Page 210 of Lovers' Dance: Vol. 2
“Are you going to tell them who the father is?” Dante asked.
I twisted around in order to look at him. “No. I’ve already lied to Aunt Cleo, and you know if Sol finds out she’ll go mental and try to sue Matt or something. Probably try to kneecap him. She knows people. And Bret will definitely try to name and shame him to the press, or whoever will listen to him.”
Dante sighed out loud. “A lie will only get bigger, sweet cheeks. Have you thought about contacting Matt again? I’m sure you’re over-reacting about this. He can’t-”
“D,” I interrupted him with a small shake of head. “Don’t. It’s done. Wake me before you leave my room. Okay?”
Dante nodded before turning back to his laptop. “Oh, Joanie and a few others were lurking around Liam’s and Eddie’s room when I left them.”
My eyes, which had just slipped closed, popped wide open. I would never get to sleep now. Feck. Fudge…argh, for fuck sakes. A circular would need to be sent around, a strongly worded one at that. Yeah, there was now no chance of me falling asleep with images of Joanie and Liam having a spectacular fall out on stage. If luck was kind, any drama would be delayed until we finished performing at the Hippodrome. Lady luck, please be kind.
CHAPTER 26
“You’re not enjoyingyourself, are you?” Nathan made a pouty face at his beautiful wife, and she smiled at him, indulgent towards his teasing. “It’s only for a few hours, darling. He’ll be fine.”
Bella sighed and pushed the barely touched sole around her plate.
Nathan sighed himself, before tossing back the champagne in his flute. “It’s our anniversary. Ourfirstwedding anniversary. The nanny can handle Richard.”
“She’s quite,” Bella gave a delicate shrug of shoulders, causing the diamond and sapphire necklace he had gifted her with earlier to twinkle under the lights.
“Quite what?” Nathan pressed, trying his best to hide the exasperation he felt. His wife was consumed with their son. A proud smile tickled the edges of his lips, he was too, but there was a limit.
“I don’t know,” Bella put her silverware down and peered unhappily at his face.
“She’s highly recommended.” Nathan reminded her. “The service we’re using is the best. Mum knows a friend of the owners and their clients do include royalty.”
Bella wrinkled her nose and reached for her flute of champagne. “Those things don’t matter to me, Nate, you know they don’t.”
“I know,” he agreed. “It’s one of the things I love about you, and I do love you.” He grabbed her free hand and brought it to his lips. “Very, very, much.” Each word was punctuated by a small kiss across the delicate skin of her hand.
“Charmer.” she retorted with a flutter of eyelashes with caused him to laugh out loud.
They were the only people, bar the waiting staff, gracing the exclusive restaurant.
“And it’smuchlonger than a couple of hours.” she added, frowning once more. “There really was no need for this.”
“I enjoy spoiling you.” Nathan countered, already feeling the second stirring of his growing annoyance. “If a man can’t spoil his wife on their first wedding anniversary,”
Bella, noting his irritation, simply tightened her glistening lips and pointedly removed her hand from his.
Nathan sighed and leaned back in his chair. “Our driver is outfront. If you want, I’ll have him take us back to the air-strip and we’ll be back home in a couple of hours.”
“It’s not that I don’t appreciate you whisking me off to Paris,” she started in a grateful voice.
“And ensuring we had this restaurant to ourselves,” Nathan added. “This very exquisite Michelin starred restaurant with very delicious food.”
“And I love Le Meurice, darling,” Bella was quick to state. “It’s the best restaurant in Paris in my eyes, but,”
Nathan pulled the napkin off his lap and tossed it atop the table. “But you miss him. Christ sakes, Bella. I miss him also, but you’re acting as if we’ve abandoned our firstborn to the wolves. Richard is in good hands and my mother said she would stop by the house to check in on him.”
Bella closed her eyes and exhaled slowly, before opening her hazel orbs and raising an eyebrow. “Your mother?”
Nathan cleared his throat in a huff. “Yes, my mother.”
“Your mother,” she repeated.
“Yes.” Nathan said, now drumming his fingers over the delicate lace tablecloth.
