world had moved on. “Let’s eat,” he rasped, twisting on his heels and going back inside the apartment, putting one foot in front of the other like he always did when the grief got to him. He heard her follow him, but he concentrated on going into the kitchen, getting the first course that his housekeeper had left in the refrigerator.
By the time he carried two plates of chicken and mango salad into the dining area, he was back in total control. Soon he was sitting opposite her at the table while they enjoyed their meal. Well, he was enjoying it. She was picking.
“You don’t like the food?”
“It’s fine.” She cast him a candid look. “I just don’t like being here, that’s all.”
Adam felt a flash of irritation. Her reluctance was beginning to wear a little thin. Women usually clambered over each other to get an invitation to his apartment.
And into his bed.
He took a sip of wine. “Tell me about your family.”
Her eyes flashed at him as she put down her fork. “I’d prefer you tell me why you want me to be your…companion for a month. That is why you asked me here tonight.”
“It might help me get a clearer picture of your brother,” he pointed out, used to setting the pace.
She pressed her lips together, but relented. “My parents are alive and well and have just retired. Then there’s Stewart and me. Stewart’s older by five years. He and his wife, Vicki, have two little girls.”
As always, he had to ignore a squeezing of inner pain at the mention of someone else’s children. “How old are they?”
“Five and three.” She gave him a cutting stare. “Old enough to miss their father.”
“I don’t doubt it.” He wondered if Stewart missed his kids as much as they missed him. Did the man know how lucky he was to even have them? He sure as hell wouldn’t be leaving his own kids for months on end.
Not that he planned on having any.
Not now.
The only child in his life was his year-old niece, Nicole, whom they’d recently learned was Dominic’s child through artificial insemination, and not Liam’s. She was a cute little thing who adored her father, and the feeling was reciprocated. It would cut out Dominic’s heart to leave her for any length of time.
And that was the reason Dominic and Cassandra had taken Nicole with them on an extended honeymoon to the family vacation home in the tropics in Far North Queensland. It was the reason he was now officially staying here in Melbourne to help his father run Roths, instead of traveling around the country checking on their department stores and sorting out any problems, like he usually did. He had to admit it actually felt good to stay in one place this time. Before he’d felt restless and needed to move around, but lately it hadn’t seemed to be enough.
The telephone rang from across the room, jerking him from his thoughts. He didn’t move. Whoever it was could call back, and if it was who he thought it would be, then she’d definitely call back.
“Aren’t you going to answer it?”
“No.”
It gave another ring.
Jenna looked at the phone, then at him. “Don’t let me stop you.”
“I won’t.” He couldn’t help but be abrupt. He was sick to death of these phone calls. He shouldn’t have to put up with it. If it wasn’t for—
Just then the answering machine clicked on and a husky female voice came over the line. “Adam, this is Chelsea.” There was a pause. “I’m looking for Todd and I thought he might be with you. If you could phone me back when you get in, that would be great.” Another pause. “I’ll be waiting,” she said, almost breathlessly, then hung up.
Silence settled over the room, then Jenna arched a brow. “You didn’t want to talk to her?”
“ She’s the reason I need a companion.”
She tilted her head at him. “I don’t understand.”
Right. It was time to tell her why he needed her help. He didn’t like giving a stranger information that could ruin his friendship with