Counterfeit Love Read Online Free Page B

not still on about that ugly T-shirt, are you?’ Charlotte asked as she sat down. ‘Imagine how much you’d have to talk about if he actually gave you something interesting – a diamond necklace, or a Qing Dynasty vase.’
    ‘Well, I have to agree that a Qing vase would have been more impressive than a golf shirt,’ Lucy smiled.
    ‘You’re into antiques?’ Byron asked.
    ‘She’s an expert!’ Charlotte replied. ‘Ask her anything.’
    ‘No, I’m not,’ Lucy said, before Byron had a chance to quiz her. Charlotte liked to build Lucy up well beyond her actual expertise. Lucy was surprised Charlotte hadn’t already told Byron that Lucy was TVi’s top reporter. She’d said that before – a sweet thing to say, but a total exaggeration.
    ‘So, enough about me. What about you?’ Lucy asked Byron. ‘What were you doing in the Art Bar?’
    Byron looked slightly startled and started drumming his fingers on the table again. ‘I was supposed to be seeing someone there, but she didn’t show up.’
    Lucy’s body stiffened. She hadn’t been expecting that.
    ‘ Business ,’ Byron added quickly. ‘Something went wrong.’
    Lucy raised her eyebrows. ‘What happened?’
    Byron hesitated for a moment and then glanced towards the other end of the table. The last of Charlotte’s colleagues were getting ready to go. ‘Nothing interesting,’ he said eventually.
    ‘Try me,’ Lucy smiled.
    But by then Byron was completely distracted by Charlotte’s colleagues straggling past.
    ‘Coming for a boogie at the Cactus Club?’ Cassie asked as she wobbled by.
    ‘Yes, definitely.’ Charlotte squeezed Cassie’s hand. ‘We’ll be right behind you.’
    Charlotte turned to Lucy. ‘Shall we move on? It’s getting a bit dead in here.’
    Lucy looked at Byron. ‘Want to come?’
    Byron paused for a moment. ‘Sorry,’ he said. ‘Don’t think I can manage it tonight. But don’t let me stop you.’
    Charlotte shrugged and reached into her purse. She pulled out a business card and handed it to Byron.
    He studied it. ‘I guess you’re the person to call if I ever need anything.’
    ‘Absolutely.’ Charlotte smiled, putting on her professional face. ‘You want it, we’ll make it happen.’
    Byron tucked the card in his top pocket and finished his drink. ‘Anyway, better go. Got an early start tomorrow.’
    ‘Sure, no problem,’ Charlotte said.
    ‘Thanks for the drink.’ Lucy smiled, trying to hide her disappointment that Byron was leaving. She would have been happy to stare into those big brown eyes all night.
    Byron nodded. ‘Anytime. We should get together again. Maybe we could do something over the weekend?’
    ‘Sounds good.’ Lucy pulled out a business card and handed it to Byron.
    He took it reverently with two hands, but instead of studying the card, as he should have, Byron kept his eyes on Lucy. For several moments they regarded each other silently. Lucy could feel her body tingling at the thought of seeing Byron again. But when he finally dropped his eyes to her business card, his expression suddenly changed.
    ‘You work for TVi ,’ he said, frowning. ‘You didn’t tell me that.’
    Lucy, startled at Byron’s sudden change of mood, was momentarily speechless.
    ‘I’m a reporter,’ she eventually managed.
    ‘I thought you were an antiques dealer.’ Byron was still staring at the card. Then he tucked it into his top pocket with Charlotte’s and glared at Lucy. ‘Why didn’t you tell me you were a reporter?’
    Lucy shrugged, embarrassed that she hadn’t told Byron earlier that she worked for TVi. It was normally the first thing she told someone, not something she tried to hide. Lucy was suddenly glad she hadn’t pushed Byron on the details of his job. She might have got a story out of it, but she certainly wouldn’t ever see him again. ‘Sorry, it just didn’t come up – that’s all. Is it a problem that I’m a reporter?’
    Byron shrugged. ‘No, no, no. I’m just surprised. You