The Cinderella Substitute

by Nell Dixon

  "Fine."

  She re-emerged, carrying a tray with two mugs and a couple of plates with sandwiches. "I thought you might be hungry, I was just about to eat," she explained. "You were saying you wanted to ask me a favour?" She passed him a plate. The top of her dressing gown gaped open a little before she moved back to perch on the old armchair by the gas fire.

  Either the heating in her flat was up too high, or the brief flash of Jenni's bare skin had made him feel quite hot. She looked so different without her glasses, and she did have beautiful eyes. Deep... sparkling... blue...

  He realized he hadn't answered her question. "I came to ask if you could come into work early on Monday. A delegation is coming over from New York to meet us and discuss the project. They're flying in early, so we'll need to organize meals, accommodation and travel for them. They plan to stay one night, then they're going to London to see the opposition bid."

  She leaned forward to pick up her mug. He thought his heart would stop.

  "That's okay. I know how important the bid is. I'll be there."

  He picked up his coffee and sipped it. Jenni had been right. He was hungry. His mother hadn't sounded too pleased when he had phoned to cancel his lunch date with his parents, pleading pressure of work.

  "You'll have to let me know all the details. How many to expect, diets, flight times and so on." A small frown puckered the creamy smooth skin of her forehead.

  Even her face looked different. More sophisticated. With professionally applied make-up, she had acquired an air of glamour alien to the Jenni he knew. He had to stop staring.

  "That's no problem. I can drop a file over to you tomorrow." He set his mug down and started on his sandwiches. "Thanks for these. I didn't have time to eat lunch today."

  She looked disapproving. "You should make time, Nate. This was supposed to be your weekend off."

  As Jenni grabbed a sandwich, her long furry gown slipped open to reveal a great deal of her legs before she swished it back into place. He choked on a crumb. Jeep, he would have to go home. He didn't think his libido could stand many more tantalizing glimpses of Jenni's bare skin without him wanting to do something they both might regret.

  "I have to go." He placed his empty plate on the table and stood up abruptly.

  She looked up at him. He could see her bewilderment at the sudden change in his behaviour.

  "I'll fetch your coat." Jenni left to collect his jacket from the bathroom. "It's dried out pretty well, so you should be okay." She handed it to him.

  "I'll drop that stuff off for you tomorrow then, if that's all right?" He slipped into his jacket. The sensible voice inside his brain told him to get the hell out of there now, before he did something stupid. The problem was his body didn't appear to be connected to his brain. All he could see were Jenni's moist, pink lips parted as if anticipating his kiss. Even then, he might have resisted if it hadn't been for her startled little gasp when she read his intentions in his eyes.

  She tasted the way he thought she would, as sweet as honey. His arms slipped around her slim waist to hold her closer. The soft, slight curves of her body moulded against him, as if she had been meant to fit.

  The tinny little tune from his inner jacket pocket wasn't loud enough to disturb his concentration. It took Jenni's startled response to the vibrator setting on his phone to break them apart.

  He grabbed the phone from his pocket. His twin sister's phone number flashed up on the display.

  Jenni stood before him, her blue eyes wide with mute distress. He felt a complete heel as he pressed the talk button on the phone and brought it to his ear.

  Chapter Five

  Jenni folded her arms tight across her chest and hugged herself. Dazed, she stumbled into the bathroom to splash some cool water onto her face, hoping it would wash away the delicious taste of Nate from her lips. He'd rushed off after answering his phone as if he couldn't stand to be near her a moment longer. So much for her make-over. It was supposed to make her more attractive, not more repellent.

  She washed the rest of the make-up from her face, forgetting all about the morning's lecture on skin care. Her eyes stung from the new contact lenses, so she removed them in favour of her glasses. All that done, she took a deep breath.

  Her adoptive father's voice sounded immediately in her mind, sending her back into her teenage years.

  "I won't have you looking like a streetwalker whilst you're living under my roof, Jennifer."

  She had come home from school to discover her father had discovered her innocent little cache of make-up. She had been forced to watch him throw each piece onto the coal fire one by one while he lectured her on wanton women.

  Well, she had lived down to her father's expectations tonight. Nate hadn't exactly beaten her off, but the horrified look on his face when the phone had interrupted them would stay with her for a long time.

