Stanton Adore (35 page)

He smiles back. “Hello.” Oh he’s English………I do love an English accent.

I look around the room. “Nearly finished the work?” I ask.

He shrugs. “Yeah I suppose, just a patch up job really. Not as urgent as I was told, god knows why it was a priority job.” Hmm that’s interesting.

“Why was it priority?” I ask. This guy might just be dumb enough to tell me.

He shrugs. “Don’t know, my boss got a call from Australia saying this room had to be remodelled in three days and he is paying my boss, like five times the quoted price.”

I nod and act uninterested. “When did your boss get the call?”

He shrugs. “Don’t know, last Wednesday night I think.” Hmm that’s about the time Josh and I sorted our shit out and made arrangements to come here.

“So you have nearly finished the work?” I question, he smiles and nods.

“Yeah we just had to patch the ceiling and carpet and repaint the room.” My eyes flick to the patched wet paint on the ceiling.

“What was on the ceiling?” I ask innocently.

“Don’t know it had all been removed by the time we got here, but there was some pretty massive holes where some big screws had been taken out,” he points to where the screws were. “And we patched the carpet in the same spot,” I nod as my mind races.

“You’ve done a good job on the paint,” I smile.

“Yeah all five frigging coats of it.”

My eyes widen. “Five coats…… why five coats?”

He frowns as if I’m stupid. “Black walls are hard to cover with white paint.”

I frown again not understanding why this room would have been painted black.

“Can I help you?” Joshua snaps as he enters the room, his eyes scan down my body in a towel and I instantly feel uncomfortable. He throws me a dirty look and I shrivel under his glare. “I’m paying you to work, not chat up my girlfriend!”

“Joshua,” I stammer. My god how embarrassing, this poor guy was just returning my questions, not chatting me up.

“Um sorry Mr Stanton,” blond guy stammers in shock. Joshua glares at me again.

“I will see you out,” he gestures toward the door and poor blonde guy walks out with his tail between his legs. I stand with my hands on my hips as I sum up the situation. So there was something on the ceiling. I walk over to the wall and notice four large indents on the carpet in a huge square. What leaves a mark like that on carpet? And then it hits me. This is bad, really bad. The only thing I know of that leaves a mark like that is a massive bed. I walk over to the scrap pile of carpet and pick up the piece that has been cut out, a hole has been cut with two screw holes either side of it. What screws to the roof and the floor? Think damn it think. Oh my fuck. A pole, the kind that strippers use and I know what’s been removed from the ceiling………… Mirrors.

This is Joshua’s fuck pad.

Chapter 29

Joshua storms back
in to the room, “Why the fuck are you in a towel?” he growls. How do I explain this?

“I was walking past and I thought that the workers had left for the day and I came in for a sticky beak.” He glares at me.

“Joshua what was in this room?”

His face drops and he pulls me by the hand out of the door, “I’m hungry we are going out for dinner, go and get some fucking clothes on,” he growls. “If you want Cameron to live with us, not to mention my fucking staff you will god damn wear more clothes around here.”

“I asked you a question………answer it!” I repeat as I pull my hand out of his clasp.

He scratches his head in frustration. “Don’t ask questions that you don’t want to know the answer to Natasha,” he snaps.

“This was your fuck pad wasn’t it?”

He stills and turns to look at me. “It is in the past, it doesn’t matter what this room was for. I never professed to be an angel Tash,” he says in monotone.

I glare at him and fold my arms. “Just how many girls have you slept with Joshua?” I ask in a sarcastic voice.

He swallows and looks uncomfortable. “Don’t start your shit Natasha! I’m not going there, I’ve told you before,” he yells.

I storm down the hall in front of him and I turn and point my finger in his face.

“You………… asshole are taking me house shopping tomorrow. There is no way in hell I’m living here.” I turn and stomp off and I hear him yell after me.

“Like I said……… you raving bitch. And put some fucking clothes on.”

