number, I’m looking for Dominic Hartley?”
The voice was female, American. And she’d never called the flat before.
“Yeah, this is the right number,” I said. “Sorry about that, I was expecting him to call.”
“It’s no problem. You must be the maid, right?”
Cheeky bitch.
“Actually, I’m the child minder. Can I take a message?”
“Sure, can you tell him he left some paperwork behind today, and that I’ll take it to the office tomorrow so he doesn’t have to worry. I’d hate if he had work on his mind while he’s with his family next week.”
Something about the way she spoke set off alarm bells in my head. She was way too familiar to just be a work colleague. And she’d take the paperwork to the office? Presumably that meant he’d left it at her house.
“Sorry,” I said, again, “Who are you?”
“Serena Morton. I work with Dominic, and he came over to my place last night to … well … anyway, he left some work in my home office and I just want you to tell him I’ll take care of it.”
Sounded to me like she’d been taking care of more than his paperwork. The realisation made my pulse race, and not in a good way.
He had a woman in New York. A snooty sounding one with a pretentious name, who he knew well enough to talk about his family with. Was she the real reason for the move?
“I’ll tell him,” I said. “Is there anything else?”
She giggled. “Tell him I said thanks for a wonderful three days.”
Three days? Three sodding days? Aside from this ‘paperwork,’ had he even been near the office?
“I’ll let him know,” I answered, through gritted teeth, as I heard his key turning in the door. Without another word, I slammed the phone down and practised deep breathing so I didn’t fly into the hallway and choke the crap out of him. When I’d centred myself enough, I stood up, just as Dominic entered the living room, loosening his tie.
“Hi,” he said. “I’m knackered, so what do you say we order some food and watch a crap movie? I don’t have … what’s wrong?”
Two thoughts entered my head simultaneously. Firstly, Christ, he looks sexy in a crumpled business suit with a tie hanging around his neck . Secondly, he just spent three days shacked up with some floozy, no wonder he’s knackered.
I had about three seconds to decide whether to yell, or make a speedy exit.
“You had a call,” I said. “Serena. She said you left some paperwork behind but she’ll take it to the office for you, and … oh … thanks for a wonderful three days. Glad you’re back safely, I’m going out.”
I didn’t give myself time to register the expression on his face, I lowered my head and started to walk out.
“Wait, what?”
Still refusing to look at him, I said, “She just called. She said she didn’t want you to worry about anything while you’re away next week.”
He swore under his breath. “Maddi-”
“Madison,” I corrected. “You don’t need to explain, but I have to run. Lucy’s mum is expecting you to pick Tilly up at ten thirty tomorrow, but stay by the phone tonight because there’s a chance Tilly might want to come home sooner. I’ll see you on Sunday.”
I took another step towards the hall, but Dominic, gently put his hand on my arm. “Slow down. Can we at least talk about Tilly before you go?”
If you’d been here instead of shacked up with some tart, you’d know all you needed to.
“It wasn’t like that,” he said.
“I didn’t say anything.”
“You didn’t need to. I know what you’re thinking, and it wasn’t … it’s nothing, okay? I-”
I held up my hands to stop him. “None of my business.”
On the way to my room, I took my phone out of my pocket and sent a text to Neil.
R u busy?
I didn’t expect an instant response, so when my mobile beeped again right away, I nearly dropped it.
Not busy. You wanna do something?
Can I come over?
Of course. What time?
Now.
Lol, okay, shall I
The voice was female, American. And she’d never called the flat before.
“Yeah, this is the right number,” I said. “Sorry about that, I was expecting him to call.”
“It’s no problem. You must be the maid, right?”
Cheeky bitch.
“Actually, I’m the child minder. Can I take a message?”
“Sure, can you tell him he left some paperwork behind today, and that I’ll take it to the office tomorrow so he doesn’t have to worry. I’d hate if he had work on his mind while he’s with his family next week.”
Something about the way she spoke set off alarm bells in my head. She was way too familiar to just be a work colleague. And she’d take the paperwork to the office? Presumably that meant he’d left it at her house.
“Sorry,” I said, again, “Who are you?”
“Serena Morton. I work with Dominic, and he came over to my place last night to … well … anyway, he left some work in my home office and I just want you to tell him I’ll take care of it.”
Sounded to me like she’d been taking care of more than his paperwork. The realisation made my pulse race, and not in a good way.
He had a woman in New York. A snooty sounding one with a pretentious name, who he knew well enough to talk about his family with. Was she the real reason for the move?
“I’ll tell him,” I said. “Is there anything else?”
She giggled. “Tell him I said thanks for a wonderful three days.”
Three days? Three sodding days? Aside from this ‘paperwork,’ had he even been near the office?
“I’ll let him know,” I answered, through gritted teeth, as I heard his key turning in the door. Without another word, I slammed the phone down and practised deep breathing so I didn’t fly into the hallway and choke the crap out of him. When I’d centred myself enough, I stood up, just as Dominic entered the living room, loosening his tie.
“Hi,” he said. “I’m knackered, so what do you say we order some food and watch a crap movie? I don’t have … what’s wrong?”
Two thoughts entered my head simultaneously. Firstly, Christ, he looks sexy in a crumpled business suit with a tie hanging around his neck . Secondly, he just spent three days shacked up with some floozy, no wonder he’s knackered.
I had about three seconds to decide whether to yell, or make a speedy exit.
“You had a call,” I said. “Serena. She said you left some paperwork behind but she’ll take it to the office for you, and … oh … thanks for a wonderful three days. Glad you’re back safely, I’m going out.”
I didn’t give myself time to register the expression on his face, I lowered my head and started to walk out.
“Wait, what?”
Still refusing to look at him, I said, “She just called. She said she didn’t want you to worry about anything while you’re away next week.”
He swore under his breath. “Maddi-”
“Madison,” I corrected. “You don’t need to explain, but I have to run. Lucy’s mum is expecting you to pick Tilly up at ten thirty tomorrow, but stay by the phone tonight because there’s a chance Tilly might want to come home sooner. I’ll see you on Sunday.”
I took another step towards the hall, but Dominic, gently put his hand on my arm. “Slow down. Can we at least talk about Tilly before you go?”
If you’d been here instead of shacked up with some tart, you’d know all you needed to.
“It wasn’t like that,” he said.
“I didn’t say anything.”
“You didn’t need to. I know what you’re thinking, and it wasn’t … it’s nothing, okay? I-”
I held up my hands to stop him. “None of my business.”
On the way to my room, I took my phone out of my pocket and sent a text to Neil.
R u busy?
I didn’t expect an instant response, so when my mobile beeped again right away, I nearly dropped it.
Not busy. You wanna do something?
Can I come over?
Of course. What time?
Now.
Lol, okay, shall I
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