**Author's note: I just wanted to say thanks so much for all your support over the first chapter you really did blow me away! **
The silence stretched out between them, as they each stared at the other in shock and recognition; until he seemed to pull himself together abruptly to indicate that she should sit in the chair on the other side of his desk.
"You are Mrs Mandy Jones; I take it?"
Mandy nodded mutely as she walked across the little room towards him, and sat down opposite him with a shaky little sigh.
"And you are Luke Preston 'Managing Director' I assume." Mandy responded with a little disbelieving lift of her eyebrows.
"You're married, with kids?" he couldn't help asking. "You're supposed to be middle aged?" he couldn't help accusing.
"No. To all of the above."
"But your form stated 'Mrs.'?"
"I'm divorced; the form didn't ask me that. It didn't ask my age either, and I never pretended to be anything other than what I am."
"But your interests?"
Mandy shrugged uncomfortably. "I like reading; I WOULD rather sit at home and do a bit of knitting, than go out for a night on the town. My family IS the most important thing in my life. I'm dull; sorry!"
He knew that he was making her feel defensive, but he just couldn't help himself; just could not forget that first time he'd laid eyes, on her and the gut reaction he'd had to her then...
He had spotted her the moment she had come into the little church, she was huddled in the little entry way next to Ben's sister Lucy, both of them holding on to a long sparkling leash that was attached to the collar of the cutest little dog.
The bridesmaids were both of similar height, both looking very pretty in those silly cream coloured dresses, but it was the redhead that held his gaze.
Even from this distance he could see the green glitter of her eyes, and that slight curve of her lips.
She was stunning, beautiful, bright and vivacious, and everyone around her paled into insignificance.
The bride made her entrance, and Ben – the groom sucked in a breath next to him.
Luke glanced at his friend and felt a jolt of envy. He could see the love that Ben felt for his bride, and he could also see that he knew that love was returned.
Ben could feel confident, as he married his love, could enjoy this day, knowing that what they were doing was RIGHT!
"You HAVE got the rings, haven't you?" the groom suddenly whispered nervously.
Luke bit back a grin. How many times had the groom asked that question at this point, he wondered silently and how many of those 'best men' were tempted to lie and panic his best friend?
"They are right here; look." He reassured quietly as he held his hand open to show the two plain gold bands lying in his palm.
"Well don't just hold them like that! Put them away safely!" Ben demanded anxiously.
Luke chuckled softly as he slipped the two rings into his jacket pocket, and patted it reassuringly.
The music started up then and the little wedding party started their way down the aisle.
For once Penny the little dog was on her best behaviour, as she trotted proudly down the aisle ahead of the two bridesmaids, so that the sparkling leash straightened out to glitter and sparkle as the sunlight cut through the church windows, and bounced prettily off it.
There were a few "Ah's" as the congregation appreciated the little trio; then the bride came into view, and a ripple ran through the little church, followed by an expectant hush.
As the woman in white began her walk down the aisle the whispers of approval could be heard.
The murmurs of the crowd were all about the bride; which was as it should be, but for Luke, his gaze was locked on to that one bridesmaid.
What was her name? He remembered that she was the sister of Melinda, what was it - Amanda? 'Manda for short?
She was simply incredible....
She was sitting across from him now and looking at him as though he'd just crawled out from under a rock!
"Tell me, is your hair naturally that colour?" he couldn't quite believe he'd said that out loud.
Mandy's expression changed to one of deep offence, and her green eyes glittered ominously.
"Yes it is." She bit out quietly.
He sat back in his chair to study her, and his eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
"I had intended for my assistant to work in here at that desk over there." He indicated a smaller desk set in the corner. "But now I'm not so sure that that will work so well."
Mandy glanced over her shoulder to the little desk with the laptop and telephone sitting on it.
"I can work there." She kept her voice even and in control, despite the flutter of her heartbeat and the buzzing of her nerves at the idea of working in such close proximity to him, day in and day out.
"I think that this office is perhaps a little too small for two people; we'd keep on disturbing each other."