Four hours later we are on our way home from dinner, our fight long forgotten when his phone rings in the car. He presses a button on the steering wheel to answer it.

“Stanton,” he says void of emotion.

A woman’s English accent sings through the speaker. “Darling your back………I’ve missed you.” Joshua immediately picks up the phone so I can’t hear what is said.
Bastard
. I sit still as I watch him squirm, it’s obviously Amelie on the other end of the line. She’s missed him………what in the hell is that supposed to mean.

“Hi Am,” he smiles. Am now is it? Give me a break, I want to puke. His eyes flick nervously to me. “Yes I’m back, I bought Tash home to pick out a new house………… no we have to go back for two more weeks,” he replies. Hmm so she knows about me. I frown as I sum up the situation, he isn’t acting guilty………… is this all in my head? He laughs out loud, “Yeah probably” he answers. Hmm how annoying, he’s laughing and carefree with her. I’m green with envy. “No I’m glad you rang I was going to call you tomorrow.”
I bet you were asshole
. I sit still, nearly craning my neck as I watch him. He’s happy to hear from her, in fact he’s acting like he missed her. Stop it Natasha you jealous psycho, you haven’t even met her, I rub my eyes in frustration. He frowns as he listens to her. “Yes, and then what happened after you gave her the antibiotics?” He nods, “Yes,” he answers and then listens again. “I will come down tomorrow to check it out.” His eyes flick to me and I give him a deadpan look. “I will bring Natasha to meet you.” He smiles, “Yeah me too.” She just told him she can’t wait to see him………… I just know it. “I’ll see you tomorrow Am, bye.” The tone in his voice is the same tone he uses with me………… gentle, cajoling and I have never heard him use it with anyone else. Ok I can handle this two ways, either do what I want to do and scream and demand he sack her and look like a neurotic jealous girlfriend that I am or I can play it cool and pretend I am not threatened at all by an English Veterinarian who has spent every weekend with my boyfriend for the last five years. Who he obviously has feelings for and has feelings for him. I hate her already but I pretend to know nothing. He smiles me a megawatt smile and does wide eyes at me.

“Looks like we are headed to Willowvale tomorrow.”

I frown. “Willowvale what’s that?” I ask.

He rubs his hand up my leg. “My favourite place on this Earth, my horse stud” he gives me a broad grin.

“On Earth,” I repeat. “That’s a big call” I remark.

He nods. “I hope we can live there one day, that’s the plan anyway,” I frown. I thought he was going to move back to Australia with me one day. Is that the plan………to move me here and never take me home? Am I really going to leave Australia and my friends forever if I move here? A sinking feeling of dread starts to form in my stomach. Black brothel rooms, asshole best friends who take cocaine, horses that come with Vets from hell, no more Oscars with Abbie and Bridget, no more Sydney, no more me. I look out the window as I fall deep into thought. This move is going to be harder than I ever imagined. My eyes flick back to Joshua who is oblivious to my thoughts, he is chewing his thumbnail, his eyes on the road in front.………don’t hurt me Josh, I won’t be able to handle it. I am literally giving up everything in my life to be with you.

“This is it,” he smiles. We are driving up a sweeping road with sandstone block fences. The driveway to Willowvale. The road is lined with massive old beautiful trees on either side. Joshua is as excited as I have seen him.

“Over there are the stables for the thoroughbreds,” he points and smiles. “And this here are the stable hand quarters.”

I frown. “That is the help’s house?” I ask in shock.

He nods and smiles again. “Josh they are bigger than most houses and made of sandstone.”

