The Secrets of the Shadows (The Annie Graham series - Book 2) (32 page)

Annie felt her cheeks turn crimson. ‘I don’t suppose you have this in a bigger size?’

The woman smiled at her, ‘I’ll go and check, we may have one out the back.’

She wobbled off in her high heels and pencil skirt; Annie could never look like that in a million years. She looked at the price tag and nearly choked –
Bloody hell; I hope she doesn’t have one, I won’t be able to afford to eat for a month
.

The woman came back shaking her head. She was looking at Annie as if she knew her but Annie couldn’t place her. ‘Do you mind me saying I know you from somewhere but I can’t remember where?’

Annie laughed, ‘I work for the police, you might have seen me walking around town in my uniform.’

The woman smiled. ‘I’m really sorry, it must have been sold but I’ll tell you what we do have. On the sale rail there is an antique cream version of this dress, it would really suit you with your colouring and it’s your size.’

Annie felt her stomach drop; she had never worn anything cream in her life. The woman plucked the dress from the rail and before she could say no thank you she found herself being ushered into the changing rooms and handed the dress.

‘I’ll just get you a pair of shoes that will make your legs look as if they go on forever.’ The assistant tottered off to the front of the shop and the display stand.

Annie wanted the floor to open and swallow her whole so she could escape the cream dress and the high heels which had just been thrust into her fingers. Instead she muttered, ‘Thank you.’ Whipping the curtain across she hoped the assistant wouldn’t want to see her when she had squeezed herself into it, what if she burst the zip? She undressed and took the dress from the hanger. Jake would find this all extremely hilarious. She pulled the dress on and was surprised that she didn’t have to play tug of war to get it over her hips; in fact it slid down, even over her boobs. She struggled to reach the zip but it wasn’t because it was too tight, it was the fact that the arm she had broken last year couldn’t bend at that angle. She slipped on the shoes, which were a lot comfier than she’d imagined, then turned to look in the mirror and gasped. Was that her in its reflection? It didn’t look like her, she looked like a proper woman.

The assistant pulled the curtain to one side and grinned. ‘See, I told you that would look great on you.’ She stepped in and pulled the zip up, then disappeared and came back with an elegant pearl and crystal necklace and matching bracelet. She slipped them on and nodded with approval, ‘You look gorgeous.’

Annie, always the first to put herself down, actually agreed and stepped nearer to the mirror and gave herself a twirl. ‘I don’t think I’ve ever looked so ladylike and I can’t believe it fits. Is it as expensive as the black one?’

‘No it isn’t, it’s half price. I think I know where I recognise you from, are you the policewoman who stopped that killer last year, and helped to capture that mad policeman?’

Annie nodded, ‘I am indeed, why?’

‘Well you did an amazing job and I’d like to show my appreciation for the work you do. I can let you have my staff discount, which means you can buy the whole outfit for less than a hundred quid.’

Annie felt a lump form in her throat and her eyes fill with tears. ‘Thank you but I couldn’t.’

‘Miss, you look amazing and whoever you want to impress will not be able to resist you. It’s sophisticated but also demure and sexy at the same time. It really suits you.’

Annie looked in the mirror again; she did feel good, in fact she felt amazing. ‘If that’s okay with you then I’d like to take the lot and thank you.’

She waited for the assistant to ring it all up then handed over her credit card and felt momentarily guilty but the guilt was soon replaced with excitement to see Will’s face when he opened the door. The woman handed her the two bags with her purchases in and she felt like Julia Roberts in
Pretty Woman
. Thanking her again she left the shop and walked back to her car with a huge grin on her face.

***

Now as she stood outside Will’s front door she hoped he would appreciate the effort she had gone to. Once she would have let herself in with a key but things hadn’t been the same for a while. She hadn’t been inside since the morning she found him with Laura. She lifted her hand and knocked softly on the door, not her usual loud copper’s bang, bang. She couldn’t wait to see him. The door opened and she watched as he took a couple of seconds to register that it was actually her, his eyes opened wide and the boyish grin she found so sexy spread across his lips. ‘Wow, Annie. You look gorgeous, I mean you always do but – wow.’ He opened the door wide so she could step into his hallway; vanilla-scented candles were burning on the small table next to the photo of them both. ‘Let me take your coat.’