Mandy tried to smile in a reassuring manner. "It takes a lot to disturb me." She told him firmly, "And I promise that you won't even know that I'm here."
"I seriously doubt that!" he muttered under his breath as he looked down at the schedule lying on his desk.
It was a snapshot of his month ahead, and his gaze fell on the weekend at the end of the month, which had been highlighted.
He was supposed to be going down to London from the Thursday until the following Tuesday, and he'd been hoping to take his new assistant with him.
He glanced up at his new assistant as she sat waiting patiently for him to remember her presence. She was just way too disturbing; he'd never be able to get any serious work done with her around.
"Being my assistant will require you to come away with me on occasion." He fixed his beady brown eye on her. "Will that be a problem for you?"
Mandy shook her head. "No, that won't be a problem at all."
Her voice was calm, efficient, and impersonal; and he figured that it was just him who was so rattled by her.
Mandy couldn't quite believe how cool and collected she sounded. Later she promised herself silently. Later when she was safely in her own home, she would yell and shout and get all this pent up adrenalin out of her system, once and for all.
Now she smiled sweetly at the man sitting across from her. "Why don't I go and get us some coffee and then we can sit and discuss what it is you will expect from me?"
She stood up and calmly headed for the door, all the time aware of his gaze burning through her.
The minute that door closed on her back, she let out a loud sigh of relief. This was going to be one of the most challenging jobs of her life. As she headed to reception to ask Maria where the kitchen was, her green eyes were sparkling with excitement, and anticipation.
Luke sat staring at that closed door. 'So she wanted to be professional and cool?' he glanced down at her form again.
He just knew that there was nothing cold, cool, or even remotely tepid about Mrs Mandy Jones.
"Come on Luke!" he growled softly. "It's not the first time you've been around a beautiful desirable woman; you can handle it, you can handle her!"
He ran a hand through his hair a couple of times; before turning towards his computer screen and beginning to thump aggressively on his keyboard, and softly cursing his sister in law and her 'I know people' confidence.
"Can I get one for you as well?" Mandy called out to Maria as she heard her hang up the telephone.
Maria stuck her pretty head around the door. "What? Oh yes please!"
Mandy took another mug down from the rack over her head. "It's all go around here isn't it?" she observed lightly.
Maria laughed carelessly. "It's always been a successful little factory, but once Luke gets to grips with it, it's going to be something really special!"
"I thought it was the one conducting the interviews who would be running things; doesn't he have ANY interest in the family business?"
"Not our Peter, not like Luke has."
"But Luke IS the younger brother?" Mandy pressed, trying to catch the dynamics of this family run firm.
"Yes, Peter is the eldest and for a time we all assumed that HE would be the one to step into dad's shoes...." she gave another little laugh. "But by the time dad came to retire five years ago, Peter had gone his own way and Luke was pretty much running the show already."
The telephone rang again, and with a little roll of her eyes; Maria went off to answer it.
Mandy left Maria's mug on the desk next to her, and carried the little tray with hers and Luke's on it, over to his - their office.
She balanced the tray capably on the palm of her hand and pushed open the door having knocked once.
Luke was busy thumping away on his computer keyboard, and so Mandy placed the mug in front of him and sat down across from him to await his attentions once more.
Mandy was nothing if not patient, and in the end, Luke was forced to stop working and look across at this disturbing vivacious creature.
"First of all, what would you like me to call you?" Mandy asked seriously.
Darling?
For one terrible moment he thought he'd voiced his thoughts out loud again; but Mandy didn't leap to her feet and start shouting "Sexual harassment!"
She merely sat waiting for his answer.
"Luke, I suppose, it is after all my name."
"You wouldn't rather I call you Mr. Preston?"
He looked at her in absolute horror. "That's my dad!"
Mandy shrugged her shoulders impatiently. "So what does everyone else around here call you?"
He sat and thought about it for a moment. "Either Luke or 'boss'." He shrugged.
Mandy sighed. "Luke it is then."
