by Jill Mansell
So it’s just me, thought Millie with a huff of resignation, because the pay might not be that great, but she did actually love being a gorilla. Everyone else is going to be just fine, thanks very much. I’m the only one actually being kicked on to the unemployment scrap heap. Unless Lucas takes pity on me and offers me some grisly part-time work scrubbing out the restaurant loos or hoiking slimy old potato peelings out of the plughole in the kitchen sink—
‘Ha! Your face!’ said Lucas. ‘You should see yourself.’
I am seeing myself, Millie thought glumly. That’s the problem.
Feeling cross, she said, ‘I’m just wondering how you can possibly have thought bringing me here and telling me this would be something I might like.’
‘Millie, calm down. The kissograms are doing well. I’m just not going to have the time to be involved any more. It occurred to me that you might like to take over the running of the business.’
Millie boggled at him.
‘Me?’
‘You.’ Lucas smiled briefly. ‘And there’s no need to look so stunned. It’s hardly MI-6.’
Her eyes narrowed. ‘Is this a joke?’
‘No joke. It would still be Kemp’s, of course, but you’d be in charge.’ He waited. ‘Well? What do you think?’
Duh?
‘I think it’s the most fantastic idea you’ve ever had,’ squealed Millie, throwing her arms around him. ‘I think you’re a lot nicer now than I thought you were two minutes ago. And I think you’ve definitely got yourself a deal!’
After an hour exploring every inch of the restaurant, listening to Lucas’s plans and realizing how very serious he was about this new venture, Millie was so impressed she’d completely forgotten about his embarrassing lack of sexual prowess.
Until Lucas dropped her at her car, when it all came back to her in a whoosh. As she was about to open the passenger door and climb out, he said casually, ‘Um, how’s Hester?’
Eek, don’t splutter, don’t smirk, don’t snigger.
‘Hess? Ooh, she’s… okay.’ Millie shrugged, extra casually. ‘Well, you know. Considering.’
Considering she had sex with you, you big hopeless failure, you smooth sex-god impersonator, you fraud!
‘Right. Well.’ Lucas hesitated for a moment, then said extra, extra casually, ‘Tell her I said hi.’
Why? Because you think she might be interested in a repeat performance, you completely incompetent fornicator? Lucas, you cannot be serious!
Millie nodded vigorously, desperate to get out of the car before the uncontrollable torrent of laughter bubbled up and out.
‘Oh, I will.’
This was why sharing a house with a friend—even a currently glum and droopy one—was so much nicer than living alone. Bursting into the kitchen at five o’clock and realizing that Hester was home early, Millie shouted, ‘Fantastic news!’
Hester, oddly, was wearing her pink silk dressing gown and just-got-out-of-bed hair. Letting out an ear-splitting shriek of delight she spun round—all signs of glum droopiness miraculously banished— and yelled, ‘I know!’
Hang on. Er…
‘What?’ Taken aback, Millie frowned. ‘How do you know?’
Hester looked at her as if she was crazy.
‘What are you talking about!’
‘My fantastic news. How can you possibly know about it?’ Mystified, Millie said, ‘Did Lucas tell you?’
‘I’m not talking about your fantastic news, I’m talking about my fantastic news!’ Hester’s eyes were ablaze with triumph. ‘So you don’t already know about it? Oh please, pleeease let me tell you mine first!’
Feeling very grown up—because, to be fair, Hester had been going through an extra-miserable time recently—Millie said generously, ‘Well, okay then, if—’
‘It’s Nat! He’s back! Nat’s back and everything’s perfect,’ Hester joyfully blurted out. ‘He’s here and he’s never going to go away again and he loves me and the Anastasia thing was all a bluff to make me jealous and we’re going to live happily ever after… oh God, I can’t believe it, I’m so happy happy happy.’
She did a little dance of joy to prove it. Millie was suitably stunned.
‘Truly? He’s here? Right now?’ Since it seemed the obvious place for Nat to be, she pointed at the ceiling, in the general direction of Hester’s bedroom.
No wonder her hair was looking so manic.
‘Not right now. Although we have of course been doing a bit of that.’ Pink-cheeked and unable to stop the triumphant smirk spreading from one ear to the other, Hester said, ‘Well actually, quite a lot of that. All afternoon in fact. Oh, and it was such heaven, I’d honestly forgotten just how fabulous Nat is in bed! When you compare him with Lucas—my God, you can’t believe the difference!’
