A Safe Pair of Hands (17 page)

“
But only due to you and your talent, you started from nothing
and built something that is very successful.” Now she definitely
sounded proud, and he could not help but grin.

“
I have good people around me, and so that is why my company is
so successful.”

She blushed as she realised that he included her in that
equation.

“
The people that
you
hired. However you look at it,
Nick; 'HBBC Limited' is everything that
you
made it to be.”

He could see that she would not have it any other way, and so
in the end he nodded. “Okay I'm a big shot business man... now
let's go and eat!”

Sadie looked around her, and realised that he had parked in
the car park of a rather nice looking pub, that advertised meals
all day long.

Her stomach gave a loud grumble and the colour flood her
cheeks again, as she looked at Nick in embarrassment.

He laughed, and his brown eyes twinkled at her in delight, so
that Sadie found herself giggling.

“
Okay, let's eat.”

**

“
Did you ever hear from your uncle again?” Sadie asked suddenly
as they sat waiting for their food. “The one who helped you – sort
of.”

“
Yes, we have talked a few times, he looks me up when he's in
the country, and we exchange Christmas and birthday cards as
well.”

“
And the other uncles?”

His voice had been quite warm when speaking of the first
uncle, but now he scowled and his tone cooled as well.

“
One of them got in touch a couple of years ago, his eldest
child was looking at going to university and since they had heard
that my business was doing well; they were wondering if I would be
willing to help finance him...”

“
What did you say?” she squeaked, it just
seemed so... presumptuous, of them to approach a person for help,
when they had turned their backs on that very same person,
when
he
had
needed someone.

He smiled bitterly. “I said that I would have to meet with his
son, and talk to him about his plans, before I could make a
decision.”

“
And?” Sadie prompted breathlessly

Nick sighed, as he slumped down in his seat. “It was a mistake
of course; I should just have said no and be done with
it!”

“
Why?”

“
Well they arranged a time for me to go over and speak with
Phillip – the son; but when I go there, the whole family was there
as well, and each and every one of them, had something that they
wanted, needed or 'absolutely could not live without'. They all saw
my willingness to discuss it as a sign of potential weakness; and
they were all set to exploit it – and me.”

“
What did you do?”

“
I refused their offer of tea, told them that I was there to
talk to Phillip – and only Phillip, and if we could not do that in
private then I would just have to leave and – regretfully, refuse
my help.”

“
And?”

He sighed again. “Phillip as it turned out was a nice pleasant
young man... but not very bright, I'm afraid. He never wanted nor
intended to go to University – it had just been a ploy to get me
involved with the family.”

She was just about to ask what happened next, when their food
arrived.

“
So?” she prompted him after he'd begun to eat.

He swallowed the mouthful of food, and smiled.

“
I liked Phillip; I suspect that he was the best of the bunch.
He wanted to do gardening, he was a big strong young man, and he
loved being outdoors, and getting his hands dirty.”

“
You helped him, didn't you?” Sadie demanded
excitedly.

“
I didn't give him – or any other them, any money. But one of
my clients was a landscape gardening firm, and the director of the
company was a friend. I had a word with him, and he arranged for
Phillip to go on an apprenticeship with him... that was about a
year ago and he's doing really well, he moved out of his home, and
into a small bedsit, and he's just about to move into a
flat.”

“
Do you keep in touch with him?”

“
Not as much as I should – I suppose, but I do pop in from time
to time, and look him up occasionally to make sure that he is still
okay – that's how I knew about the flat.”

“
You should get him something?” Sadie said thoughtfully, “You
know as a housewarming present kind of thing.”

“
Yes I was thinking about it... any suggestions?”

“
Well, what does he need?”

Nick chuckled suddenly. “You sound just like a wife should
sound, telling me what to do and how to do it.”

He laughed as he spoke but his laughter faded when he realised
that not only was she not laughing with him, she looked positively
unhappy. And then it dawned on him.

She had already been a wife – and that had been an awful
experience for her. Perhaps she was soured against the whole idea
of marriage now.

He swallowed the bitter taste that had come to his mouth,
because he knew that he wanted Sadie to be
his
wife – and right up until this
moment he had never once doubted that that was where they would end
up.

Now not only did he doubt it – he was almost certain that she
would never agree to be his, or anyone else’s wife!

Chapter Eighteen

Sadie went back to work on the Monday morning, eager to see
Nick again.

She knew that she had reacted badly to his little joke on the
previous day, and after they had enjoyed such a lovely weekend
together too.

He had sat there laughing at the idea that she could be his
wife, and Sadie realised that more than anything else that was
exactly what she wanted. Unfortunately she had been so taken aback
at the realisation that she had frozen for a minute, and Nick’s
laughter had sounded almost mocking to her ears.

She was not so sure about Nick’s affection, she realised. He
seemed to take pleasure in being with her, but there was never any
talk of a future together... maybe he thought that she was just too
damaged? Or she had too much baggage.

Or maybe any feelings that he might have, were just not as
strong as hers, that he was attracted to her was obvious, and she
thought that he liked her as well. But maybe the rest was more
about his feelings of guilt, for the way he had responded three
years ago, and for the way he had treated her since.