He helped her to slip out of her coat and as his fingers brushed against her neck she felt a tremor run down the back of her spine making her shiver. She turned to Will; he was wearing a white shirt with the top button undone and a pair of stonewashed jeans, he smelled of Chanel aftershave and he hadn’t shaved for a couple of days and looked as sexy as hell. She was tempted to tell him to forget the food and just take her to bed but for once she was determined to act like a lady so she followed him into the kitchen where the pine table was set with candles, flowers and the most exquisite place settings. She was seriously impressed, he had either bought this all especially or had it hidden away. ‘It looks lovely Will, really lovely.’ She watched his cheeks turn red and realised that he was as nervous as she was.

‘Thanks Annie, it all belonged to my mum. She gave it to me when I left home but it was too good to use for the endless takeaways and cans of lager. I’ve kept in the attic until I had an occasion special enough to use it for.’ He turned away to take a bottle of champagne out of the ice bucket. He popped the cork and handed her a glass, which she downed and handed back.

‘Phew, that’s better, calm my nerves a bit. I can’t believe I was so nervous coming here tonight, it’s turned me into a dithering idiot.’

‘I know it must be hard for you and I’m sorry. I hope it hasn’t upset you too much.’

She laughed, ‘I meant I was dithering about seeing you again. I’ve missed you so much and you look so, so gorgeous.’

Will laughed; it was his turn to down his drink. ‘Why thanks Miss Graham, now we’re even.’ He filled the glasses again and pulled out a chair for her. ‘This time I’m going to treat you like a lady and I don’t care what you think or say, it’s because I want to and you deserve it. You would never let me do anything for you or pay for anything and I know it’s really early days but the last three months have been hell for me and they have made me realise that I can’t live without you, I don’t want to live without you and I hope that one day you will feel the same.’

She stopped herself from blurting out that there hadn’t been a minute of every day that she hadn’t been thinking about him but she knew he wanted to grovel, it would make him feel better, so she would let him do it for just a little while and then she would tell him to shut up because she loved him just as much and felt exactly the same.

They ate a meal of pan-fried fillet steak with a blue cheese sauce, homemade chips and a huge salad, followed by a white chocolate and raspberry cheesecake with freshly whipped cream. Annie took her last bite then groaned, ‘Oh God, I’m so stuffed. That was gorgeous, thank you Will.’

He picked up the empty champagne bottle and took a bottle of the wine that Annie loved so much from the fridge and put it in the ice bucket.

She laughed. ‘I am impressed Will, you thought of everything.’ There was music playing in the background and she recognised a few of the songs but had no idea who was singing them. ‘Who is this singing?’

Will picked up her hand, ‘Sorry, do you hate it?’

‘No I really like it; I just don’t know who it is that’s singing.’

Will laughed. ‘That’s what happens when you date older men. It’s Frank Sinatra, he was my mum’s favourite singer and I guess I thought a bit of old Frank’s crooning couldn’t hurt.’ He stood up and pulled her to her feet and started singing, ‘Because I love you and I love the way you look tonight.’ He took hold of her hands and began waltzing with her in time to the music.

Annie felt clumsy, she had never been much of a dancer and Will was so light on his feet but she loved it, the way that he held her, the closeness of their bodies. She was tipsy but not drunk and she knew that she would never forget tonight as long as she lived, it was what she had dreamt about since she was a teenager, her perfect romantic evening. Mike had never done anything like this for her. As she danced with Will, with good old Frank telling her she looked lovely, she didn’t think she could be any happier.

The song ended and Will held her close, his lips brushed against hers and she held him tight and kissed him back. He leant close and whispered in her ear, ‘Marry me Annie Graham; I don’t want to be apart from you ever again.’

She pulled him close and whispered, ‘Yes.’

CARINA™

ISBN: 978 1 472 09100 0

The Secrets of the Shadows

Copyright © 2014 Helen Phifer

Published in Great Britain (2014)

by Carina, an imprint of Harlequin (UK) Limited, Eton House, 18-24 Paradise Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1SR

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