AllFreeNovel
Share Us
It was odd, hearing herself being referred to in the third person. Odder still to have someone fighting on her behalf.
Ruffled by the accusation, the previously laid back officer glowered at Nick. ‘I’m well aware of what you say has happened, Mr Templeton. But you and your friend need to understand you’ve done yourselves no favours by waiting until now to report it. We’ll do what we can. I can’t say more than that.’
While Nick showed him out, Lizzie sank wearily onto the sofa, glad to see the back of the man. ‘He didn’t believe a word I said,’ she commented when Nick walked back into the room. ‘He thinks I’ve had a row with my boyfriend over the photographs, and now I’m pissed because he’s leaked details of our torrid sex life to the press.’
‘It doesn’t matter what he thinks,’ he replied quietly, coming to sit down next to her. ‘We know the truth. And the truth always comes out in the end.’
With that he leant back against the cushion and shut his eyes. For the first time since he’d arrived, Lizzie noticed how tired he looked, a fact emphasised when he rubbed first at his eyes and then at the dark stubble across his chin. He had good hands, she noticed. Strong and capable. She bet they could excite a woman just as well as they could soothe.
Embarrassed at the turn of her thoughts, she glanced quickly back at his face, grateful to find his eyes still closed.
‘Nick,’ she whispered, causing his eyes to flutter open. ‘You’re exhausted. It must be the early hours of the morning for you. Have you booked into a hotel, or do you want to crash here?’
Wearily he threaded a hand through his hair. ‘I came straight from the airport. My bag is down with security. I’d rather bunk here, if it’s all the same to you.’
Taking hold of his hands she pulled him to his feet. ‘It’s the least I can do. Go fetch your bag. I’ll check the spare room has some bedding in it.’
* * *
That night she slept better than she had done in days. Odd, because in effect, nothing had changed. Her life was still in exactly the same God-awful mess it had been three days ago. The only difference was now someone was sharing the burden with her. It had been a long, long time since anyone had done that.
As she filled the kettle the next morning, her stomach grumbled, reminding her she was hungry. Another giant step forward. She rummaged in the kitchen, but all she could come up with were tea bags and stale bread. A pretty damning insight into how well she’d been looking after herself recently.
‘You haven’t turned into a real American yet then?’
Unused to people in her apartment, she jumped at the sound of the voice. A moment later a sleepy Nick wandered into the kitchen. His hair resembled that of a hedgehog, his face still needed a shave and he wore yesterday’s jeans and a wrinkled T-shirt. One he must have slept in. All in all he looked decidedly crumpled — a far cry from his usual classic, tidy appearance. God but he looked sexy though. Sweet vulnerability combined with an edgy maleness. It made her heart sigh.
He nodded over to the teapot she’d just filled.
‘Ah, you mean I haven’t succumbed to starting the day with a cup of coffee instead of tea.’ She grimaced. ‘Ugh, no way. In fact when I go on a shoot I drive them mad because I always ask for a cup of English breakfast tea. They roll their eyes and call me a typical English brat, but, hey, you can take the girl out of England, but you can’t take England out of the girl.’
‘Good to see some things don’t change.’ In his progress towards the breakfast bar he paused to study her, his brown eyes skimming over her face. Quietly assessing. ‘How did you sleep?’
Though she’d spent most of her life having her looks scrutinised, she squirmed under Nick’s careful study. ‘Better, thanks.’ She turned away before he could find further fault. ‘How about you? From what I can see, not for long enough.’
‘I’m probably not looking my best,’ he acknowledged with a wry smile, scraping a hand over his dark stubble. ‘You, on the other hand, look a lot better than you did yesterday.’
Lizzie winced at the memory. ‘I needed to.’ She poured the tea into two giant mugs and added milk. She didn’t have to ask Nick whether he wanted sugar. She’d made him countless cups of tea over the years and his taste had never changed. Strong, white, no sugar. ‘Do you still mean it, about me coming back to England with you?’
‘Yes. Why, are you having second thoughts?’ He accepted the steaming mug and plonked his tall frame on the nearest bar stool.
Lizzie bit her lip. ‘No, of course not.’ She’d mulled it over again last night, before nodding off to sleep.
‘I sense a but.’
‘There is no but. I was just thinking how it would probably do me good to get away from this place for a while. I’ve not been back to England for years. Not since the funeral.’ She flinched at the word. Saying it out loud made it real. There were times she liked to live in a fantasy world. One in which her parents were still at home and she could fly back and see them when there was a pause in her manic schedule. A world with no grief . . . and no guilt. It worked, until she reached for the phone to call them and realised they weren’t there.
‘Have you ever really given yourself time to grieve, Lizzie?’
Avoiding his eyes, she turned her attention to the toaster and began to fill it with the stale bread. ‘Truthfully? No. I threw myself into every venture offered so I didn’t have time to think. Because thinking is too damn heartbreaking.’ The need to cry clogged her throat as she busied herself with finding some butter. Suddenly all she wanted to do was get away from this stifling apartment. Away from California where she was being hounded by every journalist with a pulse.
It was time to go home.
* * *
Prising Lizzie out of her apartment and onto a plane had been easier than Nick had anticipated. Of course they’d had to use a bit of creativity to get her out of the building without the press getting wind of it. Nick had walked out of the front with their bags and picked up the hire car. Wearing a dark wig and disguised as one of the cleaners, Lizzie had sneaked out of the rear exit where he’d been waiting. Only Maria, her agent, knew she was leaving the country.
‘Nick, before we go to the airport there’s somewhere I need to visit. Just quickly.’
