She sighed. ‘I guess.’
Nick had known that tonight wasn’t just about his sister giving him an update on his nephew’s cancer treatment. Despite going through a messy divorce, Mandy still believed in love and happy endings. And all too often she tried to fix him up with someone she thought would be his perfect date. Nick had stopped believing in love years ago, and he’d learned the hard way that you couldn’t be successful both in love and in your career. So after the break-up of his marriage he’d gone for the safe option and concentrated on his career.
No doubt this was another of Mandy’s friends who really needed a plus-one for a dinner party and he’d fit the bill perfectly. OK. He’d help out, but he’d make it clear that he wasn’t looking for a relationship. Nowadays he didn’t do anything deeper than casual dating.
Then his sister said something he really hadn’t expected. ‘The Friends of the Hospital are doing a calendar to raise funds for the ward.’
He didn’t need to ask which ward. The cancer ward. The one that had treated his nephew Xander for osteosarcoma. Well, he could do something to help there, too. ‘If they’re looking for a sponsor to cover production costs, count me in.’
Mandy reached across the table and squeezed his hand. ‘Aww, Nick. I knew you’d offer to help before I could ask you. But they already have a sponsor for printing costs.’
‘OK. What else do they need to cover? Distribution? Warehouse? Paying the photographer?’
‘Um—not that, either. The photographer’s doing it for nothing.’
‘Then what?’
She took a deep breath. ‘They want you to be one of the models.’
‘Me?’ He looked at her, totally shocked. He knew his sister had been under a lot of stress recently, but had she gone temporarily insane? ‘Why?’
Mandy raised her eyebrows. ‘Need I remind you that you actually got approached by a model agency when you were seventeen?’
‘And I didn’t take up their offer.’ He might have considered it, to fund his way through university; but a couple of weeks later their parents had split up and life had disintegrated into chaos. Nick had forgotten all about the modelling offer and retreated into his studies. Concentrating on his books was what had got him through all the upheaval of his parents’ divorce. Just as concentrating on his job had got him through the misery of his own divorce.
‘Seriously, Nick—will you do it? They’re looking for people who are connected with the ward.’
As Xander’s uncle, he definitely had that connection.
‘And they want people with interesting jobs.’
‘A barrister isn’t that exciting,’ he said.
‘Yes, it is. You look like a film star in your wig and gown.’
He rolled his eyes. ‘Mandy, I’m just an ordinary guy.’
‘Like hell you are. Apart from the fact that you’re my little brother, which would make you special in any case, can I remind you that you’re one of the youngest ever barristers appointed to being a QC?’
He grimaced. ‘Why would anyone be interested in that?’ About the only people who would even know what a QC was were people who had needed to brief one. Or maybe fans of certain types of TV crime drama.
‘And you’d be helping raise money for the ward. Money they really need for new equipment.’
That was an unbeatable argument, and they both knew it. How could he possibly say no? This was to help other kids who were in Xander’s position. And a little voice in his head added selfishly that maybe if he did it, then that would persuade Fate to give Xander a break and keep him in remission. And for that Nick would do almost anything.
‘Will you do it?’ she asked.
He closed his eyes briefly. ‘All right.’
She smiled. ‘Good. Thank you. I’ll give your phone number and email to them, then—I’ll do that now, if you don’t mind, because they’re waiting on my answer.’
‘OK.’ But Mandy was still hiding something, he was sure. ‘And the rest of it?’ he asked.
She blinked. ‘What do you mean?’
‘You’re holding something back.’
She shrugged and tapped a message into her phone.
‘Just save us both the time and tell me the rest of it, Mandy,’ he said, leaning back and eyeing her over his glass of water.
‘OK.’ She sat back in her own chair and looked at him straight. ‘Since you ask, you’re going to be naked.’
‘What?’ He’d just taken a sip of water and he nearly choked on it. Naked? He must’ve misheard. No way would his sister have done this to him.
‘You won’t be showing anything,’ she said.
‘Define naked,’ he said grimly.
‘In court. Wearing your wig and robe.’
He shook his head. ‘I’m afraid I can’t do that, Mandy. The Head of Chambers would never agree to it.’
‘Um, he already has.’
He blinked hard. Was he hearing things? Leo had already said yes? But—how? ‘You what?’
‘I talked to your clerk this morning,’ she said. ‘And he thinks it’s a great idea.’
Now Nick was beginning to understand all the knowing smiles that had greeted him all afternoon. The news must’ve gone round chambers in ten seconds flat—gossip that juicy would never be ignored. And they’d all known that he didn’t have a clue what was going on, making it even more fun for them.
‘So what exactly did Gary say?’ he asked, keeping his voice low and even and meanwhile planning how he was going to make his clerk grovel hugely in the morning.
‘He put me through to your Head of Chambers. Then I told Leo all about it and he said he thought it was really a good idea, too. And he’s getting clearance for us so you can do the shoot in the local court. He says he’ll cover any photographic permission costs at the court himself.’
‘Oh, good God.’ With his boss on side, there was no way Nick could get out of it. He covered his face with his hands. ‘Please tell me this is some weird, surreal dream. Please tell me it’s a nightmare and I’m going to wake up. Preferably right now.’
‘Nick, I’ve already told them you said yes,’ Mandy said plaintively.
‘That was before I knew I was going to be naked. This is a seriously bad idea, Mandy,’ he said softly. ‘I’m a senior barrister. I have to respect the dignity of the court. Which doesn’t mean posing naked—or near-naked—for a calendar shoot, no matter how noble the cause is.’
‘But Leo said it would be OK. And... Nick, we need you,’ Mandy pleaded. ‘And it’s not as if you’re the only one with a responsible job. One of the surgeons at the hospital is doing it.’
‘Which is publicity for his own place of work.’
‘And I think there’s an actor and a musician on their list. And a chef.’
‘All of whom would get a career boost from the publicity,’ he pointed out.
‘Please, Nick. For me. And for Xander.’
‘It doesn’t look as if I’ve got much choice,’ he said grimly. ‘But promise me you’ll never, ever pitch a stunt like this again.’
‘I promise. I’m sorry, Nick.’ She bit