“I’m glad it’s all working out for you, Rania” he said slowly. He sounded odd. Well, odd for him; he didn’t use his usual confident tone; he sounded sad and distant. She was probably reading too much into it. Maybe he was just grateful that she’d have something to occupy herself with when she got home so she wouldn’t be pestering him in the way she knew some girls did after a one-night stand. Or in their case, a one week stand.
“Yeah, me too. What are your plans when we land back in Blighty?” Striving to keep her tone as casual as possible, despite feeling her heart breaking in her chest.
“Get Theo back in school before he begins to think every day is a beach day,” he said with a laugh, the sound strained. “Other than that, a few meetings with production houses about some projects. Kirk’s got something in the pipeline. Trying to stay in the UK as long as possible this time so Theo has some stability.”
“Good plan. Though he does seem very happy here, too. He would be, what, the third generation Trenton in Hollywood?”
“Yeah, though I’d try and persuade him out of it.”
“Good luck with that. From the way he attacked the food cart at the studio, I’d say he’d be more than happy to stay just for the free food.” She looked across at her small charge as he seemed to have entered into a competition with his new friends to ride the biggest wave.
“Nothing comes for free.” His cold words made her heart dip in her chest. Was he talking about Hollywood or them? Or was he remembering the payment for taking care of Theo? But that was before. Before she’d fallen head over heels in love with him.
The warm water no longer held the same appeal for her and pushing herself off the board, turned to face him. “I’m determined to get some more color before the three days are up. I’ll see you two boys on the beach.” Even to her own ears, her voice sounded overly bright as she waded back to shore, not giving him a chance to ask for the board as she clutched on to it. It must have been all the swimming; her legs weren’t used to it. Why else would they be feeling so wobbly?
• • •
He watched her go, the gentle sway of her hips as she walked back onto dry land attracting more stares then just his. He knew her well enough to know she thought that one-piece was unappealing; that was why she wore it.
What she didn’t know was that with her curves and firm derriere, the last thing she looked was unappealing. A familiar ache took over when he thought about those curves. Especially those curves nestled between his sheets.
She’d sat down on the lounger, picking up her Kindle, completely oblivious to all the attention. He’d been surprised to how eager she was to get back to the UK, if her questions were anything to go by. The sharp kick in his gut reminded him that their time together wasn’t forever.
The irony of it all wasn’t lost on him. After he’d given her his card, he’d berated himself all the way back home for hiring a total stranger to look after his son. He hadn’t done any checks, not asked for any references. Just gone on gut instinct from what he’d seen of her with Theo. It had helped his decision that Theo didn’t seem to be able to stop talking about her all the way back. If his son was happy, then so was he.
From the time she first came to the studios, he could tell she wasn’t like the other nannies who refused to use the passes he constantly gave them. He smiled wryly as he remembered how she seemed so nervous; a natural beauty out of place among the made-up faces surrounding her. Despite being on one of the biggest studio lots in Hollywood, she kept herself to herself, not trying to opportunistically garner any attention from the big wigs around.
Of course, he hadn’t realized that her avoidance of anything Hollywood had to do with her mother and her selfish desire to be a part of the scene so badly she would sacrifice her only daughter. The anger was still raw in him, despite Rania having told him days ago.
He would never let anybody hurt her like that again, not while there was a breath left in his body. Exhaling so rapidly he felt giddy, it dawned on him, so quick and unexpected he felt like he’d been sucker-punched.
He loved her. The feeling was so new and strong, he was dumbfounded by it. He had known even before Lila had died that he was never really in love with her. Not in the way a husband should love his wife and he knew in his heart she felt the same. But with Rania, it was different. The feeling was so intense he could taste it. From the moment she stood up to him in her shop, turning on him with those large, golden expressive eyes as she lectured him about his parental responsibilities, then clucking over Theo like a mother hen, he knew. Knew in his heart, even before his head had caught up. That would at least explain the rage he felt toward Suarez. He’d been jealous. He hadn’t wanted to admit it at the time and if he were truthful, still didn’t want to admit it now. But she was his, damn it!
That night, on the sofa replayed like a slow movie through his mind. The way her lips felt beneath his, her sigh as he’d pulled away. He wanted to kick himself after he woke up to find her gone. The thought that she had any regrets feeling like a kick in the pants, until he heard her movements in the kitchen, and then all was right with the world.
Three days. That’s what she’d said. To be honest, he hadn’t even noticed the days tick by. He forgot there was such a thing as time when he was with her.
Apparently things weren’t the same for her. When the time came — and he knew it would — he would let go. In three days. He still had three days left and he was determined not to waste them.
• • •
Either something had happened at the beach or he’d gotten sun-stroke, Rania decided. She was sitting back against the sofa, watching him and Theo bash away at a game on the X-box controllers. Ever since getting back from the beach he’d been odd. Not crazy loony odd, just bizarre.
Like when she was making the popcorn and he’d come up behind her, dropping a kiss on her shoulder with Theo only in the next room. Or when she’d sat down and he’d sat next to her as Theo was getting the game ready and he held her hand, rubbing his fingers along her knuckles. She was grateful when Theo had pulled him in for a match. Grateful for the escape.
