Cinderella Substitute (14 page)

growth of beard he hadn't yet had a chance to shave off. Her heart skipped a beat as she forced herself to shake her head.

"Go home, Nate. You've done enough already." She knew he must want to be gone. He didn't need to be saddled with her problems now.

At first, she thought he wasn't going to agree, but something in her expression, or maybe the policewoman coming to put her arm around her to support her, convinced him to go. As she let the officer lead her towards her mother's room, she thought her heart would break into a million pieces as she watched the man she loved walk away from her.

* * * *

The bullets of warm water pelting his skin might have been cleansing his body, but Nate found they did little to clear his mind.

An hour later, his mind still filled with thoughts of Jenni, he gave in and called the ward. The sister informed him Miss Blake had already left. He cursed himself under his breath for having missed her, then jumped in his car and set off for Jenni's flat.

She opened the door. As he stood in front of her, his heart melted at the sight of her weary face. He could have kicked 128

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himself. He should have brought her some flowers. "I called the hospital but they said you'd already left."

"Tracey needed some rest, so I came home. I just got in."

Jenni voice sounded totally flat.

"I brought your bag." He indicated her overnight bag, which rested at his feet. She made no move to invite him in or to pick up the luggage.

"Jenni, are you alright?" He had never seen her look so unhappy.

"I'm fine. I just need a little time to take everything in. I'd appreciate the rest of the week off, Nate, if that's okay. I want to spend some time with Tracey. I'll be there for the dance on Saturday." She picked up the bag.

Disappointment clawed at him. "Take as much time as you need. Are you sure you'll be alright for Saturday?"

"I'm sure I'll have things sorted out by then. I'll meet you at the Langstone." He had been dismissed. She didn't want him around.

"Jenni, promise me if you need anything, anything at all, you'll call me." If she just gave some sign, some hint then...

She gave him a weak smile. "I promise. Thanks for everything, Nate. See you Saturday." The door closed in his face with a click.

* * * *

Jenni leaned on the back of the closed door. A single tear tickled down her cheek. She wiped it away with a fierce dash of her hand. She would have to be stronger than this if she had to cope with seeing Nate on a daily basis.

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The rest of the week passed quickly as she helped Tracey sort out a house move with the housing association, and spent time getting to know her mother better. She soon discovered that beneath her mother's bleached blonde hair and tight clothes beat a generous and kind heart. The more time she spent with her the more easily Jenni could see how so many people had taken advantage of Tracey's good nature.

Nate rang her every night after she had returned from the hospital. He sent flowers for her mother and offered financial assistance. In reply, they chatted about work, the weather, the party. Everything except their feelings. Conversation between them remained brief and punctuated with lengthy pauses. Jenni often hung up after speaking to Nate and wondered why he'd called her.

Saturday morning dawned as one of the bright, crisp, clear winter days that made Jenni want to wrap up and go shopping. She pulled on her new coat and a warm scarf before heading for the high street to browse amongst the Christmas shoppers.

She had started on her way back to the flat when she spotted the dress. She had intended to wear the red one she had worn for the dinner at the hotel, but this one beckoned her from the stand in the window of a new shop just off the high street.

"I suppose there's no harm in trying it on," she mused to herself. Then noticing the sign announcing "fabulous opening offers', she decided it must be fate and walked in.

* * * *

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She had felt a little guilty at going to the party and wondered if she should spend the time with Tracey. Her mother, however, had soon stopped that idea.

"Go to your party and enjoy yourself. We've plenty of time to get to know one another again now. You need more pleasure in your life."

Jenni had been surprised at her mother's statement.

"From everything you've told me, Jenni, you were a good and dutiful daughter to your parents. I don't want you to miss out on things because you feel you have an obligation to me."

Tracey stroked Jenni's cheek. "I've wanted to see you for so long. I never forgot you."

Jenni swallowed hard at the sadness on Tracey's face.

"I was so young, just seventeen and your father was the same age. I thought he was wonderful." She broke off and wiped her heavily made-up eyes with a tissue. "I didn't know I was pregnant at first. When I found out it was too late to tell him. His family had emigrated to Australia. I was on my own."

Jenni cried with her, tears coursing down her cheeks as all the questions she had asked herself over the years were answered at last.

"I tried to manage, but after a while I knew I wasn't being fair to you. You deserved much more than I could give you.

You were such a good baby, I knew someone else would love you as much as I did, and would give you all the things I couldn't."

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She sighed. "I tried to choose the best for you, Jenni. I always wondered who you'd look like. Eric, your dad, was so handsome. You're dark haired like him. He was an art student. All the girls hung after him. He used to play guitar in a local band."

For the first time in her life Jenni felt as if she knew who she truly was as the pieces of the puzzle had all come together at long last.

* * * *

Jenni took a taxi to the Langstone just after lunch. The hotel had given her and Nate a room each for changing and storage. She dropped her bag on the bed and looked around at the expensive drapes and bedcovers. A few short months ago, she would have been overwhelmed at the chance to stay in such a beautiful place. Nate was booked into the room next to hers. They had been told they could stay the night as guests of the Langstone management.

Jenni checked all the presents on the list and ensured Nate's Santa suit hung ready on a hanger in his room for him to change into, later in the evening. Now she knew how difficult he found the Christmas period, it moved her that he cared about his employees so much that he had continued the company tradition.

Reception phoned Jenni's room just as she stepped out of the bath, to let her know Nate had arrived. She heard him unlock his door as she toweled herself dry with the hotel's luxurious cotton towels. It troubled her that her heart raced and her legs wobbled.