Hester’s dreamy expression said it all. She’d never been happier. Millie, giving her a hug, tried hard not to picture Hugh, who had been equally heavenly and fabulous in bed.
‘I’m so glad. So where is he now?’
‘Gone off to find a job! You know what Nat’s like—he doesn’t hang around.’ Leading the way through to the living room, Hester pointed to the Yellow Pages lying open on the table. ‘He made a big list of restaurants, rang round the first dozen or so, and set off half an hour ago to check them out. Of course, he won’t be doing the kind of thing he’s used to—not too many Michelin stars floating around this neck of the woods—but Nat doesn’t mind. He says as long as he’s down here with me he’ll be happy working in Burgers’R’Us. Oh will you listen to me!’ Hester exclaimed suddenly. ‘Wittering on and on, and you’re dying to tell me your fantastic news. Well?’ She raised her eyebrows and looked suitably agog. ‘What is it?’
Sadly, nothing to do with my love life, thought Millie. Oh stop it, stop it, don’t even think about Hugh.
‘Well, Lucas is giving up the kissograms. He’s handing the reins over to me… I’m going to be in charge of running the business.’
‘You’re kidding, that’s brilliant.’ Hester’s eyes lit up with a mixture of delight and relief. ‘You mean Lucas is leaving Newquay? Hooray, even more brilliant!’
As far as Hester and her guilty conscience were concerned, it was the best thing that could happen. The further away he moved, the happier she would be.
‘Actually, he’s not.’ Millie hesitated. ‘He’s, um, bought a new business.’
‘Damn. Oh well. What kind of new business?’ Hester smirked and suggestively wiggled her hips, ‘Rent-a-Stud?’
‘Ah… well… um… a restaurant, actually. It’s going to serve really high-class food. Give Rick Stein a run for his money, according to Lucas.’ Millie watched the expression on Hester’s face change from joyous to appalled.
‘You mean… oh bum! Have the staff been hired yet?’
Apologetically, Millie shook her head. ‘He’s placed an advert in next week’s Caterer. But you said Nat had gone out this afternoon to find a job. And anyway, the chances are he won’t even see the ad.’
Hester pulled a face, the who-are-you-kidding kind. The Caterer was Nat’s bible; he read it from cover to cover every week. Plus, Newquay was hardly the kind of place where you could fail to notice the opening of a top-quality restaurant. Apart from anything else, kitchen staff were famed for their ability to gossip.
‘He’ll see it,’ sighed Hester. ‘And he’ll be knocking on Lucas’s door faster than you can say Sabatier. Rick Stein’s place over in Padstow was the first number he rang,’ she said with gloomy resignation, ‘but they didn’t have any vacancies. I suppose I could always sneak over there in the dead of night and poison their head chef.’
‘So you didn’t tell Nat about Lucas.’
‘Good grief, of course I didn’t tell Nat about Lucas! Picture it,’ Hester demanded. ‘The love of my life arrives back in Cornwall. He’s given up his job to be with me. He’s finally accepted that I wasn’t unfaithful to him on the night of Orla’s party. He’s spent the last month being lusted after by Anas
tasia, and by refusing to sleep with her, he threw away the chance of a fantastic new career in London. And what do I say to him?’ Hester spread her arms wide. ‘Oh by the way, darling, I did actually have sex with Lucas Kemp a little while back, but don’t worry, he wasn’t a patch on you.’
‘Hmm,’ said Millie. ‘I see your point. Well, we’ll just have to make sure Lucas keeps his mouth shut.’
‘How?’ wailed Hester.
Good question.
‘Appeal to his better nature, I suppose.’
‘Excuse me, this is Lucas Kemp we’re talking about! He doesn’t have a better nature and he’s a big blabbermouth. That man wouldn’t know a scruple if it stuck its tongue down his throat—if I asked Lucas not to say anything he’d just laugh.’
Also true.
‘Well,’ Millie sighed, because there weren’t that many options to choose from, ‘you’ll have to tell Nat and hope he forgives you.’
‘I CAN’T DO THAT,’ roared Hester.
