Best Friend To Royal Bride

‘Okay. I’ll play. I stayed in my flat and watched TV all day.’

Marie caught her breath. He knew, and he’d answered honestly. ‘You could have come to ours. You just had to say you were on your own.’

‘You’re really going to take that route, Marie? You’d have been too proud to let me bring as much as a box of mince pies with me. And you’re wondering why I was too proud to admit that I was going to be on my own?’

Marie could understand that, even if she was sorry that he’d felt that way.

‘Next question. And tell me you’re not going to let me down by making this an easy one.’

Marie felt her ears start to burn. But that was Alex all over. He could be confrontational, but there was always that note of self-deprecatory laughter in his tone that made it all right.

‘Do you think the clinic’s going to save you, Alex?’

He was silent for a moment.

‘Nice one. Those aren’t the words I’d have used… But the inheritance is a responsibility, and I know from bitter experience that it’s the kind of thing that can subsume a person. I want to hold on to who I am. So, yes, I guess I am hoping that the clinic will save me.’

These were the answers she’d wanted. And there was only one thing more to say.

‘It’s a great project, Alex. And, yes, I’d really like to take the job.’