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"How am I going to do this?" she whispered to herself as she listened to the faint bumps in the adjoining room. Each time she had spoken to him on the phone, she had stuttered and stammered like a teenager. His conversation had been dry and impersonal, peppered with enough pauses she wondered if he'd call back the next night.

* * * *

Nate wasn't looking forward to the evening ahead. Lots of people all enjoying themselves, drinking too much, laughing too loud and making fools of themselves under the mistletoe.

He scowled at the scarlet Santa suit hanging on the wardrobe door, a neat list of names in Jenni's handwriting pinned to the front.

"I should have hired a Santa." Even as the words passed his lips, he knew he couldn't have. His employees looked forward to seeing him dress up and have fun with them once a year. The party was a real tradition. One he knew his staff enjoyed.

The only good thing was that he would have a chance to talk to Jenni at last. If he could just get her alone to discover if he had any kind of chance with her, or if he had simply left it too late.

* * * *

Jenni added the finishing touches to her hair and stepped back from the full-length mirror. The midnight blue dress fitted her like a glove. The blue chiffon around the top of the 133

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bodice softened the line of her bare shoulders and the long slit at the back revealed her long slim legs.

She jumped when a short, peremptory knock rattled her door. After a last look in the mirror and a deep breath, she pulled the door open. Nate waited for her, resplendent in a tuxedo. The combination of his brooding good looks and the formal clothing conspired to render her speechless. Her carefully prepared greeting died in her throat.

His dark blue eyes traveled the length of her body from the tip of her coiffured hair to the bottoms of her spiky heeled shoes. The intensity of his gaze seemed to scorch the bare skin of her shoulders where the soft velvet left them exposed.

He cleared his throat,

"I, er, thought we might have a drink together before everyone arrives. You can fill me in on the running order." His eyes never left her face. Jenni struggled to make the constricted muscles in her throat function. She cursed herself for behaving like an idiot as she managed to croak out an acceptance.

"In that case, I'd be honored to escort you to the bar." He proffered her his arm. If he noticed the momentary hesitation before she slipped her arm through his, he didn't comment.

A lone barman polished the glasses ready for the champagne, which waited to greet each guest as they arrived, in the empty bar. Jenni felt too nervous to contemplate alcohol of any sort just yet, so Nate brought a glass of lemonade to where she stood by the picture windows, looking at the gardens which were illuminated by various colored lights.

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"It's so pretty out there. Like a little bit of magic." She spoke without thinking, fascinated by the way the plants and trees assumed new forms when bathed in color.

"It's very pretty in here too, Jenni.
You
look very pretty."

She felt a rush of heat at the suggestion in his voice.

"Nate, I think it might be best if we go back to the way we were, don't you?" She decided to take the bull by the horns while she had the opportunity for a quiet face-to-face chat with him.

"Best for whom, Jenni?" The anger in his voice startled her. She had been so sure he would be relieved by her suggestion. His eyes blazed blue fire in a face that had paled.

"I don't think it's going to be so easy."

"It wouldn't work, Nate. We wouldn't work." Jenni tried to school her voice so she would sound cool and dispassionate, as if she had considered it objectively. She couldn't look at him, because she knew her face would betray her.

"I see."Nate's voice sounded clipped and icy. "You've obviously given it a great deal of thought. Perhaps you'd like to explain why." A muscle pulsed in his cheek and his voice held a bitter edge.

How could she explain her feelings? Nate didn't love her, he felt sorry for her and she wanted, no, needed much more than that from Nate.

She took a deep breath.

"Jenni! Are we too early?"

She turned to see a group of girls from the administration office heading towards them. It already looked as if they were in the party mood.

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"We'll continue this conversation later, Jenni."

"I think we've said all there is to say, Nate."

As she walked across to meet the giggling secretaries, she felt as if her heart had well and truly broken in two.

* * * *

Nate watched Jenni walk away from him to meet the admin girls who stood by the bar. How had he managed to make such a hash of things? She seemed further away from him now than ever. Jenni asked the bartender to begin serving the champagne. Soon, they all started to laugh and joke together. More of his staff came to join them, and gritting his teeth, Nate crossed the room to do his duty as host.

The party soon got into full swing. Everyone appeared to be having a good time, including Jenni. She made a superb hostess and ensured no one got left to stand alone or with an empty plate or glass. His attention was magnetically attracted to her slim, swaying figure as she moved from group to group. The one person she didn't want to chat with, it appeared, was him.

Time and again, he caught up with her talking in some group, and as soon as he approached, she disappeared. Now she had been cornered by Mike Walker, who leaned toward her and dangled something that looked a lot like mistletoe over her head.

Nate checked himself from rushing to her side. Perhaps she preferred Mike Walker's company. He watched them closely. Jenni's body language looked uncomfortable. Walker 136

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stood much too close. Unable to check himself any longer Nate crossed the room to Jenni's side in a few paces.

"I think it's time the hostess danced with the host, don't you?"

Jenni flushed a delicate pink color. He thought she might be about to argue with him. Mike tucked his mistletoe back inside his jacket pocket.

"If you two don't mind, I'll just go get a drink." The accountant slipped away, looking anxious to exit the war zone before the missiles started to fly. From the look on Jenni's face, they would all be aimed at Nate.

"What was that about? I can take care of myself." she asked, crossing her arms.

"I know, but I think it's time you and I danced together before I go change into Santa and distribute the presents."

Nate held his hand out towards her.

She viewed him with suspicion. "Maybe I don't feel like dancing." The band started to play a popular slow ballad.

"Well, I do. Everyone expects it." He willed her to accept.

Her beautiful eyes flashed fire. "That's blackmail."

She took his hand and he led her onto the crowded dance floor. When people saw them coming they clapped and cheered, making a little space. Nate gathered her in his arms.