‘And who was he?’
    ‘Dominic Thane. The married man I left my hometown because of.’
    Alice sat down quickly.
    ‘And he obviously really dislikes me!’
    ‘I know you told me a bit about it at the time, but run it all by me again. I think I must have forgotten a vital detail.’
    Bella shook her head. ‘I don’t think you have. I was in love with Dominic – he was in our legal department – which was awful because he was married, but I did think I was keeping it together, trying not to be alone with him – much.’ She looked up. ‘I thought I’d get over it. It was only a crush, or so I thought, but then he announced his wife was pregnant and I knew I had to get right away.’
    ‘Had anything ever happened between you? I’m just not sure your crush would have lasted if you hadn’t had any encouragement.’
    ‘Oh, I don’t know . . .’
    ‘Yes?’ Alice prodded gently. Then she got up to find the brandy anyway. She needed one even if Bella didn’t.
    ‘Well, there was a kiss – under the mistletoe so quite respectable – at a Christmas party.’
    ‘It would have been unusual if you’d had mistletoe at a summer barbeque,’ said Alice.
    Bella winced slightly. ‘And it went a bit askew – you know it happens, you don’t aim right, you shift a bit and suddenly it’s on the mouth.’ She looked up sheepishly. ‘It went on a second or two longer than it should have done, and ever since I’ve wondered if it really was by mistake – on his part.’
    Alice sipped her brandy. ‘I don’t think these things happen by mistake. Not really.’ She paused. ‘Was there anything else that gave you even a hint that he might have – liked – you?’
    Bella thought for a long time. ‘Well, we did work well together. And we shared a sense of humour. We got each other, you know?’
    Alice nodded. ‘I know.’
    ‘Which is why I had to leave, really. I wasn’t certain I could trust myself not to – you know – engineer meetings, make him coffee “just because I was having one” and things like that. But I did leave, which was the right thing to do. And although I didn’t say goodbye to him personally – I couldn’t face it – we didn’t have a row or anything. But this evening . . .’ She thought back to his hostile expression. ‘It was if he was really angry with me, and I haven’t a clue why.’
    Alice handed her some brandy. ‘It does seem very unfair.’
    ‘It’s a complete and utter mystery!’ Bella sipped the brandy without seeming to notice. ‘And now here he is! Just when everything is all going so well. I’m not going to leave again! Besides, I’ve got Nevil. He wouldn’t want to leave everything he’s built up here.’
    ‘No reason