Annie Claydon - Falling For Her Italian Billionaire

‘These are our main offices, and we have a development team upstairs, along with a meeting room. Our clinic is next door, and it also takes up the top floor of this building.’

Clara knew that already. She’d seen the schematics for the two buildings. But Gabriel seemed to be intent on co-operation and she wasn’t going to discourage him.

‘Thanks. That’s useful to know.’

He gestured towards a couple of glass-walled offices at the far end of the main space, one of which was occupied by a man who had sprung to his feet when they entered.

‘That’s my office and Alistair’s is next door...’ He broke off, greeting the man with a smile. ‘Alistair. This is Clara Holt. She’s closer to me than my shadow at the moment.’

That was the aim. When she could keep up with him.

‘Nice to meet you, Clara.’ Alistair gave her a relaxed grin, and Gabriel hurried away, towards his own office. ‘We need to talk, Gabriel...’ he called after him.

‘Yes, we do. Be with you in a minute.’ Gabriel was sorting through the papers on his desk, obviously trying to find something.

‘Don’t let him run rings around you.’ Gabriel’s habit of doing the exact opposite of whatever he was meant to be doing clearly came as no surprise to Alistair. ‘Thanks for sending your colleague in to see us yesterday, by the way. It was a really useful session, and it’s good to know we’re bug-free.’

‘Thank you for being so...co-operative.’

Alistair chuckled. ‘My pleasure entirely. You’ll find that Gabriel can be co-operative if he puts his mind to it.’

Clara would wait and see about that. And meanwhile she’d watch and learn. It seemed that the two directors were a fusion of opposites, and if Alistair could get him to co-operate then there was hope for her.

He turned as Gabriel shot back out of his office, making towards them. ‘Clara, feel free to use my desk, we won’t be long. Ready, Alistair?’

‘I have been for the last ten minutes.’ Alistair began to follow Gabriel towards his own office and then turned to Clara. ‘We actually might be a while. Refreshments are over there.’

The guards outside would be making sure that no one who wasn’t supposed to be here would be finding their way past the reception area and Clara could watch and learn. She found a seat that gave an unobstructed view of both Gabriel and Alistair through the glass wall that divided the two offices. Alistair sat back in one of the easy chairs to one side of his desk, obviously listening. Gabriel was more animated. The conversation seemed to be getting heated and Gabriel rose and paced a little, then threw himself back into his seat.

It was clearly a case of an irresistible force meeting an unmovable object. Just as Clara was wondering whether there would inevitably be an explosion of some sort, and whether it might be wise to take cover, Gabriel smiled and Alistair nodded. Peace was restored, only to be shattered again when they started in on a new topic of discussion.

Sitting and watching. Waiting for nothing to happen and yet prepared for anything. Clara had become used to it, but Gabriel made it a lot less tedious. Something about the way he moved invited her to watch, and it was difficult to tear her gaze away from him and scan the office, as people filtered in to start their day’s work. Names would have been checked at Reception and her presence seemed to excite a studied lack of interest. Alistair had clearly already dealt with any questions about the situation.

After two hours, it seemed that Gabriel and Alistair had run out of things to wrangle about and it looked as if neither of them could be any more pleased about the outcome of their discussions. Gabriel picked up the sheaf of papers he’d brought with him, tucking them under his arm, and joined Clara in his own office.

‘We’ve decided what we’ll do about this...business.’ He settled himself into the leather armchair opposite the one that Clara had chosen as a vantage point.

‘Which is?’ Clara wondered whether Alistair had been able to talk any sense into Gabriel.

‘I’m keen that no one here suffers any fall-out from anything that might happen to me. I was thinking of taking a step back from the charity for a while, but Alistair disagrees. Apparently he had a very fruitful discussion with one of your colleagues yesterday, and he won’t accept the possibility that I may become a liability. We’ve decided that I’ll maintain my involvement here for the time being but keep the matter under review. Do you have any thoughts on that?’

It didn’t matter what Clara thought. It mattered that she could keep Gabriel safe. But something about those dark eyes of his, and the sudden vulnerability in them, made her answer.

‘I think that now isn’t the time for you to abandon your core priorities. If the people here want to stand by you, then you should let them. Your work here clearly means a great deal to you.’

‘You thought it wouldn’t? What gave you the right to question my commitment?’ The sudden coolness in his eyes passed and he smiled. ‘The money, maybe...’

Yes, it was the money. And Gabriel’s charm, which made everything seem as if it was a game to him. Clara was beginning to learn otherwise, and she flushed in embarrassment.

‘Do you know how my brother died?’ he asked quietly.

‘Yes, I do. You were both visiting a cave, close to your parents’ summer home in Italy, and you were caught in a rock fall. That must be a very difficult thing to live with. I’m sorry.’

Gabriel nodded. ‘I’d find it impossible if I didn’t do something in support of the people who go into dangerous situations to help others. You must understand that. You were an ambulance paramedic.’

‘Yes, I do. I’ve seen people who work with the emergency services get hurt in the course of their jobs.’

He nodded, the warmth in his eyes telling Clara that this was exactly what he wanted to hear. That she wouldn’t just support his commitment to the work of his charity, she’d put her heart into it as well. Shame he didn’t know that her heart wasn’t a vessel that she relied on any more.

‘Thank you.’ He leaned back in his seat, smiling, and suddenly the atmosphere in the office seemed to change. Being with Gabriel was a lot like being on a roller-coaster at times. ‘There’s another...engagement that I should mention.’

‘Yes?’

‘There’s a cocktail party on Saturday. Alistair thought it would be better to cancel, but I’ve persuaded him otherwise.’ Clearly the conversation between Gabriel and his fellow director had been a matter of give and take.

‘You’re going to a cocktail party. The day after tomorrow?’

‘I’m holding one. At my place. It’s not just a cocktail party, we’ve put the guest list together very carefully.’

‘People who are in a position to help the charity, you mean?’

‘People who share our aims. We’ve asked a couple of Parliamentary advisors, chief executives from companies and charities and so on...’ He grinned roguishly. ‘I doubt any of them will be slipping me a roofie.’

And Gabriel wouldn’t call it off. Clara was learning that putting a few toes back into the water wasn’t his style. It was all or nothing with him, and he had to strip off and jump straight in. Clara tried to ignore the mental picture, because the temptation to dwell on the stripping-off part made her want to fan her face.

‘I’ll prepare a plan of action, then. Are there any other engagements I should know about?’

He shrugged. ‘I’m going to Italy for a few days in a couple of weeks’ time. It’s the anniversary of my brother’s death and I always go back, to be with my parents. In between then and now... I guess that anything that happens will be just as much of a surprise to me as it is to you.’