A Safe Pair of Hands (14 page)

She punched in a code, and then put the receiver back down
with a little sigh of relief.

Nick gave her a little smile of approval as he put her mug on
her desk. “Good girl...”

He moved away as though he was about to leave, then turned
back suddenly. “I'm going for an early lunch, as well. Then I have
an errand to run, so I probably won't be back until after two...
maybe even three o'clock.”

“
Is there anything that I need to know,” Sadie asked trying to
hide her curiosity. “In case anyone asks for you.”

“
No... I am out – busy; so just take a message or tell them to
try again after three.”

“
Okay, see you later then – I will try to have your bits ready
for when you get back.”

“
Thanks.”

*

She ate her sandwiches slowly, and savoured the hot coffee –
mainly because it was Nick who had made it for her; but it only
took her twenty minutes to finish both.

She paced around the office, and stood staring out of the
window for a little while, looking at the grey, wet pavements, and
the people hurrying along.

She stood daydreaming for a little while, and then as she
thought of Christmas, and the dream of spending it with Nick, it
occurred to her that she had not really thought about gifts
yet.

True she had ideas of what people would like, but she needed
to take action about those ideas.

She turned around and snatched up her mug, and whilst the
kettle was boiling in the little communal kitchenette, she nipped
to the ladies room.

Back at her desk, she opened up the internet and began
browsing for gifts.

By the time that she had finished her second cup of coffee,
she had a nice shopping list, which she quickly printed off, and
then slipped into her handbag.

Her hour was almost up, so she picked up the receiver and took
the phone off forwarding, and then settled down to her afternoon's
work.

By the time that Marcy came back – complete with the promised
coffee and cream cake, Sadie had finished Nick's paperwork, and she
sat back with a little sigh of happiness as she tucked in to the
chocolate éclair, and washed it down with her third
coffee.

She smiled ruefully to herself; she would be bouncing off the
ceilings if she had any more caffeine today!

Nick had not come back by the time that she switched off her
computer, and so she left his notes on his desk with a print off of
the actions she had taken.

He had said that he needed this by the end of today, and so
she had no doubt that he would come back to the office – even if it
was getting late.

She smiled softly to herself as she walked around his desk,
resting a hand on the back of his chair, and imagining Nick sitting
there, and turning to smile up at her. His eyes darkened with
passion, and she pictured him standing up to take her in his arms,
his mouth touching her mouth, and his hands...

“
Sadie?” Marcy came striding in, forcing her out of her
daydream.

“
What?” she blinked her grey eyes, and a little guilty colour
came to her cheeks as she moved quickly away from the desk, and the
chair.

Marcy – thankfully, was busy struggling into her coat, and so
missed what could have been an embarrassing moment for
Sadie.

“
Mr Hargreaves just phone, he said he was running late and
asked about those notes...”

“
Oh, does he need me to call him?” Sadie asked
hopefully.

“
What? Oh no, I told him that you had finished them hours ago,
and were at that very moment putting the info on his
desk.”

“
Oh,” she bit back the disappointment, and then forced a light
smile. “Did he say anything... anything else?” she tried for a
careless tone.

“
Not really, just that he would see us tomorrow.”

“
Oh.” She thought about staying on for a bit, in the hopes of
seeing him. “Is he coming back tonight?”

Marcy shrugged her shoulders. “I suppose,” she said
indifferently. “I mean he seemed to want those bits quite
urgently.”

“
But he didn't say when?”

“
He just said that he would see us in the morning,” she looked
at her watch a little impatiently, and then at Sadie. “So are you
ready to lock up?” she asked pointedly.

“
Okay,” she sighed. “Let me just get my coat and bag, and you
can get ready to set the alarm.”

She walked quickly back to their office, which had its own
lock and alarm system.

Marcy had her key in the panel as Sadie walked back shrugging
on her coat as she went. She was buttoning it up as Marcy followed
her out, and locked the door behind them, and they stood together
waiting for the elevator.

“
Got any plans tonight?” Marcy asked as the doors
opened.

“
Oh, I thought that I might do a bit of Christmas shopping on
my way home,” Sadie said absently.

“
Well it is late night shopping now, and it is quite busy – at
least it was earlier today, but it will only get madder the closer
that we get to Christmas.”

“
Yes, three weeks and counting.”

They went their separate ways once they were outside the
building, and even though the day was ending, and night was closing
in, and it was cold and wet; Sadie had a bright happy smile on her
face, and her eyes were practically sparkling with excitement as
she walked along.

She looked happy and radiant and absolutely stunning on that
grey day, and as she stopped at the pedestrian crossing, the man
standing next to her, started a conversation.

“
Grim day isn't it?” he said gruffly.

Sadie looked up at him in surprise and then smiled. “Oh it's
not so bad really,” she exclaimed as the cars came to a halt at the
lights.

“
No... Maybe you would like to go for a coffee and discuss that
a little bit more?”

The little man turned green, and she stepped out onto the
road. “Thank you, but no thank you,” she started to walk briskly
across the road, and once on the pavement again she picked up her
speed.

She could hear the man behind her, as he easily kept pace with
her; but Sadie was not too worried, it was prime time in the town
centre, and there would be people everywhere...

Once she got into the town centre, first though she had to
walk through a pedestrian only section, and it would be pot luck
whether anyone else would be around at this time in the
afternoon.

