What the Lightning Sees: Part Two Read Online Free Page A

Had he found love?
    “So you’re not looking for love?” Paula asked.
    “Harry,” I managed to say. “So we don’t take up any more of your valuable time than we need to, why don’t you take some shots of Paula and then we can let you go and Paula can take me through the interview process?” I stared at his oh-so-broad chest. I couldn’t bring myself to glance up to meet his eyes.
    He nodded and stood. Paula didn’t push the point. I watched as he expertly moved around the room, directing Paula and taking shots with various backgrounds and in different poses. I buried myself in my notes, pretending to be doing anything but absorbing every detail of Jake’s movements.
    Twenty minutes later Jake seemed to have what he needed.
    “You were great, Paula, so natural. I think I have everything I need, so I’m going to head out,” Jake said.
    “You can come back anytime. Let me give you a card.”
    “Thanks,” he replied. “I don’t seem to get it right on my own; so you never know, I might give you a call.” My gut twisted. I’d thought about Jake with another Millie, but the thought of Jake finding love was a whole different ball game. It was as if I couldn’t think about that and breathe. Somehow the two things weren’t compatible. Thank goodness he had resisted Paula giving him the full interview. I didn’t think I could take much more of him being so close, let alone hear about his potential future without me.
    “Well, I have a couple of beautiful and successful women who I would love you to spend some time with, so keep in touch.”
    “Thank you.” Jake smiled. “I’ll let you get down to the real interview now.”
    “It was a pleasure to meet you, Harry.”
    “The pleasure was all mine,” he replied.
    His smile receded when he turned to me. “Haven, I hope you find what you’re looking for,” he said, and then he was gone.
    I watched as the door closed behind him. If I hadn’t been sitting down I would have fallen. I reached for my water, trying to stop myself from rewinding and replaying the last words he had spoken. My hands shook as I brought the glass to my lips. What did he mean when he said that? Was he angry with me? Hurt?
    “How long have you been single?” Paula asked, pulling me out of my head.
    This was going to be a bit more difficult than I expected. I wasn’t great at opening up to strangers at the best of times. “A while.”
    “Okay, so, talk to me about what you want when you’re dating,” Paula interrupted my thoughts of Jake.
    “I’m not sure,” I replied. I wasn’t aware that I looked for anything in particular. The fact that they had asked me out seemed to be the common factor among the men I’d dated.
    “We have to narrow down the pool. Let’s start physically. What are your turn ons and turn offs.”
    “Well, obviously, if he looks like David Gandy, that would be a bonus.”
    “Or Harry? He’s very handsome. Are you sure he’s single?”
    “I don’t know. He always has women on the go,” I replied. I couldn’t imagine he would stay single for long.
    “I’m sure he has plenty of options, but that doesn’t mean he’s making the right choices. Is he wealthy?”
    I shrugged. I wanted to get off the subject. Why was she still talking about him?
    “Sorry, so yes, David Gandy. You like them tall and dark.”
    “I guess.” I shifted in my seat.
    “And successful, obviously.”
    I stared across the room at a painting, trying to think about whether a man’s wealth made a difference to me. Before Jake I would have said categorically that I preferred a man who wasn’t wealthy, but now . . . 
    “I’m not sure money and success matters so much to me. More that they love what they do. I don’t like men who are too . . . cocky? Not unless they’ve got something to back it up with. And that can’t be just wealth. There has to be more to them than that.”
    “That’s interesting,” said Paula. “And what else? Describe what sort of person