Salvation (27 page)

“
God, his voice oozes sex.
”
Mai shifted to the edge of her seat, wanting to get closer so she wouldn’t miss anything. The volume was already loud enough Vicki next door could probably hear word for word. I nodded in agreement but didn’t take my eyes off the screen, dreading what was coming next.

“One last question,”
the reporter asked with a flutter of her eyelashes,
“can you address the rumours that there’s a special lady in your life right now?”
It would’ve gone undetected by the innocent observer, but Nate
’
s usual controlled composure faltered. His head flicked down, skin slightly flushing as he laughed awkwardly, hands tucked into his pockets.

I waited with bated breath for his reply. Then it came.
“
Yes, there is.
”

Fuck.

“
Holy shit!
”
Mai squealed, leaping to her feet, almost sending her wine flying across the room.

Nate tried extricating himself away from the reporter, but she called after him.
“Is she here tonight?”

Everything was so surreal as I balanced on the edge of the sofa, dreading his response. Nate laughed and diplomatically answered,
“
Tonight is about Acacia. Have a great evening.
”
Then he was gone, lost in a blur of flashbulbs.

“
Kara!
”
Mai dropped beside me.
“
He
’
s just told millions of people he
’
s seeing you!
”

“
Thank God he didn’t mention me by name.
”
I was so stunned I had no regard for the mask cracking over my face as I spoke. Nate had been put on the spot, caught off-guard. I wondered if, in hindsight, the private man had regretted his admission.

“
Not yet,
”
Mai noted,
“
but it
’
s only a matter of time before someone finds out.
”

She was right. Nate must know the attention on him, on us, would increase thanks to that tiny tidbit of information.

“
Definitely in it for the long haul, K.
”
Mai drained her glass and refilled it before going to the bathroom.

Nate wanted us to be a couple. Properly. Unless I changed, I was in danger of making my biggest fear
—
the demise of our relationship
—
a reality. I picked up my mobile and sent him a text:
I’M THINKING ABOUT U

His reply, two minutes later:
I NEVER STOP THINKING ABOUT U X

WHAT U BEEN THINKING ABOUT?
I sent back, curling my legs beneath me.

U REALLY HAVE TO ASK?

SURE I CAN GUESS ;-)
I followed up, touching my face as the mask cracked further with my smile.

“
Do you have to do sexting while I
’
m here?
”
Mai whined, disgruntled as she settled down beside me again.

My phone vibrated:
SURE U CAN…

I took a careful swig of wine when Mai handed me my untouched glass, wanting me to join in the drowning of her sorrows.

HOPE UR READY 4 TOMORROW
came Nate
’
s quick follow-up.

A flush of anticipation rushed through me. I reasoned dinner with family might not be the most appropriate setting for Nate to have this flirty exchange of texts, and sent him a final one:
ABSOLUTELY. ENJOY UR DINNER X

“
There,
”
I said to Mai, setting my phone on the table,
“
no more sexting. You have my undivided attention. Just let me wash this crap off my face.
”

“
Thank you. I need some TLC.
”

As I walked to my bedroom, my phone vibrated again. Mai dived for it.
“
I will now,
”
she read aloud from the locked screen.
“
What the fuck
’
s that supposed to mean?
”

“
Nothing,
”
I called back, mentally noting a change in my phone privacy settings was in order. The last of my face-mask cracked under the pressure of my enormous grin.

THE next morning, I
’
d just sent ten copies of a thirty-page regulatory report to the printer in my office, and was busy reading my electronic version when I heard the ping of an incoming email. I switched programs and was surprised to see Nate
’
s name in my inbox:

Thought you might like to see these. #12 is my personal favorite. Can
’
t wait to see you tonight. Nate x

I clicked on the attached link and was taken to a webpage full of photographs from the Acacia event. My breath caught when I found picture twelve. It was Nate and me.

He looked incredibly handsome, and I looked
…
actually not that bad. The picture itself was harmless, but the obvious level of familiarity between us shook me. Nate
’
s hand rested lightly on my hip, the other wrapped possessively around my shoulders. My whole body was nestled against him, one hand pressed intimately against his chest. Both of us wore contented smiles, whilst our eyes met in a mutual show of affection.

“
Whatcha looking at?
”
Mai strolled into the office. This morning, she
’
d breezed out of her bedroom wearing a pretty floral dress and black pumps. It was casual dress day, but Mai never adhered to rules.

“
These.
”
I angled the screen so she could see.

“
Ooh, lemme see,
”
she said, rounding the desk for a closer inspection.
“
Am I in any?
”

“
Not sure. I
’
ll send you the link. I
’
ve only just received it.
”

Mai swatted my hand away and took over the mouse control, so I pushed my chair out to give her more space. She flicked through the thumbnails and enlarged the one I
’
d been scrutinising. She blew out a breath and peered at me over her shoulder.
“
Now
that
is the look of love.
”

“
Rubbish,
”
I snorted, chancing another peek at the picture and feeling a warm satisfaction.