The man was still close behind her, and Sadie forced herself
not to panic. Just because he had propositioned her, did not make
him anything sinister.

It was almost dark now, and the street lights had all lit up,
but it did not brighten this part up much as Sadie turned off the
pavement to get through to the town centre.

It was dark and silent here, with only her, and the sound of
the man behind her.

She was about half way through, when she suddenly felt a hand
on her arm...

Chapter Fifteen

“
Hang on a minute, love.” The husky male voice was just the
same as when he had spoken to her at that busy road, but now it
sounded so much more sinister.

She shrugged away from his grasp. “Please keep your hands to
yourself!” she snapped as she stepped away and spun around to glare
up at him. “What do you want with me?”

He stepped away from her and his smile vanished as he looked
at her uncertainly. “Nothing... I just...”

“
Well then I shall be on my way... kindly keep your distance.”
She was just about to turn and start walking again when another
male voice shouted.

“
Sadie!”

They both looked back the way that they had come, and as Nick
appeared, Sadie's face lit up, and the stranger brushed past her to
stride away quickly.

Nick looked like he had been running, as he walked quickly
towards her.

“
Are you okay?” he asked his eyes full of concern, as he looked
down at her, and then over her head in the direction that the man
had gone.

Sadie grinned up at him. “I am now!” she said happily. “But
what are you doing here?”

He saw her radiant smile and sighed with relief, but his brow
furrowed questioningly. “Where is your car?”

Sadie gave a little sigh “It's at the garage; getting some
repairs done ready for its MOT... they said that it would be there
for a few days.” She saw the look of concern on his face, and
smiled reassuringly. “It's only for a few days, and it is very
simple to catch the bus.”

Nick looked like he was going to argue the point, but then he
saw the stubborn set to her mouth and gave a little nod.

“
How did you know that I was here - anyway?”

“
I saw you at the crossing; I was in my car waiting at the
lights. I saw that man speak to you, and when you walked away I saw
the way that he looked after you, and then he seemed to be
following you... did you know him?”

He had been worried about her! Nick had come charging to her
rescue just like a knight in shining armour.

“
No, he just wanted to buy me a coffee... at least I think that
he did – he never actually offered to pay for it!” she could not
help the little giggle that bubbled up. Nick had come to save
her!

“
Come on,” he could not stop the chuckle; she just seemed to
bring out the happiness in him! “I'll give you a lift
home.”

She thought about the shopping she had just planned to do, and
then grinned as she walked back with him. That could wait until
another day, she would spend this time with Nick – she would always
drop anything and everything to spend time with Nick.

**

“
I'll pick you up at six thirty, tonight,” Nick was reading the
report that she had just brought in for him, and he glanced quickly
over the edge. “Is that okay?”

She blushed as she nodded her head. this was the first time
anything even remotely personal had been said between them in the
workplace; even in the privacy of his office, she still addressed
him with his formal Mr Hargreaves title – the same as all of his
other employees did.

“
Yes, Nancy said to be at hers any time after seven, so six
thirty should be fine.”

“
Good, good,” he nodded his head as though he was still
reading, but suddenly his eyes fixed on hers. “I am looking forward
to this dinner with your sister,” he said warmly.

“
And Rob will be there too.” Sadie smiled, as her thoughts
began to roam. “And mum and dad will be back next week, and so I
think I might do something to welcome them home,” she spoke softly
as though speaking to herself.

“
I've not had the pleasure of meeting your parents yet,” Nick
said almost a little enviously.

She looked at him in surprise, and he smiled a little
awkwardly. “My parents died when I was younger,” he explained at
her silent question. “I was eighteen when they were killed in a car
accident.”

“
Oh god, Nick!” she stepped forward and her eyes filled with
tears. “I am so sorry for your loss!”

His smile turned a little rueful, but she could see the strain
behind his eyes, and saw him swallow. “It was a long time ago now,
Sadie,” he said gruffly.

She stopped walking and looked away uncomfortably. “Did you
have any... siblings?”

He sighed sadly. “No, I was an only child.”

“
What about cousins? Aunts, uncles... grandparents?” she seemed
desperate for him to have someone in his life, and he saw the tear
as it trickled from the corner of her eye.

“
Oh yes... my father had three brothers!” he said lightly, as
he omitted the fact that they had not wanted to know him... not
until later – after he had become a successful business man. “Now
if there is nothing else, Sadie,” he put his best boss’s voice on,
and she took the hint.

“
No, that was all, Mr Hargreaves.”

She turned and left his office, but she spent the rest of the
afternoon feeling very upset over Nick's lack of relatives... he
had not said as much, but she just knew that those uncles had not
stepped up when Nick at been orphaned at such a young age. He had
not spoken of his pain and loneliness at the time, but Sadie had
heard it in his tone anyway.

At eighteen he would have been seen as and treated as an adult
and so little or no help would have been forthcoming for him. He
would have been left to make his way in the world, on his
own.

Every time she thought of Nick – the young man and the
loneliness and grief that he must have felt, Sadie felt herself
welling up.

“
You are awfully quiet this afternoon?” Marcy piped up
suddenly, and Sadie looked across at her from puffy eyes. “I say
are you feeling okay?” Marcy was on her feet and across the room in
a flash.

“
What? Yes, I’m fine... just a bit of the sniffles I
guess.”

Marcy looked her over worriedly for a moment, and then she
glanced at her watch.