She gazed at him with mingled distrust and confusion. “You…weren’t? Who were you talking about, then?”
“Keeley.”
“Keeley,” Natalie repeated.
He nodded. “When I told Jamie that Dominic had dumped you for his ex-wife, Keeley whatsit—”
“Oh, it’s just ‘Keeley’,” Natalie supplied. “No last name. Like Madonna. Or Posh.”
“—he was over the moon with excitement that I’d seen her at the party. According to Jamie, she’s the hottest pop singer in Britain. He’s had a crush on her since he was twelve.”
She regarded him with scepticism. “You must’ve lived in a cave for the last ten years if you’ve never heard of Keeley.”
He shrugged. “I left home at seventeen. I was working, going to school at night, so I didn’t keep up with that sort of thing. I didn’t have time.”
“So…you weren’t talking about me,” Natalie said in a small voice.
“No.” He shoved a hand through his hair. “I shouldn’t have said those things about Keeley, about anyone. But I was talking to my brother, bloke to bloke.” He eyed her accusingly. “And I didn’t know you were listening.”
“Is everything all right?” Natalie’s mother inquired suspiciously as she opened the door.
“Fine,” Natalie said quickly, and turned to her mother. “Mum, this is Rhys Gordon. We were just discussing…a problem.”
Rhys leaned forward and thrust out his hand. “It’s lovely to meet you, Lady Dashwood.”
“Mr. Gordon.” She took his hand in her best queenly manner and cast Natalie a keen glance. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“None of it good, I’m sure,” he said equably.
“Very little,” she agreed. “But I prefer to make up my own mind. I’m sorry I missed the board meeting. Please, come in. I’ve just made coffee.”
He shook his head. “Thank you, I can’t stay. I’m working tomorrow.”
“But tomorrow’s Saturday!” Natalie objected.
“Yes, and the offices are closed. But I’ve a lot to tackle and I get more done when no one’s there.” He gave Nat’s mum a warm smile. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Lady Dashwood.”
She smiled and toyed with the pearls at her throat. “Celia, please. I enjoyed meeting you as well, Mr. Gordon. I must say…you’re not at all what I expected.”
Natalie eyed her mother in amazement. If she didn’t know better, she’d almost think mum was flirting with Rhys.
“Can I give you a lift?” Rhys asked Natalie as he turned to leave.
“Thanks, I drove.” She grabbed her handbag and keys and turned to kiss her mother goodbye. “Goodnight, mum.”
“Goodnight, darling.”
As Lady Dashwood returned to the drawing room to gather up the cups and saucers, she heard a buzzing sound coming from the pantry. Mystified, she set the plates down and pushed open the pantry door. “What on earth—?”
Natalie’s mobile lay on a shelf, buzzing madly away.
“Oh, dear.” She snatched the phone up and hurried back to the front door, but Natalie and Rhys were gone.
She looked at the caller’s name. Rhys Gordon. Should she answer? She didn’t like to think of Natalie driving home at this hour without her mobile. Suppose her car broke down?
“Mr. Gordon? Yes, it’s Celia Dashwood. No, she left her mobile in the pantry.” She paused. “Would you mind? Silly of me, but it’s late, and she’s without it. Thank you so much. Yes, call and let me know she got home safely. Goodnight.”
“I can’t believe it.” Natalie thumped her fist on the steering wheel in frustration. Halfway home, the car just…stopped. She eased the Peugeot off the road, and stared at the gauges to assess the situation.
Oh. Crikey. She was out of petrol.
She groaned. The petrol gauge’s needle was in the red, pointed firmly at ‘empty’.
“My mobile,” Natalie muttered, and grabbed her purse. She’d call mum. Where is it? she wondered as she scrabbled through her handbag, I know it’s in here somewhere—
Suddenly she remembered. Rhys and his infuriating, persistent calls…she’d thrown her mobile on a shelf in the pantry. She closed her eyes. Bloody hell! Would this endless, endless day never end?
She couldn’t stay here. It wasn’t that late, and she was more than halfway home, but it was too far to walk. She eyed the dark street uneasily. There was a petrol station nearby, wasn’t there?
Natalie bit her lip. She’d lock up her car and walk. Even if the station was closed, they’d have a phone box, and she could ring mum to come and fetch her. She couldn’t stay here.
Resolutely, she got out and locked the door. She gripped her handbag and began to walk quickly down the street. She heard the echo of her high-heeled footsteps, and the distant swish of cars on the A4.
Somewhere behind her, growing closer, a motorcycle approached. She walked a bit faster. The low growl of the engine grew louder, and she glanced over her shoulder to see the motorbike slowing down, until it drew up alongside her.
Natalie looked back nervously but kept walking. She couldn’t see the rider’s face; a visored helmet obscured it.
Her legs turned to jelly. Should she run? Scream? Dial 999? No, scratch that, she couldn’t call for help – she didn’t have her bloody mobile. Stupid, stupid—
“Natalie?”
She came to a stop, her heart beating wildly. “Rh-Rhys?”
He lifted the visor. “I saw your car abandoned back there,” he said, concerned. “What happened?”
Relief washed over her. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m really glad to see you!” she said fervently. “I ran out of petrol… I didn’t have my mobile—”
“So I heard,” he said, his words grim. “Get on, I’ll take you home. You can tell me about it on the way.”
Sheepishly she took the helmet he held out. “This is getting to be a habit, you rescuing me. How did you know to come looking?”
“After I left, I rang to see that you got back safely. Imagine my surprise when your mum answered.” He glared at her. “She found your phone in the pantry.”
She dropped her gaze, embarrassed. “Well, I didn’t want to talk to you earlier, did I?” She knew what was coming next – the bloody lecture.
And the thing was, she reflected, this time she absolutely deserved it.
He opened his mouth to ask her what the hell she’d been thinking, putting herself in such danger, did she know what might have happened? But he caught sight of her face, pale and exhausted, and let out a short breath.
“Never mind. I’m just glad you’re all right. Now put on that helmet, and let’s get you home.”
The sound of the door buzzer echoed through the flat the next morning. Natalie lifted one side of her eye mask to see sunshine streaming in through her bedroom curtains.
“Coming,” she croaked as she