Page 96 of Be More Capybara

She raised her eyebrows. ‘Lovely to see you too.’

‘I don’t understand.’

‘I didn’t want to wait until Tuesday, so I got on a plane, a train and an automobile.’

‘Sounds like the answer to a film quiz question.’

She smiled. ‘A coach was involved as well, but that would have ruined the joke. Are we going to carry on talking rubbish, or am I going to kiss you?’ she asked.

‘Are you sure you want to do that?’

‘Don’t try talking me out of it,’ she said, stepping towards him and kissing him firmly on the lips.

74

HELEN

So much for you insisting on a full apology before letting him kiss you! Helen relaxed in Nigel’s arms. This was what her subconscious had wanted all along.

She pulled back slightly so she could look directly into his eyes. ‘Can we sit down and talk?’

‘Yeah, you sit on the bed. I’ll grab that chair.’

‘No, sit next to me.’ She held his hand. She was back in control of her emotions. ‘Why didn’t you tell me the real reason you left Bartons sooner?’

‘I thought I shouldn’t, but in hindsight, I wish I had.’

‘So do I. I wouldn’t have such a stiff backside from sitting on that coach for hours.’

He grinned. ‘I could give you a massage?’

‘You’d better not, because we both know where that will lead.’

‘Would that be so bad?’

‘No, but we need to finish this conversation first.’

‘Okay.’ He looked disappointed.

‘There are still some parts of the story I don’t understand. Like how did Bartons know it was you who blew the whistle on them?’

‘They don’t know. They might have worked it out now, I suppose. As far as they were aware, I worked out what they were doing, they asked me to leave quietly and agreed to give me a decent payout for doing so as long as I signed their NDA.’

She nodded. ‘And there’s still the matter of your lie about the appointment.’

‘I told you on the phone, I panicked.’

‘It’s not very comforting, knowing that your partner will instantly lie to you when put under pressure.’

He gently squeezed her hand. ‘I understand how it looks, but when is there ever going to be another situation like that? I’m not planning on signing any more NDAs. And have I ever lied to you before?’

‘I don’t know. Have you?’

He looked her in the eye. ‘I promise I haven’t.’

‘Okay. But if it happens again, I’m not sticking around. Because we have to be honest with each other for this to work. I don’t want you becoming Angus version two.’

‘It will never happen again. I promise.’