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‘What sort of job do you have in mind?’ I ask after summoning my wits and piecing together a coherent question.
He asks if I’ve eaten dinner, and I shake my head. All I had was a hasty piece of toast before my shift. It crosses my mind that perhaps he has an ulterior motive, and this is his way of getting me to go out with him, but I banish the thought. Why should I think the worst of him? Maybe he has a job for me, and it dawns on me that it could be the solution to all my problems.
When I was lying in bed enduring another sleepless night, it occurred to me I’m not at all excited to take another nanny position, which surprised me because I’ve always adored my job. But I so enjoy caring for Daisy, that ditching her for another family doesn’t feel right.
An office job might be just the change of pace I need and allow me to afford to move out of Sebastian’s house and be independent.
Whilst the idea of moving out makes me nervous, I’m also aware I need to do something soon or I’m going to go mad. If Sebastian turns out to really be dating the woman he was with in Cannes, then it’s only a matter of time before she rocks up to the house with him. That would be unbearable, and the thought of it spurs me into action.
Richard jumps up from his seat, beaming at me when I accept his dinner invitation. We grab our things and sign out before emerging into the dark car park. Luckily, I didn’t drive my little car here today because it’s in the garage. Sebastian’s driver asked me if I want him to collect me, but I told him I’d get a taxi home. I don’t want him hanging around waiting for me all evening when I can so easily get home from here, and I doubt Sebastian cares how I get home after what’s happened.
The carpark lights flicker on, and my eyes adjust gradually. A tall figure, dressed in a white shirt with a jumper slung over his shoulders, is leaning against a car bonnet. My pulse quickens when I realise who it is. At the sound of our voices, he swivels around and faces me, and my legs turn to jelly.
Sebastian.
CHAPTER34
Nathalie
‘Sebastian, what are you doing here?’ I ask. My voice is squeaky and doesn’t sound like me. When I’m nervous, my confident command of English fails me, and my French accent is more pronounced.
My cheeks burn as I walk towards him.
He shoots me a charming smile. ‘I waited for you. I heard you don’t have the car, and you turned down the offer of a lift from my driver?’
‘I—I didn’t want to bother him when I can easily get a lift,’ I stammer.
‘I’m here to take you home. I told you. It’s never any bother,’ he says, his tone clipped.
His blue-grey eyes glitter as he surveys Richard coming up closely behind me. I watch as recognition registers and his eyes narrow to an ominous slit.
My heart’s slamming as Richard reaches my side, clears his throat, and extends his hand to Sebastian. ‘Well, hello, Sebastian. It’s been quite some time, hasn’t it?’
Sebastian stares at him coldly and makes no move to accept his hand.
I’m embarrassed by how awkward this situation is, and I scrabble for a way to smooth things over.
Richard stands there expectantly, his hand still outstretched like the spurned party, but I notice a slight smirk on his face.
What’s the deal with these two?
Richard edges closer to Sebastian, and says in an obnoxious tone, ‘Don’t tell me you don’t remember me, trust fund boy?’
My heart’s pounding as I watch them, transfixed.
Sebastian’s eyes widen. ‘Ah, Tricky Dicky. Well, fuck me. I didn’t recognise you now that you’re slightly taller than four feet.’
I gasp as he insults Richard so blatantly, and his eyes blaze. This isn’t the charming Sebastian I know, and I search his face as I try to figure out why he’s so furious.
A matching flash of anger distorts Richard’s features, and he moves his hand and casually lays it on my arm in a proprietorial manner.
‘I think it’s best we go now,’ he says, looking at me briefly before glaring at Sebastian again.
I glance at Richard. I’m caught between my two bosses, like a mouse in a trap, not knowing how to diffuse the landmine that’s about to explode.
‘Where are you going?’ Sebastian says. His voice is cold and there’s a steel-edged undercurrent to his words.
Richard pulls himself up to his full height, but he’s still a whole head shorter than Sebastian. He’s heavy set and stocky next to Sebastian’s lithe broad-shouldered beauty, which even in this tense moment makes me swoon as I watch him fight for me.