He smiles and nods. “I know, awesome huh?” Hmm I hate to admit it, but this place is pretty damn heavenly, green rolling hills, huge sandstone buildings and fences. Adrian’s comment when we were leaving of packing my glass slippers has only heightened my nerves. He obviously thinks Amelie is a threat if he’s giving me Cinderella jokes. I’m nervous, why am I so nervous? We turn the corner and my mouth drops. There on the hill is a castle………… I’m not even joking……… a huge sandstone house, a castle size house. It looks like Mr frigging Darcy’s house from Pride and Prejudice. Holy crap, I am definitely out of my league here. My heart starts to thump in an uneven beat. We pull the car up and a man comes out and shakes Joshua’s hand. He smiles and nods at me.

“She’s in the stables Josh.” Josh’s eyes flick to me nervously and I smile innocently. Josh’s first question when he pulls up is obviously, where’s Amelie? He grabs my hand and leads me inside blissfully unaware of my inner turmoil. He leads me around the castle, I mean house. It’s breathtaking, he’s right I do love it. He leads me up the stairs and along a wide corridor to a bedroom where he puts our cases on the end ottoman.

“This is my room, I mean our room,” he gestures around the room and I nod and smile. “There are ten bedrooms in all,” he continues.

“Is this the master suite?” I ask.

He frowns. “Um no……Am………I mean Amelie has the main bedroom, you know since she is here all the time.” I nod again, he’s talking too fast, too panicky. Yep, he’s just as nervous having me here as I am being here. We walk back down stairs and Josh shows me around the frigging King Henry The Eighth castle, it’s a wonder it doesn’t have a damn moat. My mind is everywhere but on his tour guide skills.

“Come on, we will go up to the stables,” he gestures to the back of the house. I nod and follow him out the door to where he gets into a huge Range Rover utility that is waiting at the back door. I will never get used to having this kind of money, it’s just so………ridiculous. Who has spare new cars sitting on farms? We sit in silence as we drive on the dirt roads over another set of hills. I have never felt like such a fish out of water. Horses and I have a hate, hate relationship. I hate them and they hate me. We pull over another hill and I am shocked, my jaw literally hits the floor. Rows and rows of stables and I can see at least ten workers around doing different things. The car pulls up and they all come straight over to us. It’s remarkable how different Joshua treats his staff out here, as if they are all his friends……maybe they are. I am being introduced to all of them one by one when I see her, my heart drops. A beautiful natural blonde comes out of one of the stables wearing navy jodhpurs and a pink check shirt and riding boots.
Oh my god
, she looks like frigging Grace Kelly………… I’m so screwed. And she looks good in jodhpurs. Nobody looks good in jodhpurs. If I put a pair on I would evacuate this whole establishment, everybody would run for the hills. I can’t compete with this shit. Her hands are dirty and her hair is in a low loose bun. She has no makeup on and her skin is flawless……damn those English girls and their perfect skin. She is naturally stunning. Her eyes light up when she sees Joshua and she laughs out loud and runs over and cuddles him. He returns her cuddle and then seems to remember that I am here and pulls back.

“This is Natasha,” he says nervously to her.

She gives me a warm smile. “Lovely to meet you Natasha.” Oh god her accent is lovely. Another nail in my fucking coffin.

“Hello,” I stammer. Witty……… good one Natasha, you horse hating freak.

“I would shake your hand but I’m terribly dirty, I’m sorry” she smiles. Jeez, she’s nice too
how annoying
.

“Ok, what’s the verdict?” Joshua asks. She starts talking horse jargon and they walk together deep in conversation toward the stable. I stand still on the spot unsure if I am meant to be going with them or not.

Joshua turns to me. “This way baby,” he holds his hand out for me. I nod and give him a weak smile and follow him, he puts his arm around me and kisses my temple as we walk. Ok now I’m confused, he’s not acting like I think he will, maybe this is all in my head. She smiles another warm smile at me, totally unaffected by my presence.

“Sit up here Presh,” he lifts me so I am sitting up on some high gates away from the horses and I give him a thankful smile. He remembered I’m scared of horses. Why in the hell didn’t I do riding lessons when I was a kid? There is a horse on the ground lying down and they both kneel next to it.

