Terms Of Engagement

‘Stay and have supper with me, Em.’ He leaned across the table earnestly.

‘I’m sorry, I can’t—’

‘I know I hurt you in the past,’ he interrupted her swiftly. ‘And I want you to know how sorry I am.’

‘There’s no need for you to say that, Jon. You were honest with me. You…you wanted a family, and I don’t blame you for that.’ Her voice was little more than a whisper. ‘There was no point in us living a lie.’

‘Except that I feel as if I’m living a lie now, without you,’ he murmured gently.

‘It’s too late for this, Jon.’ She cut across him, her emotions in chaos. His arrogant assumption that she was pining away up here and would easily fall into his arms again offended her. Did he think she was so easy that all he had to do was murmur a few words of regret and she would be his again?

She looked into the deep blue of his eyes. She had loved him, given her heart totally to him. Maybe a part of her had hoped for a while that he would come back to her. But Jon had wanted a family more than he’d wanted a wife. They had sat down quite rationally and discussed the options: fostering, adoption. Jon hadn’t been interested in any of those. It wouldn’t be his own flesh and blood, he had said. So Emma had let him go. What else could she have done?

It hadn’t taken him long to find a new partner, someone who had given him the child he wanted. That had hurt.

Did he think she had been sitting around here waiting for him, her life empty without him? Her eyes narrowed on the handsome features as anger came to her rescue. She had far too much pride to let him think for one moment that her life was empty without him.

‘I think maybe you’ve had a couple of whiskys too many.’ Before he could dispute this, she continued firmly, ‘I asked you up here for a business reason, that’s all. Besides, there is someone very special in my life now.’ She threw the little white lie in for good measure, hoping it would make him keep his distance.

‘Tori didn’t tell me.’ He looked stunned. ‘Is it serious?’

‘Yes.’

‘I see.’ He was quiet. ‘I’ve made a fool of myself, haven’t I?’

‘No, of course not.’ She felt wretched now. ‘Look, let’s just forget this conversation and talk about the film you’re making. That’s why you asked me to meet you tonight after all.’

He didn’t answer her. He seemed shellshocked by her news.

‘Are you going to marry him?’ he asked, ignoring her entreaty.

She hesitated, wondering how far she should take this. Maybe she should say no. But then she might have to weather more talk about the past. ‘Yes, I’m going to marry him,’ she said finally.

Jon’s eyebrow’s rose. ‘What’s his name?’

‘Frazer.’ The name spilled automatically from her lips.

‘I hope you know what you’re doing,’ Jon said tersely. ‘You can’t have known him long. You’ve only been in Scotland a little over a month.’

‘Of course I know what I’m doing.’ Her voice faltered. Did she know what she was doing? She wasn’t a liar. She was a straightforward, honest person. This was wrong. Using Frazer’s name was wrong. But then, no one would ever know, she told herself firmly, and Jon would be gone soon. ‘It’s a secret at the moment,’ she found herself continuing. ‘We don’t want anyone to know until we’ve broken the news to his family. So I’d appreciate it if you didn’t say anything to anyone.’

Jon shrugged. ‘So where is he tonight?’

‘At a stag night.’ Emma’s voice was hollow. Her daring mood had evaporated, leaving a feeling of trepidation in its wake.

‘Not for your wedding!’ He sounded horrified.

‘No, someone else’s wedding,’ Emma replied calmly. ‘Do you think we could get down to discussing business now?’ she asked lightly.

‘I suppose so.’ Jon shrugged. He bent to pick up a briefcase that was sitting next to his feet. ‘I’ve got a few of the requirements here—sizes of rooms, etcetera.’

She watched with a feeling of relief as he took out some printed sheets. The emotion was short-lived, however, because as she glanced up she saw Frazer heading across the room in their direction.

‘Hi.’ He stopped by their table and smiled, that lazy, attractive smile of his. ‘How’s it going?’

‘Fine.’ Her voice felt weak.

Frazer looked over at Jon. ‘You must be Emma’s ex-husband,’ he said easily, holding out a hand. ‘I’m Frazer McClarran. Emma’s next-door neighbour.’

Jon was clearly taken aback. Emma could see that he was weighing Frazer up.

Emma debated saying something like, Oh, this isn’t the Frazer that I’ve been telling you about. Backtracking quickly seemed the only option.

‘And a bit more than that, from what I’ve been hearing.’ Jon preempted her and stood up politely to shake Frazer’s hand. ‘Congratulations.’

Frazer looked puzzled, and Emma felt as if she desperately wanted someone to beam her up out of here. She opened her mouth to say something that would extricate herself from the embarrassing situation. No sound came out.

‘I thought you were at a stag night?’ Jon continued, his tone jovial.

‘I am.’ Frazer nodded towards the other room. ‘I’m just taking a breather. I’m supposed to be minding the groom, so I won’t intrude on you any longer.’

Maybe she was going to get away with this, Emma thought hopefully. If Frazer just left now it would be perfect.

‘Don’t rush off,’ Jon said pleasantly. ‘Let me buy you a drink.’

‘No, really—’

‘I insist.’ Jon pulled out a spare chair. ‘What will you have?’

Frazer hesitated, then sat down. ‘OK. That’s very kind of you. I’ll have a Coke.’

‘A Coke?’ Jon’s eyebrows rose. ‘Won’t you have something a bit stronger by way of a celebration drink?’

‘No, Coke will be fine. I’m driving tonight.’

Frazer watched Jon as he walked away from them to the bar. ‘I thought I’d made it clear that it wasn’t my stag party. What is he talking about?’

Emma didn’t answer him. Her heart was hammering fiercely against her chest.

‘Emma?’ He looked at her, noting the high colour in her cheeks. ‘Do you know what he means? Why is he buying me a celebratory drink?’

Emma shrugged. ‘He might somehow have got the impression that…that you and I are engaged,’ she murmured, in a low, helpless tone.

‘What?’ Frazer stared at her. ‘How the hell did he get that idea?’

She shrugged again. ‘I…I might have given it to him,’ she admitted.

He looked incredulous. Then annoyed. ‘Why would you do that? We hardly know each other, for heaven’s sake.’