“And they’re each made from a solid piece of wood?”
“Of course.”
“No wonder you made such short work of that tree back there.” She turned to face him again. “Flick’s an artist too. Although drawing and painting are more her thing.” Pride seemed to ooze out of her.
“I didn’t know that,” Nate replied. Impressed, it was nice to know they had something other than relationship woes in common. “If anywhere’s going to get the creative juices flowing it’s here. I’ll look forward to seeing what she comes up with while I still can.”
Brenda let out a wry chuckle. “I wouldn’t hold your breath. She doesn’t think she’s any good. At least, not any more. Saying that, she did pick up a couple of sketchpads and pencils the other day, so you never know.”
As Nate watched her continue to admire his creative endeavours, it surprised him to think how much he appreciated her feedback. He rarely spent time with anyone from outside of his inner circle and when he did he always felt uncomfortable. Despite his earlier concern, he felt at ease. Probably because on this occasion he was the centre of attention for all the right reasons.
Even more surprising was the fact that he actually quite liked Brenda, half of him wondering if this was because she was the kind of mum he’d never had. As parents went she seemed conventional, a characteristic no one could ever ascribe to his own mother. Nate’s other half insisted it was her daughter that he was interested in, strange considering he was a sworn bachelor. But the more he learnt about Flick, the more attractive she became. More than was admittedly good for him. He recalled their albeit limited interaction, the way her whole face lit up when she smiled and, feeling himself come over all warm and fuzzy, he tried to dismiss his musings, telling himself that firstly Flick was still married, even if it was in name only. And secondly, after his last relationship, he’d sworn himself off women for life.
“Funny how they only ever mention the bad stuff,” Brenda said.
Now back in the present, Nate wondered what she meant. Moreover, he couldn’t work out if she was talking to him or to herself. Or, indeed, whotheycould possibly be. “Sorry?” he said.
“The papers. They forgot to mention your artistic side in their reports.”
Taken by surprise, Nate froze. Searching her face, he told himself he must have misheard. She couldn’t really know who he was, could she? If she did, she’d just played a blinder. All that stuff about how wonderful his work was, when really it was all the other crap she was interested in. In fact, he was amazed she’d managed to hold her tongue full stop.
“Not that I believed a word of what they said,” she said, matter of fact.
He felt the colour drain from his face.
“About you or your mother.”
Nate’s heart skipped a beat, he felt nervous, angry and fearful all rolled into one. This couldn’t be happening. Talk about him being duped. “How long have you known?”
She turned to look at him. “I recognised you as soon as I saw you.”
He tried to raise a smile, to act like the fact that this woman knowing his identity didn’t matter. But in truth it did. It meant he no longer had his sanctuary, his safe haven. One word from her and the vultures would, no doubt, swoop in, looking to fill their column inches with yet more scandalous claims. Why, oh why, hadn’t he just packed up and left when he’d had the chance? He felt so stupid for letting his guard down, especially when he knew better. “And Flick?”
Brenda let out a short sharp laugh. “Flick? Goodness no, she hasn’t a clue.”
At least that was something. The mother might have fooled him but thank goodness the daughter hadn’t,hertreatment towards him had been genuine. “So, what now?”
“What do you mean?”
He raised an eyebrow. She wouldn’t be the first to play the innocent then turn out to be anything but.
“Don’t worry,” she said. “Your secret’s safe with me.”
“Really?” Suspicious of her motives, Nate struggled to believe her. “Then why even bring it up?”
“Don’t you think if I was going to blab, I’d have done it by now?”
Her question hung in the air. Nate didn’t know what to think. Her words might be small comfort, but he supposed she had a point.
“I would like your help with something though?” She looked at him directly. “But you can’t tell Flick. She’d kill me if she knew I was intervening like this.”
Nate narrowed his eyes.Here we go,he thought.
“I just want her to have a choice. A proper choice, before she goes and does something I know she’ll regret.”
Nate stared at her. Her determination to help her daughter might be admirable, but the woman clearly wasn’t as conventional as she had him believe. “You do know this is blackmail, right?”
16
