‘I have no idea where I know it from,’ Josh continued frustratedly. ‘I’ve tried and tried to place it, but it just escapes me. I just know that I had heard it before. Somewhere.’ He shook his head disgustedly at his own inability to remember.
‘It’s time for Mr Williams’ rest now, I’m afraid,’ a nurse looked briefly into the room to inform them.
Josh grimaced. ‘I’ve done nothing but rest since they brought me in here. I shall be glad to get home tomorrow.’
‘And I’m sure Sara will be pleased to have you there.’ January bent forward to give him another kiss on the cheek before standing up, Max, to her surprise, retaining that hold on her hand as he too stood up to leave.
‘Take care,’ he told Josh as the two men shook hands.
‘See you both on Saturday,’ Josh called after them as they left. ‘At the wedding.’
Josh was obviously expecting Max to accompany her. But after seeing the two of them here together today, holding hands no less, was that so surprising…?
‘Don’t look so worried, January,’ Max taunted as he saw her frowning expression. ‘I’m sure that Josh won’t notice my absence amongst all the other wedding guests.’
Damn it, did she have to make it so obvious that she didn’t want him there? As if he were some sort of ogre, for goodness’ sake. But, then, perhaps to January he was…?
‘I’m making it a new rule,’ he continued hardly at her silence, ‘never to go anywhere I’m not welcome!’
Which just about ruled out the whole of this part of the country, if the Calendar sisters had anything to say about it!
‘Max—’
‘Don’t say anything, January,’ he snapped as they got outside the hospital. ‘I’ve really had more than enough for one day! I’ll see you around,’ he added dismissively.
She frowned her confusion. ‘Don’t you want me to give you a lift back to the hotel?’
To be honest, he had completely forgotten that January had picked him up from there earlier. But it didn’t change the fact that he would rather be alone.
‘I’ll walk,’ he assured her abruptly, turning up the collar on his heavy jacket in an attempt to ward off the chilling wind.
‘But—’
‘Just leave it, January,’ he rasped, blue eyes glittering warningly.
The fact that she flinched at the harshness of his tone, those incredible grey eyes filling up with tears, was almost his undoing. But, at the same time, he was aware that until he knew exactly what he was going to do next, it was better if he just stayed away from January. He couldn’t think straight around her anyway!
‘Josh is going to be okay, you know,’ he told January huskily. ‘A bit battered about the edges,’ he acknowledged ruefully. ‘But he’s young, he’ll make a full recovery.’
‘Physically, yes.’ She nodded slowly. ‘But—’
‘In other ways, too,’ Max cut in firmly. ‘I’m sure your cousin Sara is going to make sure of that!’
January smiled for what seemed like the first time today. Much to Max’s relief. He didn’t like the fact that this had made her so unhappy. In fact, he didn’t like anything that made January unhappy…
‘I have to go,’ he repeated harshly. ‘Drive back carefully, won’t you?’ he couldn’t resist adding. The roads had been cleared once they’d got down from the farm, but with evening setting in driving was once again hazardous. And he was still recovering from the shock of the last time January ended up in a ditch!
‘Of course,’ she acknowledged distantly. ‘Take care,’ she added abruptly before turning sharply away and walking over to where she had parked her sister’s car.
Max stood and watched her leave, aware that this might be the last time he saw her. He had some thinking to do, and the outcome of those thoughts might just mean she would get her wish and he would return to America.
She raised a hand in parting as she drove out of the car park, still pale from her shock at Josh’s appearance, but also incredibly beautiful.
Max stood on the pavement until the car had completely disappeared from view, reluctant to give up what might be his last view of her.
He had meant it earlier when he’d assured January that Jude would never fire him, but, in view of his personal difficulty over execution of this latest business venture of Jude’s, he did wonder if he ought to resign. To do what, he had no idea, but one thing he knew for certain: he was no longer one-hundred-per-cent committed to the Marshall Corporation.
After the years he had spent with the company as the main focus of his life, coming to terms with that was hard to do!