Law of Attraction (10 page)

When Kay walked into the tennis club she hoped she looked more confident than she felt. She glanced round quickly to see where Michael was, but there was no sign of him. Vanessa came bounding up wearing a pretty tennis dress with a flared skirt.

“Welcome to the club. Mike told me he was bringing you. I’m afraid he’s not here yet. Let me get you a glass of lemonade whilst you’re waiting.”

Vanessa carried three drinks over to a corner of the room where a young man was sitting, fast asleep. “This is my fiancé. I’m afraid we were out at a party until late last night. Never mind him, I need to talk to you.”

It was hard to take all of this in. It seemed that Vanessa was engaged to the man snoring opposite her and she was being surprisingly friendly.

“When I saw you walk in just now you seemed like another person. What I mean is at the office I’m really in awe of you. You’re so efficient and in control. I know I’m a bit dizzy. I’m sorry if my manner is off-putting. I know you haven’t taken to me.”

Kay felt awful for the way she’d behaved towards Vanessa. She realised that she had been quite simply jealous. “I’m sorry I didn’t welcome and help you as much as I should have done. I must say you do wonderfully well welcoming people to the office
and answering the telephone. You’re definitely the right person for the job. I just wish your time-keeping was a bit better.” Both girls laughed and the ice was broken.

“I’m glad to see you looking after Kay for me,” Michael said. He was wearing long white shorts and a cable knit sleeveless jumper over a sports shirt. He kissed both the young women. “Are you ready?”

Kay jumped up and followed him out to an empty court. After a knockabout, Michael walked round to Kay’s side of the court to give her a few hints on serving. He stood behind her and held both her arms as he showed her how to serve properly. Kay was aware of his body being close to hers and quite unable to concentrate on hitting the ball. After several tries she laughed and turned round to face him. “You see, I’m hopeless at tennis.”

“You’ll soon learn,” he replied, before leaning forward and kissing her on the forehead. Just at that moment Vanessa was walking past and clapped. “At last! It’s time you two got together.”

“Silly girl,” Michael said, “come on, let’s have another go.”

Even in her eyes Kay seemed to be improving a bit by the time another club member came over and asked Michael for a game. He looked at Kay quizzically.

“It’s fine by me. I’d like to watch.” She didn’t pay much attention to the techniques of the two men as she was mesmerised by Michael. From what she could see there wasn’t an ounce of fat on his body, his legs were strong and muscular, and his serves were powerful.

The sun had come out from behind the clouds and was beating down fiercely on the court. Both men were sweating as they put all their efforts into winning. At last it was over and Michael admitted defeat.

“I’m going to change,” he called to Kay before stripping off his shirt, wiping his face with it and heading towards the gents’ block. She couldn’t drag her eyes from him.

Chapter Ten

The atmosphere at the office was much lighter now that the tension between Kay and Vanessa had eased. They’d had another drink and chatted at the tennis club after Michael had changed. Kay’s main problem this Monday morning was trying not to imagine him without his top on every time she saw him. She was very happy that her tennis was so poor. She’d need plenty of lessons and Michael had volunteered to give them to her.

During the break she joined Vanessa at her desk. “I think I might join the tennis club,” she told her.

“That would be good. I know Mike doesn’t like all the people there, but most of us are all right. Sorry about my fiancé. You’ll like him when you meet him properly. Maybe sometime we could have a game of doubles.”

“I think that will be a long time in the future.” Kay sipped her tea.

“It’s funny about Mike, isn’t it? We all thought he’d be married by now. There are plenty of women at the club who’d jump at the chance to marry him. He’s quite a catch. I think he’s concentrating on his career. He once told me it was the most important thing to him. His parents made a lot of sacrifices for him when he was a young boy and Mr Harris was a lowly partner in another firm, and he’s very keen to pay them back by making a success of the family business. Now his father’s retired and Mike’s branched out on his own, I think he’s more than proved himself. He’s such a loyal son.”

Kay didn’t say anything,
she just let her new friend rattle on.

“We’ve all noticed the way he looks at you and how he pays you so much attention. Will he be inviting you to the tennis club summer dinner dance?”

“I doubt it. He hasn’t said anything and I haven’t heard about it.”

The telephone rang and Vanessa gave her usual cheery greeting. But then her face fell. “But why? I don’t understand. Do you think you should talk to Mr Harris before making the decision? His secretary is here now. Please have a word with her.” Then she looked at the receiver. “He hung up.”

“Who was it?”

“Grant Brothers. They’re taking their business to Twigge and Moore. He didn’t say why except that they’d heard something they didn’t like.”

“I’d better tell Michael. I think we both know who’s behind this and it’s got to stop.”