Sadie just did not know how Nick felt about her, and as she
marched into work, on that grey Monday morning, she felt determined
to find out.

She wanted to know where their relationship was heading – if
anywhere.

Unfortunately she suffered through the entire morning, unable
to come up with any sort of excuse to invade his office, and he did
not seem to want to come out of it at all.

“
Sadie does this purchase order need to be signed off by Mr
Hargreaves – do you think?” Marcy asked suddenly. “It's for that
jeweller's potential advertisement campaign, and it's for more than
three thousand pounds.”

Sadie looked up from the paperwork that she was reading
through, and frowned thoughtfully. “Well the general rule is any
single purchase over five thousand, needs his signature, but maybe
it's worth popping in and just checking with him – I think that
there has been some concern that Jason is in danger of running away
with himself on that particular client.”

Marcy nodded with a sigh as she pushed back her chair. “I was
supposed to be meeting my mum for lunch – she was at the hospital
this morning for a consult, and I'm already running
late!”

Sadie stood up as well. “You get yourself off then, and I will
sort this out for you.”

Marcy's face lit up with relief. “Oh would you! You really are
an angel!”

She handed the order over and turned to bundle on her coat,
and before Sadie could even say, “See you in a bit.” Marcy had
grabbed her bag and swept out of the room.

Sadie had been looking for an excuse all morning to go and
talk to Nick, but now that she had one, she hesitated.

She wanted Nick to know how she felt about him, and their
blossoming relationship, but she was not sure that this was the
time or the place for such a conversation. They had both agreed
that they would keep their private life out of the work place, and
here she was about to break that agreement.

“
Oh well,” she sighed. “I still need for him to look at
this.”

She knocked on his door and walked in, with the sheets held up
almost in defence of her invasion.

“
What can I do for you, Sadie?” he murmured vaguely as he
continued to read something on his computer screen.

“
We... Marcy and I thought that you might want to look at this
purchase order, before we send it down to the buyers
department.”

“
What is it?” he asked curiously as his gaze flickered over her
quickly.

She held it out to him, and waited while he read it
quickly.

He gave a little sigh as he placed it thoughtfully on his
desk. “Leave this with me for the moment please, Sadie, and could
you ask Jason to come and see me, as soon as he has a
moment.”

“
Yes, very well... of course...”

She stood uncertainly for a moment, and it seemed as though
Nick had already dismissed her, as he frowned when he realised she
was still standing there.

“
Was there something else, Sadie?”

She blushed uncomfortably. “I... just wanted to thank you
again for my weekend treat,” she said hesitantly, “And I really
hope that it did not inconvenience you too much?”

He looked at her sharply. “It was a treat for me too,” he said
guardedly. She was just so stiff and proper all of a sudden, just
the way that she had been when he had thought her to be someone –
not nice.

“
I wanted to do something nice for you after the way that I
treated you before, but I did enjoy it too.”

So he did feel guilty!

She smiled sadly. “Well thank you, and please don't worry
about me, anymore – I mean I am a big girl now, and can handle a
couple of cross words thrown at me.”

She turned as though to leave, but Nick’s hand on her shoulder
stopped her.

She hadn’t even seen him move!

“
I want to worry about you, Sadie,” he said as he gently turned
her around. “I don’t think that I can stop from worrying about
you.”

His hands cupped her face, as he stared into her
eyes.

“
But it is not your place to worry about me, I mean you are
only my boss, and...”

“
Your lover.”

“
Well yes that too, I suppose... but...”

“
And don’t forget that you are going to be introducing me to
your parents on Friday,” he smiled as he tried to lighten the
atmosphere.

Her eyes widened in surprise for a moment. “Well it is just
dinner with the family, you don’t have to make it more than it is,”
she blushed uncomfortably, as his eyes continued to lock on to
hers.

“
It is very important... to me.” his voice was warm and there
was meaning to everything that he said to her.

The conversation was taking a delightful turn, and she knew
that he was going to kiss her.

But then his telephone began to ring, and with a regretful
sigh, Nick turned to answer it.

“
Hello, yes... okay I will be down in a moment... ask him to
wait, will you?”

He turned back to Sadie and smiled a little smile. “I have to
see to this,” he told her shortly. “But could you get Jason to come
and see me in, say... an hour.”

They were back on business footing, and Sadie nodded. “Yes, of
course.”

She turned around and would have left the room, but once again
Nick was right behind her. “Have dinner with me tonight, and we can
finish our talk... I will pick you up at seven thirty... and wear
something pretty, please.”

She nodded as she looked up at him hopefully. “Will we be
eating out then?”

“
Yes, there is that new restaurant that opened up recently, and
we are going to be promoting them in the New Year.”

“
So it will be business then?” she could not keep the regret
out of her voice.

“
No this will be strictly personal... other than the fact that
I will be shamelessly pulling strings to get us booked in there at
such short notice!”

*

Sadie felt that she would have liked to leave work early – or
at the very least on time, and spent a leisurely amount of time
getting ready for her date with Nick.

She thought that if she worked hard for the next hour or so,
then she could pretty much clear her desk, leaving her free to
finish early without feeling guilty. She knew that anything that
might be sent down at the last minute, then Marcy would be able to
handle it.