She knew they never actually discussed what they would say to Theo if the situation arose or even how they would act, considering that due to the machinations of Claudia the three of them hadn’t spent that much time together. But she thought it was understood that they wouldn’t get all touchy-feely; if only so they wouldn’t confuse Theo. Or each other.
Not to mention, what was he thinking? Did he want her to go insane and think this happy family picture was forever? Obviously, he didn’t know it was killing her to be this close to heaven and know it wasn’t going to last.
Chapter 10
The hard jolt at the landing of the plane woke her. Not that she’d really been asleep. Not with her mind constantly replaying the last few days. Her final days in LA hadn’t been the roaring success she’d hoped. No thanks to the interference of Claudia and Kirk who had insisted Theo stay over the night before they were due to fly home. She’d tried to persuade Theo to stay home with promises of video games and movies. Anything to avoid spending time alone with Nick, but clearly the appeal of hanging out with his friend was greater. That had left her and Nick all alone.
God knows she had tried to resist, but one look into those eyes and she was gone; through all the night and most of the day after. Claudia’s lame excuse for keeping Theo longer was that they forgot the time. Like she’d believed that. For an actress, Claudia was a very bad liar.
Stretching, she could feel every bone in her body ache. Economy on a transatlantic flight was not the way to travel in comfort, but it was the way she had to go. She swallowed back the lump in her throat as she remembered Theo’s tearful questions about why she wasn’t sitting in first class with them. She’d insisted he should sit with Nick on the way back, as father and son should.
Okay, so there had
been spare seats but what was the point? The quicker she separated this fantasy life from her real one, the better. After all, her little flat above the shop was hardly a palace. Why should she get used to living in comfort when it wasn’t going to happen again. She didn’t belong in Nick’s world, any more than he belonged in hers. And not even finding out her long lost father was a retired Oscar-winning director was going to change that. She was still her, Rania George, owner of Belle’s Sweets and she was, if not happy, then at peace with herself.
On the last night, he’d asked how she felt about being with them for longer and she’d felt her heart soar with hope. Then he added that Theo thought she was the best nanny in the world and what did she think about being his nanny for a longer period of time.
Not to stay and be with him; but to be there as the nanny. And then what, she wanted to ask him. Continue sleeping together, with her like a fool, falling more and more in love until one day Theo was grown up and he wouldn’t need a nanny anymore and then Nick could find someone from his own world?
No, thank you; she wasn’t that crazy. So she’d come up with the idea of sitting in economy class. Saying goodbye to both of them at the Gate had been the hardest moment of her life, holding a tearful Theo as she comforted him with promises that, of course, she’d see him again. He knew where her shop was so he could pop in anytime. He calmed down after that, secured by Nick’s reassurances that he’d tell someone called Mrs. Stowe to take Theo to the sweet shop as much as he wanted.
Her stomach pitched as she remembered her goodbye to Nick. She’d wanted to run into his arms and stay there for as long as he would have her. Her rational side kicked in, forcing her to stick her hand out, her insides burning as he took it, his eyes cold, his hand firm as he shook it once, dropping it almost immediately. She’d held back the tears as she boarded the plane on wobbly legs, holding on tightly to the railing for support. Finally, she broke down in her seat, muffling her cries in fear that Nick or Theo would hear her.
She thought she had been doing a good job of hiding her anguish by turning her face toward the window. Clearly not, as the guy next to her offered her a tissue and his wife offering to buy her a vodka to help her relax. Grateful, she took them up on both suggestions, and she’d fallen into a fitful sleep.
Hoping that at least with them in first class and her secure in Economy, they would get off first so she could avoid seeing them, she stood up and collected her things. Eyes straight in front and avoiding looking left and right, she practically flew to the luggage conveyor belt, grabbing her bag and heading through customs. She could have cried with relief when she saw Tanya’s fiery red hair standing out in the crowd. At five feet ten, her friend was on the tall side for a woman and the extra-large hoodie and baggy jeans did nothing to hide her thin, boyish frame.
“What did you do, Nia, sprint through customs?” Her friend’s smile faded as concern widened her green eyes. “Oh my God. What happened?” She pulled her case from her friend and wrapped an arm around her shoulders as she led her to the car.
• • •
The journey back had been hell. Theo had either been absorbed in his game or studiously ignoring him. He’d wanted to shout that it wasn’t his fault; she didn’t want to stay. He’d even asked her to stay, but she’d said no. Short of strapping her to him, as much merit as that idea had, he couldn’t.
Maybe it would have been better if he’d never asked her to come to LA at all. Jeez, she even shook his hand at the airport, as if they were strangers who had just met. Like the night before — or even earlier that day — had never happened.
Anger rose through him. Fine; if that was how she was going to be. He was very tempted to let her know that he was the one who had forced Lee Harrow into making good on his chocolate delivery. Then she’d be grateful and … what … want to stay? He had a bitter taste in his mouth at the thought. If she didn’t want to stay, then he wasn’t going to force or coerce her.
