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She shook it out, frowning A man’s jacket, and an expensive one She could tell iers, even with dust covering it Charcoal-grey, with a deep navy silk lining

Of course she kneho it belonged to She knew even before she reached into an outside pocket and extracted one of the business cards with Alessandro’s name on it His name, the name of his company and the various telephone numbers on which he could be reached

Just looking at his naant black print made her feel shaky

At a little before ten in the evening there was a high chance that he would be at his fiancée’s house She could, she supposed, alait until h-powered, self- tycoon such as he was needed a jacket at ten in the evening, but she dreaded ht if she knew that it would be awaiting her in the

She strolled into the sitting room with the business card in her hand, and before she could start convincing herself that she would be better off pretending never to have found the damned jacket, she dialled his mobile number and waited

The lued to his ear, because he answered on the second ring, his voice reaching her as though he was standing next to her in the room

‘I have your jacket’ Megan decided straight away that there was no point with pleasantries ‘It’s Megan, by the way,’ she added

‘I knoho it is’ Alessandro pushed back the chair in his office and extended his long legs to rest them on the desk

He had had an enjoyable Christmas lunch The food, as expected, had been superb, but the atan’s drinks party He had met Victoria’sas he remembered, but he had found it difficult to concentrate on her conversation, and matters hadn’t been helped by Do all of the football coach’s outstanding qualities, which largely consisted of a willingness to spend li the rules of football to him He had also offered to take him to a proper match, which apparently constituted reasons for immediate sainthood

The signed football had even accompanied them to lunch, and had been placed reverently on the table next to Do to be served turkey with all the tris

Every time Alessandro had looked at it, which had been often because it had been ian And every tiht of that, he’d wondered whether she was considering taking him as her lover

All in all, he had been relieved when, at six, he’d been able to make his excuses and leave