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‘Wow, I must have slept the whole way.’ She pulled off the blanket and immediately the cabin crew glided over to sort out her seat.
‘Some company you are,’ he told her when they’d finished. ‘Remind me not to sit next to you on a plane again.’ He inspected her face. ‘You needed it though. In a couple of days you might look half decent.’
She gave him a quick dig in the ribs before shifting to look out of the window. ‘London. I never thought I’d miss it. But here I am, looking at the grey sky and the brown Thames weaving through the city like a fat worm, and thinking it’s the most beautiful sight in the world.’
‘I can think of more beautiful sights,’ Nick replied quietly, his eyes on her profile. ‘But I agree, London’s one heck of a city. I hadn’t planned on us staying in it though.’
She snapped her head round. ‘Oh? Where are you planning on taking me then? Do I get a say?’
‘Yes, of course you get a say,’ he answered hastily. ‘We can stay in London if you like. I’ve a two bed flat in the City, which I use during the week because it’s handy for work. Alternatively, we can drive a couple of hours west and stay in the barn.’ He smiled at her raised eyebrows. ‘Converted barn. It’s even got running water. There’s more room there and I thought fresh air and countryside might be a better place to wind down.’
Lizzie studied him for a few seconds. ‘I didn’t know you had a place in the country.’
‘I don’t know how many places you have,’ he countered, trying not to feel too defensive.
‘Three.’ Pride filled her eyes. ‘And I don’t care if that sounds boastful. I paid for them all with my own earnings. There’s the place in LA, a house in the Nappa valley and a lodge in the mountains for when I go skiing.’
‘Obviously,’ he said dryly, pushing aside the stab of guilt as he remembered something he hadn’t told her. There was time enough for that later. ‘I can’t compete with that, though you can keep your ski lodge. I wouldn’t get on a pair of skis even if you paid me. The London flat is actually my parents’ old place. The barn is all my own. Sheep on the hills, no other house in sight, a walk through the field to the pub—’
‘Okay, okay,’ she interrupted, laughing softly. ‘It bugs me to say it, but you’re right. The barn sounds lovely.’
‘Let’s hope you’re still thinking that when you’ve stepped in your third cow pat.’
They shared a smile, just before the wheels touched down.
Chapter Four
As Nick drove through the country lanes, Lizzie felt the tug on her heart. The villages they drove through looked very familiar.
‘We’re not far from where we used to live, are we?’
He shook his head, though his eyes remained fixed on the road. ‘The barn is about half an hour from your parents’ old place.’
The ache in her chest, the one that never really disappeared, just quietened when her mind was busy, started to gnaw at her. It felt wrong to be driving to another home. To know that even if they were heading to her old home, her mum and dad wouldn’t be there.
Another family would.
Suddenly a warm hand found hers, clasping it tightly with his strong fingers. She glanced up and Nick gave her a quick, understanding smile, his eyes full of sympathy. I know, he told her silently. I’m here for you.
Emotion shot into the back of her throat and she took a deep, steadying breath. For the first time in years she realised she didn’t have to cover up what she was thinking. Pretend everything was okay. Not with Nick.
That thought alone was enough to steady her.
Ten minutes later, Nick turned the four-wheel drive down a dirt track. Ahead of them was a stunning glass-fronted barn conversion, nestled between the rolling hills. As a place to hide away from everything, and everyone, it was damned near perfect.
‘Wow, is this really it?’
He nodded.
‘But it’s gorgeous.’ She was already itching to jump out of the car and take a look inside. ‘You let me rabbit on about the places I’ve bought, all the while knowing you were taking me to this.’
Nick gave her a sideways glance. ‘Property isn’t too expensive out here. It’s not a big deal. Not compared to what you have.’
Was there a trace of bitterness in his voice? She studied him as he manoeuvred the car round the potholes. No, it wasn’t that. He’d never coveted what others had. Yet there was something. Resignation? Anger? Sadness? ‘Don’t put yourself down. You’re a partner in a thriving accountancy practice. It’s what you always wanted to do. I can’t imagine you’d be jealous of my career.’
‘Jealous? No. It’s just you live in a world a million miles away from mine.’ The wistful tone to his voice had her scrutinising his face, but he quickly masked whatever he was feeling with a quick smile. ‘Anyway, there’s no way I’d want to earn a living by taking my clothes off and pouting at the camera.’ She delivered a smart thump to his arm. ‘Ouch.’
‘It’s the least you deserve,’ she told him, opening the car door. ‘I’ll refrain from delivering the riposte you warrant, which goes something along the lines of who on earth would pay you to do that anyway, because I’ll be relying on your generous nature for a while.’ Jumping down from the car she took in a lungful of fresh air. ‘Wow, you can’t beat the smell of the English outdoors. A combination of grass and sheep poo. So, are you going to show me round this country pad of yours, or do I have to nosey by myself?’