Nudging Theo awake, he pulled his son’s beaten up rucksack onto his shoulder and held his hand while leading him off the plane. The slow conveyor belt annoyed him further, the low drone of its movements making him want to jump onto it and look for his bag himself. His heart leaped as he thought he saw Rania. The dark hair, red sweater, and blue jeans combo made his heart leap, only to crash back down to earth as the woman turned around and it wasn’t her.
The journey in the once-comfortable limo was too bumpy. The leather too sticky. Everything was just too … blah. Chastising himself for his sudden limited vocabulary and wishing he had Theo’s ability to sleep anywhere, he flicked through his emails.
Switching his phone off, he rested his head back, letting the sights of London wash over him as the gray buildings finally faded, to be replaced by green fields and little village shops. His gut clenched as he spied the sweet shop and he turned his face away, eyes resting on the sleeping form of his son. There was no point thinking about that any more. He’d asked and she said no. That was it, he told himself sternly, ignoring the way his heart dipped in response to the final decision.
Traffic was light and they whizzed through the village toward his house. Backing carefully out of the car, he gently lifted Theo into the house, negotiating the stairs with cautious steps and plopping him in bed. Bed. That might be a good idea for him too, though he seriously doubted he’d be any good at sleeping.
• • •
“Nia, please. I beg you. Go back to bed!”
Rania looked up from the order booklet as Tanya swept in, hair sticking out in every direction after her fight with the early March weather.
“It’s 9:30 in the morning. How can I go back to bed? I’ve got things to do,” she managed to croak out. Damn this wet weather and her cold. She refused to compare this to the sunny shores of LA. She refused even to think about that place anymore.
“Yes, but this time go to bed and actually sleep. Your Dad’s coming here tomorrow. Do you really want him to see you like this?” her friend asked, moving around the counter to take the book away from her. “I’ll look after all this. Did you call Becca to help you?” And seeing her nod, continued, “Good, so between us you’ve got no excuse to not rest. We’ll tidy up and everything.”
“But what about your work, Tan?” She reached for yet another tissue as she blew her nose.
“Being a part time film reviewer is just that; part-time. Just think of it as me taking on extra hours here, and … ” she said, putting her hand up just as Rania opened her mouth to argue. “You won’t have to pay me extra.”
Swallowing back the tears at her friend’s kindness, she turned to grab the rest of the order forms to hand over.
“I forgot to mention, Theo came by again yesterday looking for you.” Rania’s hands stilled at her friend’s words. She turned to find Tanya had stopped any pretense of ordering and was now staring at her. “You can’t hide forever, Nia. You loved that little boy, I know you did and it’s not fair to him what you’re doing.”
Nodding, she felt the tears slide down her cheeks. “I know Tan but it’s easier this way. There’s no point in him getting attached to me. When Nick remarries, what then? I don’t know many women who like the idea of the old nanny hanging around. Especially when said nanny used to sleep with her husband,” She grabbed yet another wad of tissues and began wiping at her face.
“Yes I know, but what makes you think he’d ever get remarried? From what you told me, he seems crazy about you. He found your father, for heaven’s sake. What does that tell you?” At Rania’s tearful shrug, she continued, “And I wasn’t going to tell you this, especially after you came back swearing how much you hated him but I will. I heard from Tim, the order rep from Fox’s that Mr. Lee Harrow himself signed off on our order after receiving a very curt phone call from an LA number. Now, unless that was you, I seriously think you’ve misjudged this guy.” Tania finally stopped, her face red from her h
eated monologue.
Pulling over the chair behind her, Rania sat down hard. Maybe it was the shock of the news, or just the effects of her cold, but suddenly she couldn’t stand up. She’d suspected it was him, not knowing why he’d do something like that. Why hadn’t he said something to her? The questions going around and around her brain made her dizzy.
“I have to go to bed. Thank you so much for doing this, Tan. I owe you,” Rania hugged her friend and turned to make her way up the stairs.
“By the way, this came for you,” her friend said, pulling an envelope out of her bag and pushing it toward her. Reaching for it, her hand shook as she recognized the embossed black font. Ripping it open, she found herself staring back at a check. A very large check with her name on it from one Mr. N. Trenton.
Tanya’s low whistle behind her jerked her out of her reverie. Sliding her hands to the side of the check, she ripped it into pieces. Just when she thought it couldn’t get any worse.
“Want me to get rid of that for you?”
Shaking her head at her friend’s softly whispered question, she felt a comforting rub on her shoulders as she made her way back up the stairs, the ripped check scrunched up in a tight fist.
Slipping between the comforting cotton sheets, she lay back after letting the scrunched up ball of paper roll over the sheets. Thoughts of Nick made her bite down hard on her lower lip at the onslaught of fresh tears. She was done crying over that man.
Picking up her phone, she opened up her emails, smiling at one from Claudia. She had to respect that woman’s ingenuity. Almost immediately after arriving back, she’d received a phone call from a man, asking if this was Rania George’s residence. Within seconds of saying yes, she could hear a familiar southern drawl in the background demanding the phone, followed by Claudia screeching at her over the phone line, chastising her for running away without leaving a contact number.
Sexy in the City Page 124