Kay had never seen Michael look so angry. “Right, I’m going round to see Charlie. If he carries on we’re going to be losing all our business.”

“Are you sure it
is
Charlie?”

“What do you think, Kay?”

“I think it almost certainly is, but we aren’t absolutely certain are we?”

“I think I could start by mentioning the signatures we found in his desk. We still have them as evidence. The thing is I can’t leave this any longer. The business is at stake and that means the employees’ livelihoods. I can’t let them down. But I’d very
much like you to come with me. I need a witness and also, with you there, I won’t overstep the mark and punch him.”

Kay didn’t like the thought of the confrontation to come, but she remembered Mr Harris’s words of praise and knew she had to stand by Michael.

* * *

Kay found she was trembling as she trotted beside Michael along the High Street to their rivals’ office. Charlie greeted them warily and Mr Twigge ushered them into his room. Of course, Charlie denied all knowledge of trying to poach clients from Harris and Partners and Mr Twigge was adamant that they had so many clients they could hardly keep up with the demand. And Charlie was very scathing when confronted with the signatures, assuring Michael and Mr Twigge that anyone could have written them and planted them in a desk drawer.

Naturally Mr Twigge defended his employee and suggested that Michael could have been mistaken. As they left, Kay turned to see Charlie’s gloating smile.

Feeling that they hadn’t achieved their objective, Kay was pleased to hear Michael raise his voice to say, “Charlie Spencer if I ever have cause to face you like this again, I will inform the authorities immediately,
do you understand? Consider yourself warned.”

The walk back to Harris and Partners was made in silence, but when they arrived on familiar territory, Michael said, “Come with me, Kay.” Together they headed for his room and collapsed in chairs.

“We need a break from this tension,” said Michael, standing up and pacing the room. “Will you have dinner with me this evening?”

“I’ll have to get in touch with Olive to let her know I won’t be eating at home,” said Kay. “But that’s easy. Yes please, I’d like that. Thank you.”

* * *

“You’re seeing quite a lot of Michael outside of work, aren’t you, Kay?” said Olive as she
laid the table in the kitchen with one place setting.

“There have been a few things going on which aren’t particularly pleasant,” Kay explained. “Michael needs to unwind. I just hope I can help him.”

“He’s lucky to have you on his side.”

Kay decided she’d like to confide in Olive and did just that, swearing her to secrecy. They sat in silence for a while until Kay said, “Tell me about your dealings with Twigge and Moore. I’ve got the beginning of an idea going around my head.”

Olive looked thoughtful. “Many years ago I went to them to make my will. That was before they started getting a bad reputation.”

Leaning forward Kay asked, “Would you be prepared to go and see them? You could tell them that you want to change your will, and you’re going to make a new one using the services of Harris and Partners. If Charlie is within earshot his reaction might be interesting.” Having put forward the plan, Kay wondered if she’d done the right thing. “He is a nasty piece of work, Olive. I hope I’m not involving you in anything dangerous.”

Rubbing her hands together, Olive said gleefully, “I’m looking forward to it. I used to be in the amateur dramatics group. I’m going to play a vague old woman who doesn’t know what she’s doing and see how they treat me. I can’t wait.”

Kay couldn’t help but laugh along with her lively landlady. She would try and persuade her not to put herself at risk, but now she rushed to open the door to Michael.

* * *

They were both quiet during dinner as the problems with Charlie and Twigge and Moore were on their minds. “I’m sorry. I’m afraid I haven’t been good company.”

“Neither have I,” Kay responded. “We’re both worried about this trouble with Charlie and how it’s going to affect the business. He’s wants your downfall, Michael. And, after today’s meeting, I can’t see what we can do about it.”

“I love it when you say ‘we’.”

Kay felt embarrassed although she wasn’t sure why.

Michael broke the silence. “I was going to suggest we go dancing, but I don’t think either of us feels like it. Why don’t we go to that new coffee bar just up the road?”

As they walked in, Michael looked around. “I thought they might all be teenagers in here, but it looks as though I might fit in after all.”

Now that Kay could hear the music pounding from the juke box
she
did feel like dancing and was pleased to see a few couples were making use of the very small dance space.

Once settled at a black and white Formica topped table with their glasses of coffee, Michael seemed to visibly relax. “This is nice, don’t you think?” he asked. “And you are absolutely gorgeous.”

Kay hadn’t paid much attention to her clothes as she’d been pushed for time, but felt comfortable in the flared glazed cotton skirt and blouse with a Peter Pan collar she’d chosen. “My mum made my skirt,” she told him.

“That’s not what I meant.” Michael looked awkward for a moment then grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet. “Come on, let’s choose some music and dance.”

