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progress through the workspaces, while keeping disruption to a minimum. All the employees had a copy of the schedule so that they could plan around the interior design tasks as much as possible.
    “Will you be available for lunch today?” Robert asked her. “I can book a table at my club.”
    “That will be lovely, thank you.”
    “Good. I’ll come by and pick you up at midday.”
    Lucy worked steadily through the morning, sifting through samples, placing orders and confirming contractors. When she next glanced at her watch, she was surprised to note that it was a quarter to twelve. She located her makeup bag and touched up her face. She’d just finished fixing her hair when Robert knocked on the door.
    “Ready?”
    She grabbed her handbag. “Let’s go.”
     
    * * * *
     
    It was after twelve before Rhett made it out of his morning meeting. He was hoping that he could persuade Lucy to have a quick lunch with him before he had to meet with another client that afternoon. When he turned on his mobile phone, he was relieved to find Lucy’s message agreeing to accompany him to the ball. Perhaps if they went on a few dates, it would convince her that he wanted to take things to the next level. He just hoped that she felt the same.
    As he entered Hunter & Associates, Annie passed him a handful of messages and followed him down the hallway to his office suite. When he entered, he immediately looked towards Lucy’s makeshift desk.
    “Your father and Ms Whiticker have gone to lunch,” Annie informed him. “They left about fifteen minutes ago. I believe Robert made a reservation at the club.”
    Rhett let out a long breath. Well, seeing that Lucy was otherwise engaged, he would grab a quick sandwich for lunch and use the time to work on his notes and answer his emails.
    “Thank you, Annie.”
    “Remember your two o’clock,” she said, handing him a file.
    Rhett settled behind his desk and brought his computer back to life. He hadn’t realised how much he had been looking forward to seeing Lucy. Even though they had spent most of the previous evening together, he’d wanted to see her to cement the emotional connection he believed they had made the previous night.
    As he started to trawl through his messages, he thought about her having lunch with his father and a wave of jealousy swept through him. He was startled by the ferocity of the sensation and felt at once irritated and slightly ashamed of himself. How could he feel envious of his own father? And since when did he have feelings of jealousy over a woman?
    He sighed and pushed a hand through his hair in exasperation. But he couldn’t halt his errant thoughts. His father, at fifty-seven, was closer in age to Lucy than he was. Robert was also handsome and distinguished and kept himself in great shape and, since Rhett’s mother had died five years ago from breast cancer, his father had been relatively slow to start dating. Rhett and his brother had tried on several occasions to encourage him to get out more, but he had always resisted, using the excuse of work to avoid entering into any serious relationships. Rhett now hoped fervently that his father hadn’t decided that Lucy might be the one to break his dry spell!
    He recognised that he was being unreasonably paranoid, but he couldn’t help himself. Sighing heavily, he pushed the thought of Lucy and his father to the back of his mind and focused on preparing for his afternoon meeting.

Chapter Seven
     
     
     
    Lucy enjoyed her lunch with Robert immensely. He was a true gentleman—attentive and gracious. After spending some quality time with him, she could tell where Rhett had picked up many of his mannerisms. He was very much like his father, both in looks and temperament. However, Robert was closer to her age than Rhett and their lunch date had only emphasised that fact. She felt less conspicuous in Robert’s company and felt less as though people were judging her, although Robert did not make her breath