Fate - Page 58/137

'It's not that. Imagine how much such a call would cost. Getting names and numbers while being charged per second.' Felicity shuddered.

Smiling Darlene could only shake her head.

'No risk of you taking Ethan for a ride.'

Before Felicity could challenge her on that point, Darlene continued.

'A drop in the ocean and for a good cause. Here it is. Now take the phone and the address book and go do some serious invitation issuing. I've got a lunch to prepare.'

Felicity was thankful that this time Darlene did quietly.

Two hours later Felicity was finished with Ethan's computer. His P.A. was a boon of information regarding who to and not to invite. She even agreed that Magnolia should be included, much to Felicity's dismay. More than 50 names were on the list. Thankfully many could be sent electronic invitations through Ethan's email address book and only a few electronically challenged were to be sent printed ones. Her finger hovered over the shut down button then jabbed at it in reaction to Ethan's voice which came in though the open study door.

'Hello. Playing a game?' Ethan sauntered over to the desk.

Felicity felt a guilty flood of red flow up her neck and over her face. This time it wasn't just Ethan's presence that unnerved her.

'Just printing some drawings for Chloe.'

Felicity jumped out of the chair as if bitten and swiped the invitations off the printer before Ethan got close enough to see them, curling them into a tube. 'Funny how…I can remember how to operate…a computer and how to party-um, print but not what…my name…is. I think Darlene said list-er, lunch would be ready soon.' With those two slips of the tongue Felicity raced out leaving a bemused but hopefully unsuspicious Ethan in her wake. Felicity not for the first time wondered if her predictably racing pulse whenever Ethan invaded her personal space was dangerous to her heart.

Ethan seated himself at his desk and automatically returned his address book to the drawer vaguely puzzled as to why he left it out in the first place, and when. His thoughts though refused to analyse this small problem since they became fogged by his sense of smell. Felicity was wearing the same scent she had bought the first day out with Darlene. Ethan was sure that he would always associate it with her, even when she was gone. Again the thought of her leaving did not please him.

He logged onto the computer not registering that he did not need to type in his name first.