They quickly agreed on their choice and were soon dancing to the sound of Bill Haley and Jerry Lee Lewis. With such a small, crowded space in which to dance and the extravagant moves necessary to do justice to the music, Kay and Michael found themselves thrown together, a situation Kay didn’t feel too uneasy about. After several dances they both collapsed on the bench at their table. “Not quite your usual type of dancing, is it?” Michael asked.

“I love all dancing,” she said without adding ‘especially with you’.

“And now you’ve got colour in your cheeks and your eyes are sparkling. I’ve been a bit worried about you with all the work and responsibility you’ve taken on, but you’ve handled it all marvellously. I think you’ve got great potential. Another coffee?”

“I think it’s time I was getting home. It is Monday after all.” Kay had remembered what Vanessa had said about the dinner dance. She wondered who Michael would be taking. Would he invite her?

“You’re looking very thoughtful.”

“It’s nothing.”

“Go on, tell me. Something’s bothering you.”

“I’m being silly. Vanessa thought you might ask me to the tennis club dinner dance and I suppose I wondered if you would. It’s just that I’d need to know in time to shop for something to wear.” She felt uncomfortable now.

“Would you like to come?” Michael asked.

“I think so, but it doesn’t matter if you have someone else in mind.”

“I’d like to take you more than anybody, but I can’t. I’ve already asked a woman at the tennis club to come with me.”

Kay’s heart sank. She’d made a fool of herself and there was somebody at the club he wanted to date.

“Her husband died unexpectedly a few months ago. He was quite a young man. We’re all trying to help her in any way we can. Somebody suggested she might like to go to the dinner dance and I know her quite well so thought it would be good to go together. You must know I’d invite you if I could, Kay. We really are the best of friends, aren’t we?”

“Yes, we are,” smiled Kay. “I shouldn’t have said anything about the dinner dance.”

“I hope you feel comfortable enough with me to be able to say anything you please. That’s what true friendship is all about, that and trust.”

Kay couldn’t agree more. “It was very thoughtful of you to invite that woman. I do hope you both have a wonderful time. How terrible to be in that position. Aren’t we lucky that we have our health and strength?”

Outside the coffee bar, Michael said, “I’m happy to give you a lift home, Kay, but it’s a beautiful night and we’re both a bit keyed up still. Shall we walk?”

When Kay nodded, Michael took her hand lightly in his and they sauntered along the road towards Elm Close.

“It’s a pity the park’s shut,” mused Kay. “I just love going in there. It’s so calming away from the hustle and bustle of this big town. Not that it’s busy now, of course. Most respectable people will be on their way to bed at this time on a work evening.”

“We could climb the railings of the park if you like,” grinned Michael, turning to her with shining eyes. “What do you say?”

Kay laughed out loud. “What I say, Michael Harris, is that you would find your credibility considerably lessened if you were up on a charge of breaking and entering the town’s park after dark.”

He moved close to her and whispered in her ear, “Only if I was caught.”

It was tempting, but they both decided it was too much of a risk to take, particularly taking into account the new business and the to-do with Charlie. They turned in to Elm Close and saw Olive’s sitting room light on. “Would you like to come in for a moment?”

Michael hesitated then shook his head. “I’d better get back. We’re not all lucky enough to live within a stone’s throw of Harris and Partners.”

“I’m still not quite sure where it is you live. I know your parents have a house in the country between Blayton and my parents’ home.”

“That’s right. I live a few miles from them, but my house is smaller than theirs and more modern. You’ll have to come and see for yourself one day.”

“I’d like that,” replied Kay. “Your parents invited me to Sunday lunch one week.”

“I’m glad. They think highly of you, Kay.”

At the front door, Michael let Kay’s hand go and dropped a light kiss on her forehead. “Sleep tight, see you in the morning.”

“On your own, are you?” called Olive as Kay shut the front door behind her.

“Yes, Michael wanted to get home. He’s a lot on his mind,” said Kay coming in and sitting in a chair next to Olive.

“Cocoa?”

“No thanks. We went to the coffee bar and had our drinks in glasses. It was made in a machine and the top was frothy.”

Olive made a face. “I think I’d rather stick to cocoa. Are you going up now?”

Kay nodded and climbed the stairs. Once in her room, she washed, cleaned her teeth and changed into her nightdress. Then she carried out her routine of rinsing her stockings
putting them over the basin to dry. Her mind would not rest. It kept churning over the scene at Twigge and Moore, dinner with Michael and dancing with him in the coffee bar. If only Charlie Spencer could be prevented from hurting Michael and his firm further. But that wasn’t her only wish tonight. She wished she and Michael could be more than just best friends.