“
Look at the way he
’
s smiling at you,
”
she cooed.

Nate
’
s smile, no matter how dazzling, how charming, was infinitely more beautiful when it reached his eyes. The way it did when he smiled at me. The way it had in the photo filling my computer screen. No other photos showed the glorious smile that made my heart leap each time I saw it. Mai twisted, perching on the edge of the desk, a smug grin on her face.

“
Don
’
t you have work to do?
”
I rolled my chair back in and tugged some papers from beneath her bottom.

“
No,
”
she said playfully, swinging her legs as she slid a drawer open and started rummaging inside.

“
Make yourself useful then.
”
I stood, shoving the drawer shut, and collected the pages from the printer.
“
Michael wants everyone to have paper copies of this report.
”
I set them on the desk, indicating for her to sit in the chair opposite.

Keen to hang in my office, Mai sat without argument and caught the green highlighter pen I tossed her as I sat back down.

“
He
’
s such a dinosaur. Paperless is the way forward.
”
Begrudgingly, she began marking off recipients names.

“
He
’
s old school. Likes to have a physical copy in his hands.
”
I passed over the packet of Lifesavers she
’
d been searching for in my draw
—
a favourite afternoon pickup when we needed a sugar rush. Or when Mai needed to comfort eat.
“
Heard from Mitchell yet?
”

“
He called earlier to grovel,
”
she said, eyes down.
“
He
’
s picking me up from the bar later, I
’
ll go to work with him for a while. We can chat before he gets crazy busy.
”

“
I
’
m not coming for a drink tonight.
”

Mai peered up, frowning.
“
Why?
”

“
I haven
’
t seen Nate since Wednesday, and we weren’t really together then. We have a date tonight.
”

Mai
’
s displeasure vanished, her expression brightening.
“
From what I could see, you were
very
together. You should’ve sent him to the canap
é
s if he was that hungry. They were delicious.
”

I shot her a glare.
“
What did you see?
”

“
Nothing
”—
her mouth twisted wryly
—“
except a
very
hot couple having a steamy make-out session in the hallway.
”

Unease settled over me like a blanket. I stared with wide-eyed panic at the photographic reminder of our night out.
“
Shit!
”

“
Don
’
t worry, no-one else saw. I took a wrong turn to the bathroom, that
’
s all.
”

I appreciated Mai
’
s attempt to reassure me, but the reality was, he
’
d taken a huge risk that night. Thank God I
’
d retained some semblance of sense and stopped him before it got out of hand.

BY the time five came around, I
’
d had enough for the day and was ready to leave. Nate wasn’t able to finish for another hour, so after arranging for him to call me when he was on his way, I joined the girls at the bar.

We got the last table outside on the busy patio and were steadily working our way through two bottles of wine. My mobile was on the table next to my glass so I didn’t miss Nate
’
s call. It was a little after six so I was expecting it to ring anytime now.

“
What
’
s with the dress, Kara?
”
Robyn asked.
“
You never wear them, especially on Fridays. Those unreal limbs are usually clad in denim.
”

I fussed self-consciously with my cappuccino jersey wrap dress.
“
I
’
ve got a date.
”

Her brown eyes widened.
“
With the sizzler?
”

Jenna and Mai returned from the bathroom with perfect timing.
“
Oh my God!
”
Jenna gushed, hands flailing by her side. She took her seat next to Robyn.
“
You
’
ll never guess who just walked in, sending a million panties crashing to the floor?
”

I remembered why these three got on so well, they all had such a way with words.

“
Only your hot ass of a boss!
”
she screeched before either of us could hazard a guess.

Robyn sprung to attention.
“
Not Blake?
”

My eyes swung to Mai as she took her seat. Her excitement confirmed Robyn
’
s guess as accurate. I pulled the drape of my dress across my chest, feeling my heart pounding wildly. This wasn’t exactly what I had in mind when I agreed to meet him at the bar.

Nodding her confirmation, Jenna continued,
“
He
’
s looking
so
good tonight, ladies.
”

Robyn grabbed her bag and hid behind it, trying discreetly to put on some lipstick. Jenna fussed with her already immaculate hair. I checked my phone. There were no missed calls or texts. Nate wasn’t coming in because he
’
d been unable to reach me.

This was intentional.

“
Bet your guy doesn’t meet Nate Blake standards,
”
Robyn observed, puckering her lips to check her work.

“
Hell, no,
”
Jenna interrupted, giving herself another once over.
“
Blake is in a league of his own.
”

“
Not gonna be a secret much longer,
”
Mai sang as she leant over, delighting in her full force meddling mode.

“
It
’
s not funny,
”
I hissed. I scanned the area, hoping to head him off before he reached us.