Second-Time Bride by Lynne Graham

bed and sent Daisy a cheeky grin. ‘I know you’re gasping to hear what he said. Dad thinks you’re still gorgeous...and I think he’d be doing really well for himself getting a second chance with you—’
    â€˜It’s not going to happen, Tara,’ Daisy said as gently and firmly as she could.
    â€˜I don’t see why not.’ Her daughter looked distinctly smug and gave her mother a warm and approving appraisal. ‘Lots of men go for you. Why shouldn’t he?’
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    That revealing and explosive dialogue haunted Daisy throughout the next morning. She couldn’t keep her mind on her work and found herself drifting off into thoughts of what life might have been like if she hadn’t divorced Alessio. Would he have changed after she had had the baby? Would he have wanted her again then? Would he have dumped Sophia and become a faithful husband? Daisy looked out of the window in cynical search of a flying pig or a blue moon.
    â€˜You know, there’s something different about you this week,’ Barry commented, watching her doodle interlocking triangles on her pad. ‘You’re much more approachable.’
    â€˜Barry—’
    â€˜Have dinner with me tonight,’ he urged, dropping down athletically into a crouch in front of her swivel chair so that they could meet eye to eye. ‘I won’t lay a finger on you...I promise!’
    â€˜Give over, Barry,’ Daisy groaned.
    â€˜So I used to show off a little when I first started here but that was three years ago,’ Barry stressed with a winning smile as he reached for her hands. ‘I’ve grown up since then. I don’t boast about my one-night stands any more. I know you’re not impressed by how fast I drive my Porsche. I think I could even be faithful for you’
    Daisy studied him and experienced a very, very faint stab of remorse. Deep down inside, she had always known why she had loathed Barry on sight. In build, colouring and brash confidence, he reminded her just a little of Alessio as a teenager. Poor Barry. He had been chasing her for so long that it was a running office joke. ‘Sorry—’ she began.
    â€˜Daisy...’
    Releasing her fingers, Barry vaulted upright. Daisy might have got whiplash if Alessio hadn’t spun her chair round so fast that she saw whirling lights instead.
    â€˜Lunch,’ Alessio drawled with definite aggression.
    â€˜I’m not hungry,’ Daisy muttered out of the corner of her mouth as she turned her chair back to her desk. ‘Go away...’
    â€˜Mr Leopardi?’ Barry cleared his throat after a lengthy pause. ‘We spoke on the phone last week—’
    â€˜You may inform your superior that Miss Thornton won’t be returning to work here,’ Alessio interposed, smooth as glass. ‘She’ll be far too busy roasting in the fires of eternity as my wife.’
    â€˜Your... your wife ?’ Barry spluttered incredulously.
    Ignoring him, Alessio lifted Daisy’s slim handbag from the desk and studied it with scepticism. ‘Where’s all the rest of the junk?’
    â€˜Junk?’ Daisy’s voice fractured as she rose jerkily upright, unable to believe that he had made such an announcement in front of the entire office.
    â€˜Daisy, you couldn’t get through one day with a purse this tiny. This is for show. Somewhere else there has to be a holding tank for the hundred and one things you have to keep within reach. Ah ...’ With unhidden satisfaction, Alessio reached below the desk and lifted the large, battered leather holdall he had espied. ‘Yours? How often do you feed the purse? Hourly? Half-hourly?’
    â€˜I’ll be back after lunch, Barry,’ Daisy said frigidly, striving to regain control of the situation but quite shattered by the manner in which Alessio was behaving. Barry simply gaped at her.
    â€˜You won’t be,’ Alessio drawled, running