A Spanish Engagement by Kathryn Ross Read Free Book Online Page B

exciting?’
    Molly nodded and then wriggled to get down out of her arms. ‘Can I have ice cream at the hotel?’
    ‘You can have anything you want, darling,’ Carrie said softly. The clock in the hall struck twelve and it made Carrie hurry to select her own outfit from the wardrobe. She had thirty minutes to gather herself together and work out what was best to tell Carmel.
    Carrie selected a cream trouser suit and a silk camisole for underneath, and then, pinning her hair back from her face, she lightly applied some make-up.
    The effect was understated and elegant. She looked confident…even if she didn’t feel it, she thought wryly.
    Exactly on time Carrie’s taxi pulled up outside the Grand Hotel, which stood on one of Barcelona’s main thoroughfares. The entrance was extremely imposing and a doorman in red and white livery came and opened the door of her taxi for her. She took Molly’s hand and they went in through the swing doors. It was cool inside, a welcome relief from the humid heat of the day.
    Carrie had been here a few times in the past, usually on business lunches to seal important deals, yet never had she felt as nervous as she did today. She walked across the marble entrance hall to the long reception desk andwas just about to ask for someone to ring upstairs to Carmel’s room when she spotted a familiar figure coming in the other direction across the foyer.
    Her heart started its familiar speed-racing as she saw it was Max Santos. He looked fabulously attractive in a lightweight grey suit that seemed to give him that air of distinguished authority that made Carrie go weak inside.
    He caught sight of her at the same time and smiled warmly. ‘Hello, Carrie, this is a surprise.’
    ‘Yes, isn’t it?’ she said faintly. The last thing she needed was Max lurking around at the same time as Molly’s grandparents. ‘What are you doing here?’
    ‘I’ve been meeting with my accountant over coffee.’ Max’s eyes moved from Carrie to her niece. ‘Hello, Molly, it’s nice to see you.’
    Molly gave him a wide smile and seemed to be quite taken with Max’s friendly demeanour. ‘I’m going to have ice cream for my lunch,’ she told him happily, scuffing her shiny black shoes against the marble floor as she spoke.
    ‘They do some wonderful ice cream here,’ Max said seriously. ‘Try the raspberry sorbet…it’s great.’
    Molly nodded and then held out the rag dog in her hands. ‘This is Mojo,’ she told Max. ‘He likes ice cream too.’
    ‘Pleased to meet you, Mojo,’ Max said, reaching out to shake the dog’s paw. ‘I’m Max.’
    Carrie found herself smiling at this exchange, for a moment her nerves forgotten.
    ‘I take it you are here to meet Molly’s grandparents?’ Max asked as he transferred his attention back towards her.
    ‘Yes, they are staying here and they’ve asked us to have lunch with them.’
    Max nodded. ‘I’m glad I bumped into you. I have a few details about that contract that I’d like to clear with you.’
    ‘Well, we will have to discuss them on Monday, Max, I’m rather busy.’ Over his shoulder she suddenly saw Molly’s grandparents coming down the long, sweeping staircase.
    ‘How about dinner tomorrow?’ Max asked her resolutely. ‘I’m going to be very busy on Monday.’
    ‘Well, perhaps Tuesday morning at the office, then.’ As desperate as she was to get rid of Max she didn’t want to tie herself down to an evening appointment—not with Molly’s grandparents on the scene. She wanted to prove to them that she had plenty of time for their granddaughter, not that she had to meet business clients at all hours.
    ‘This is important, Carrie,’ Max said with a firm determination. ‘I want to get this advertising contract up and running as soon as possible.’
    ‘Well, I tell you what, ring me tomorrow and we’ll organise something. You’ll find my mobile number on my business card.’ Carrie was desperate to get away from him now; Carmel had