‘Hess, you’ve got to talk to one of them.’
‘No, I can’t, I really can’t. But you could.’ Hester gave her a pleading look. ‘You could warn Lucas not to hire him, tell him Nat’s a lousy chef.’
Excuse-wise, they both knew this was taking flimsiness to extremes. Nat held a fistful of glittering references and his reputation was flawless. Furthermore, as a businessman, Lucas was only interested in hiring the best possible staff.
And Nat was inescapably one of the best.
‘Maybe he’ll find another job somewhere else,’ said Millie. ‘If he doesn’t, I’ll have a word with Lucas. See if I can persuade him to keep quiet.’
‘I need a drink.’ Hester pressed her hand to her chest. ‘My heart’s doing that Skippy-the-Bush-Kangaroo thing, I’m all of a jitter. Oh, this is so unfair,’ she cried. ‘Why does this kind of stuff always have to happen to me? I was perfectly happy until you came home!’
Chapter 42
Millie called on Lucas four days later. Having spotted the advert in the Caterer that morning, Nat had wasted no time in phoning the number and fixing up an appointment.
‘He’s seeing Lucas at three o’clock,’ Hester had hissed through the bathroom door while Millie was brushing her teeth. ‘You’ll have to get to him before then.’
It was all very MI5.
‘Millie!’ Grinning broadly, Lucas opened the front door to her at one o’clock. ‘What a surprise, I wasn’t expecting to see you today.’ He looked as though he’d just come out of the shower. His hair was wet and, apart from a dark red towel fastened around his hips, he didn’t have a stitch on.
Millie swallowed and tried not to let her gaze drop.
‘We need to talk.’
‘So serious.’ Following her through to his office, Lucas combed his fingers carelessly through his dripping hair. ‘Not to mention a bit flushed. What’s this all about then? Or can I guess?’
It was hard to concentrate when the man you were trying to have a conversation with was, effectively, naked.
‘Why?’ she countered. ‘What do you think it’s about?’
Maybe he had guessed; that would make things easier.
Lucas shrugged, a playful smile lifting the corners of his mouth.
‘You and me, perhaps? I think you’re trying to pluck up the courage to tell me you’ve got a bit of a crush on me. Am I right?’
Millie opened her mouth to let out a shriek of denial. Too late, she realized he was laughing at her.
‘Just teasing.’ Lucas made calm-down movements with his hands. ‘No need to burst my eardrums. Come on now, sit down and tell me why you’re really here.’
‘This is serious,’ Millie warned, when he’d passed her an icy can of Coke and opened another for himself. ‘You have to pay attention. It’s about Hester.’
Paying attention and looking suitably serious, Lucas nodded.
‘Hester.’
‘You and Hester,’ Millie expanded. ‘And the… um, thing that happened between you two the other week.’
Lucas raised an eyebrow.
‘So she told you about that. I wasn’t sure whether or not she had.’
Oh yes, every last detail—and it didn’t take her long either, speedy boy!
‘The thing is, her boyfriend’s come back. Everything’s been sorted out and they’re blissfully happy together. Which is why I’ve come here to ask you to promise never to breathe a word about what happened. Not to anyone.’
‘Well, I’ll do my best.’ Lucas shrugged.
‘No.’ Vigorously, Millie shook her head. ‘Not good enough. This is important, Lucas. You have to promise.’
‘Okay, okay.’ His eyes bright with laughter, he held up his hands. ‘I promise I’ll try really hard not to accidentally let slip.’
‘Lucas, I mean it, you mustn’t say anything, this is Hester’s—’
‘Boyfriend, yes, you already told me. Well, I’m happy for them both. Hester and…’
‘Nat.’
‘Nat, that’s the one.’ Lucas nodded in recognition. ‘She told me all about him. So, a happy ending. That’s great.’
‘Yes, but it’s only going to be great if you promise faithfully never to breathe a word about it to anyone.’ Millie’s teeth were by this time irretrievably gritted; it was obvious Lucas wasn’t taking this seriously. She longed to reach over and grab hold of him and shake his head violently like a maraca.
Lucas, suddenly interested, said, ‘This chap of Hester’s, isn’t he a chef?’
Exasperated, Millie bounced out of her chair, crossed to the desk and seized Lucas’s navy leather-bound diary.
