Between The Sheets by Colette Caddle Page B

break?'
    'She's worried because you won't take her calls,' Sylvie said gently. 'If you talked to her and Walter, they'd back off. You're scaring them because you've never behaved like this before,'
    'I've never been dumped by my husband before,' Dana reminded her.
    'I know it's hard, Dana, but try not to shut us all out. We're really worried about you.'
    'Worried that the gravy train's about to stop, you mean.'
    Sylvie reddened. 'That's not fair.'
    Dana grasped her PA's hand. 'Oh, Sylvie, I'm sorry! You know I didn't mean you. But Gretta is as tough as nails, and while Wally is a great friend, he's still a businessman with a job to do.'
    'Tell me about it,' Sylvie murmured, having been on the end of several lengthy phone calls.
    Dana smiled. 'But they can all wait for another week or so. I've had a lousy time and I plan to make up for it. My husband obviously isn't sitting home, crying into his pillow.'
    'You saw the photos, then?'
    Dana nodded. 'Do you know who she is?'
    Sylvie shook her head.
    'See if Ian knows, will you?' Dana asked, looking suddenly very vulnerable. 'I need to know if it's real or not.'
    'I'll talk to him,' Sylvie promised.
    'Don't tell him I asked,' Dana said hurriedly.
    'No, of course not.'
    'Right. Good. Okay, then, let's go.' Dana drained her glass and put on her sunglasses. 'Time to hit the shops again.'

Chapter Nine
    Gus slumped at his desk and stared miserably out of the window. He'd only been in the office an hour and already it was promising to be a really shitty day.
    It had started almost as soon as he'd walked through the door. Carla's face had lit up as she wished him a bright good morning, her eyes all hopeful and her smile shy as she brought him his coffee. He had groaned inwardly as he remembered — through the fog of his hangover — how he'd flirted with her. Tom would throttle him if he knew. What he couldn't understand was why a lovely young girl like Carla would be interested in a separated man so much older than herself.
    He'd been rooting in his desk for some painkillers when the girl had returned, flung the papers down in front of him and left again without a word.
    As Gus had sipped his coffee and waited for the tablets to take effect, he'd flicked quickly through the papers, almost choking when he reached the double-page spread in the Daily Journal.
    'For fuck's sake.' Gus studied the pictures of himself and Terry Andrews before turning his eyes to the copy. He'd scanned through all the drivel about the party but could find no details of the interview he'd given her. Just a ridiculous piece about him and Terry that implied she was his girlfriend. 'The bitch set me up,' he'd muttered, feeling stupid and furious in equal measure.
    Grabbing the paper he'd marched into Tom's office and flung it down in front of him. 'Have you seen this shit?' he'd said, dropping into the chair opposite Tom and drumming his fingers on the arm.
    'And good morning to you too,' Tom had said calmly.
    'Is that all you've got to say?' Gus had been incredulous.
    Tom had shrugged. 'It's no big deal.'
    'You are kidding? You do realize that girl is the reporter for the Daily Journal. I bandaged her foot, I organized interviews for her. I even let her interview me. And all they've printed are lies. I should sue.'
    'You'd be better off ignoring it. It's not as if you'll be seeing her again, is it?' Tom's eyes had held his.
    'No, of course I bloody won't!'
    'Well, then, the story is as good as dead.'
    'Maybe,' Gus had admitted grudgingly. 'I just hate being stitched up like this.'
    'Especially by a good-looking woman'. Tom had grinned.
    'I'm glad you find it so funny, Tom Gus'd snapped,' 'What will Dana think if she sees this?'
    'Does that really matter?'
    'Well, of course it matters! Just because we've split up doesn't mean I want to hurt her.'
    'She was in the papers first,' Tom had pointed out.
    'Yes, but not with a man on her arm.'
    Tom had picked up the paper and looked at the photographs. 'She is a