“So she had a temperature for the last couple of days and I thought she had an infection or something so I put her on antibiotics, but then when I came to check on her through the night she was down and couldn’t get up.”

Joshua frowns and pats her.

“Shh, Shh” he says to the horse in a calming voice. I sit detached from the situation. It is blatantly obvious how passionate Joshua is about this farm and his horses. I sit and watch them in silence for an hour deep in discussion and seemingly innocent and finally my legs are asleep and I go to jump down.

Josh jumps up. “You ok babe, do you want me to take you back to the house?” he asks. Amelie is writing in a notebook and googling something on her Ipad.

“No it’s ok, I can get someone else to take me back if you want,” I smile.

He shakes his head. “No I will take you back, I want to spend some time with you.”

I smile and nod, ok I think this is totally in my head, he wouldn’t say that in front of her if he had feelings for her.

“Am why don’t you come home, we can come back together later?” he whispers. Hmm, I’m not sure if I like the sound of that.

She smiles. “No thanks I will stay here, just get someone to bring me some dinner later tonight. I will call you if there is a change.”

He smiles as he stands and puts his hand on her shoulder. “Thanks,” he smiles.

“Bye darling,” she says. Josh bites his lip as he realizes the slip of her tongue and his eyes flick to mine. I instantly look down………… don’t be the jealous girlfriend………… don’t be the jealous girlfriend. It’s really hard not to be, when I so obviously am. He grabs my hand and we walk back to the car and head back to the house. We ride in silence.

“You’re very quiet Presh, you ok?” I nod. Don’t say it………don’t say it. It’s like a volcano that is poisoning me and I blurt out the words.

“Josh why aren’t you with Amelie?” He puts his hand on my leg and sighs, he knew this question was coming.

“Because I’m in love with you.”

“Have you ever been with her?” I ask.

He frowns and shakes his head. “Amelie is not the kind of girl you be with Tash, she’s like you. It’s all or nothing.” I bite my lip and look down. Not the answer I was looking for.

“So why has it been nothing then?” I ask. He shrugs his shoulders. “Because I have never let myself……let it go there because I was still in love with you, and it wouldn’t be fair to her.” I nod………fair to her……not that he’s not attracted to her.

“So if we were over………you would probably be with her.”

He gives me a sad smile and squeezes my leg. “Don’t do this to yourself. I am with you and I am staying with you and we are planning a future together and Am knows that, she’s fine with it.” Oh my god…she’s fine with it.

“Does that mean that she has feelings for you?” I ask.

He shrugs. “She would if I were single,” he sighs. “Can we not talk about this please, Amelie is a dear friend that has been with me for a long time when I have been very lonely. She doesn’t have a deceitful bone in her body and she will respect our relationship. I have spoken about you for years to her and she knows what you mean to me. She wants me to be happy Tash.” I smile and nod and internally swear to myself I will never bring this up to him again. He is under her spell and in all things in Joshua’s world I have been wary of.

I know I have just met my only competition.

Joshua’s phone goes off at two in the morning and he jumps out of bed.

“Hi,’ he answers and then he listens. “I’ll be right there,” he hangs up. He starts to pull on his clothes. “Freya is really sick baby, and I’m going to help Am. Go back to sleep I might be all night.”

“Ok,” I whisper sleepily. He bends down and kisses me.

“Love you, Max is here in the room next door so you are not alone,” he whispers and then he is gone.

I wake with a start, I’m still alone. Joshua didn’t come home, he must be still at the stables with Amelie and the horse. My stomach sinks, what have they been doing all night? Stop it you idiot. Without trust you have nothing, the words I have preached to clients for years are coming back to haunt me with a vengeance. Why has he been gone so long? I am determined not to go to him so I make myself some breakfast and sit on the steps in the sun with a coffee. Three hours later at ten o’clock still no word from Joshua. I’m starting to become unsettled. A girl rides up on a horse and I hear her tell one of the other workers.