‘I say, steady on.’ Grinning broadly as her arm brushed against his naked torso, he said, ‘For a moment there I thought you were about to rip off my towel.’
‘Yes, Nat’s a chef.’ Millie really wished Lucas was dressed more appropriately. ‘And he’s coming here this afternoon to see you about a job. Look.’ Finding the page at last, she stabbed at the entry in Lucas’s handwriting. ‘Three o’clock. N. Kenyon. That’s Nat. Now do you understand why this is so important?’
You complete numbskull.
‘Oh, riiight.’ Slowly Lucas nodded. ‘N. Kenyon is Hester’s boyfriend. Fancy that.’ After a moment he added, ‘He isn’t coming at three o’clock. He changed his appointment.’
‘Oh.’ Absolutely typical. All this subterfuge and rushing around for nothing.
‘I saw him at ten o’clock this morning,’ Lucas went on.
Millie blinked.
‘And?’
‘He’s got the job.’
‘Just like that?’ It came out as a squeak.
‘Why not? He’s perfect. Fantastic references. Enthusiasm. Innovative ideas.’ Lucas looked pleased with himself. ‘And best of all, he feels exactly the same way as I do about the direction the restaurant should take, what we should be aiming for. We actually have a great deal in common.’
‘You’ve got a bit too much in common,’ Millie pointed out. ‘That’s your problem.’
‘Not my problem. Hester’s. Anyway, I rang Nat’s last restaurant and spoke to his boss there, who had nothing but praise for him. Then I took him over to the Pear Tree and explained the ideas I had for the place. The more we talked, the more I realized he was the person I was looking for. I didn’t hire him “just like that,”’ Lucas patiently explained. ‘He was here for over two hours. Nat and I are going to make a perfect team.’
Nat.
‘So you did know who he was.’ Millie’s eyes narrowed accusingly.
‘Millie, I’m not stupid. Of course I knew who he was. Apart from anything else,’ Lucas added with a flicker of amusement, ‘there’s a framed photo of him on the chest of drawers next to Hester’s bed.’
Millie winced.
‘More to the point,’ Lucas went on, ‘Nat knew who I was.’
‘Oh God. Well, I suppose he was bound to.’ During the last three years Nat could hardly have escaped hearing about Lucas, the heartthrob DJ who had made suc
h an impact on Hester’s teenage hormones. As well as the not-so-teenage ones.
‘You seem a bit agitated.’
‘I am agitated,’ Millie shot back. ‘I’m very very agitated.’
Lucas shrugged easily. ‘No need.’
Oh phew. She clutched her chest with relief.
‘So you didn’t say anything about you and Hester, and cross-your-heart-and-hope-to-die you absolutely promise never to breathe a word about it to Nat.’
‘Oh no.’ Lucas looked surprised. ‘I’ve already told him.’
‘WHAAAT??’
‘Millie, calm down. I had to. If we’re going to be working together it’s best to get everything out in the open. So I told him. And when I’d finished explaining what had happened, Nat agreed that it was the best thing I could have done. He thanked me. We shook hands. No problem. So you see, honesty is the best policy. You should try it some time,’ Lucas added with a wink. ‘You never know, you might like it.’
Millie’s brain was in a whirl. Nat had actually shaken Lucas’s hand and thanked him?
‘Hang on.’ She braced herself. ‘Does this mean Nat’s going to dump Hester?’
‘Not at all. Like I explained to Nat, they were going through a bad patch and she thought he was seeing someone else.’
‘Right,’ said Millie cautiously.
‘And we all know Hester’s had a crush on me for God knows how long. I realized the only way to put a stop to that was by sleeping with her.’
Which you did, after having sex with her for less time than it takes to poach an egg.
Aloud, Millie argued, ‘But it could have gone the other way! Sleeping with Hester could have made it worse, she might have ended up more besotted than ever!’
‘What, after the performance I put up?’ Lucas flashed a wicked grin. ‘No chance.’
Millie went pink.
‘I don’t know what you mean.’
‘Come on, look at your face. Of course you do.’ Enjoying himself now, Lucas raised a playful eyebrow. ‘I wasn’t sure before whether or not Hester had told you, but now I know she did. No need to blush, Millie. You didn’t seriously think I was that useless, did you?’