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CHAPTER ONE

HALLIE BENNETT had been selling shoes for exactly onesolo at the exclusive little shoe shop in London’s fashionable Chelsea, and she really didn’t think she’d last another Back in the storerooner, then model and finally by size Out here on the shop floor she’d arranged the stock by colour and within the colours, by function Dusting and vacuu customers? Not yet but, hey, it was only midday

Hallie picked up the nearest shoe, a pretty leopard-print open-toed sandal with an onyx heel, and tried to figure out why anyone would actually pay three hundred and seventy-five pounds for a pair of theertips, turned it this way and that before finally balancing it on her palm

‘So what do you think, shoe? Are we going to craht foot today?’

A quick jiggle made the shoe nod

‘I think so too but what can I do? They never listen These woht shoe Now if they were er the better’ The door to the shop opened, the bell tinkled, and Hallie hurriedly set the shoe back on its pedestal and turned around

‘Darling, what a thoroughly daunting shop! I swear, until I saw you talking to that shoe I didn’t dare come in’

The woman who had spoken was a study in contradictions Her clothes were pure gla that she had to be in her late fifties But her wrinkles were un-ironed, her hair was grey, and her ‘darling’ had been warenuine

‘Come on in,’ said Hallie with a smile ‘Look around Trust me, they never talk back’

‘Oh, you’re an Australian!’ said the wohted with the notion ‘I love Australian accents Such marvellous vowel sounds’

Hallie’s slance for the wolance that autoraded to a stare because, frankly, she couldn’t help it

As far as women’s fashion accessories went, he was spectacular A black-haired, cobalt-eyed, dangerous-looking toy who no doubt warned you outright not to bother playing with hi; woh they knew the price was going to be astronomical And then he spoke

‘She needs a pair of shoes,’ he said in a deep baritone that was utterly sexy ‘Soe’

‘You’re new at this, aren’t you?’to stare down at the woamo man-eaters with a four-inch heel They were a perfect fit for the woine red ‘There is nothing wrong with those shoes,’ said Hallie reverently ‘Those shoes are gorgeous!’

‘Thank you, dear,’ said the woman ‘Why a woman turns fifty and all of a sudden certain people to who orthopaedic shoes is coe ten years as wrinkles creased and unshed tears leached even ht sparkling blue ‘Your father would have loved these shoes!’

Ah It was all starting to ht noas in big trouble ‘Right,’ said Hallie brightly ‘Well, I’ll just be over by the counter if you need me’

Heme alone with this wo!’ He picked up the open-toed leopard-print sandal ‘These!’

‘An excellent choice,’ she said, deftly plucking it from his hand ‘And a steal at only three hundred and seventy-five pounds Maybe your mother would like two pairs?’

His eyes narrowed Hallie smiled back

‘If only I had soh that was pure theatre as she sat on the black leather sofa and slipped off her shoes ‘Grandchildren, for instance I need grandchildren’

‘Everyone needs so not at his mother but at her ‘What do you need?’

‘Another job,’ said Hallie, kneeling to fit the sandals ‘This one’s driving me nuts’ She sat back on her heels and surveyed the sandals ‘They fit you beautifully’

‘They do, don’t they?’

‘How do you feel about travel?’ he asked her while his mother preened

‘Travel is my middle name’

‘And your first name?’

‘Hallie Hallie Bennett’

‘Nicholas Cooper,’ he said and gestured towards the woman ‘My mother, Clea’

‘Pleased to ly fir! She’s perfect! You need a wife; you said so thisI think we’ve just found her’

‘Wife?’ said Hallie Wife? That’d teach her to shake hands with strangers Nicholas Cooper’s smile was lazy His mother’s was hopeful Probably they were both mad

‘He’s loaded,’ said Clea encouragingly