  "Nicely brought up girls do not behave like that, Jennifer." There were so many rules and regulations on what might be considered proper and decent. What nice girls did and didn't do. Somehow, no matter how hard she had tried to please them, she had always managed to disappoint.

  A lump came into her throat and she swallowed hard. She blinked back the tears which threatened to creep from under her closed eyelids as she remembered the day she had first realized that no matter how hard she tried, her parents were never going to be proud of her.

  She had run home from school that day, eager to tell her mother her exciting news. She had been chosen from the whole school for her artistic ability and had won a special prize for her drawing. Her photograph would be in the local paper and she would receive a case full of artist's materials at an official presentation.

  She'd hurtled in through the back door on that hot and sunny afternoon, impatient to share her joy. The story had come tumbling from her lips as she had panted breathlessly in the kitchen, dizzy from having run all the way home. Her mother listened in stony-faced silence while Jenni had explained about the competition.

  "I don't recall your father or me giving permission for you to participate in this kind of non-academic frivolity." Jenni stared at her mother's disapproving face and, at eight years old, had learned the things that she was good at—art, music and dance—had no value in her parents' world. There had been no presentation, no art case and no photograph. Another child, the little boy who had come in second, had been declared the winner. Her father had caused a scene at the school and there had been no more competition entries for Jenni.

  Except her parents hadn't won. She had continued to paint. Her artwork was an important part of her life. One day she planned to organize a showing of her work. The thought of her paintings only served to remind her of Nate again. What should she do? She couldn't avoid him. He was due to come over tomorrow to give her the file so she could help him prepare for the delegation's arrival on Monday.

  Somehow, she would have to convince Nate that kissing him had been a one-off event. It meant nothing to her and would never be repeated. Her pride wouldn't allow him to think she'd enjoyed it. Especially as his reaction had showed how clearly he'd regretted kissing her.

  The problem was, she thought as she tidied up before switching off the lights and going to bed, she wouldn't mind repeating the experience. Kissing Nate felt like a habit she could quite happily become addicted to.

  * * * *

  Nate was on the receiving end of a telephone lecture from his sister.

  "There is more to life than work, Nate. Mum's really upset with you for cancelling at the last minute. And it's not as though this is the first time either. Much as we love you, you're pushing it. You really are. It's been two years now since... well. You can't duck out of life forever." Her voice softened and he tried to interrupt.

  "It's my life, Nathalie. I've a big contract lined up, the biggest we've ever had. I need to have everything in place for Monday."

  His twin gave a snort of dismissal. "Your company is big enough, Nate. You've already proved everything you ever
wanted to. You've lived and breathed nothing else since the accident. How many millions will it take to make you happy? It won't solve the real problem."

  No one else except Nathalie ever dared to talk to him like this. Even she had tiptoed around him for the last two years, frightened of saying the wrong thing.

  "What was wrong when I called you tonight?" she demanded. "You sounded like you wanted to kill me."

  Nate sighed. "It just wasn't great timing, that's all."

  "Why?" she asked. "Where were you? You weren't at home, I tried that number first."

  "I was at Jenni's," he snapped, and wished he could take the words back.

  "Jenni? Your P.A.? You didn't make that poor girl work on a Saturday night, did you?" Nathalie sounded scandalized. "I honestly don't know why she works for you. I really don't. It's not as if you appreciate all the things she does for you."

  In contrast, Nate thought he would have liked nothing better than to have spent more time appreciating Jenni.

  "Are you listening to me?" Nathalie must have continued talking during his trance.

  "It wasn't work. Well, not entirely... I..." He groaned and decided to stop digging. His words had already made him a big enough hole.

  But Nathalie had been quick to pick up on his remark and the tone of her voice changed.

  "Oh..." Her voice sounded heavy with meaning. "I see, maybe you are starting to move on. In that case, I'm sorry. I did call at a bad time." Her low husky chuckle rang in his ear. "You should have said something before and I would have spared you the lecture. Well, apologize to Jenni for me, won't you. She's such a nice girl, I like her. I'll call you in the week."

  * * * *

  Jenni didn't sleep well. She stood in front of her bathroom mirror the next morning and toyed with the idea of leaving her new lenses in their case. But if the visiting delegation were due to arrive the next day, then she owed it to Nate to look groomed and stylish. Even if he didn't approve of her new look.

  She scurried around the flat as she caught up on a week's worth of neglected chores. A quick inventory of the contents of her fridge told her she needed to go out for groceries. There wasn't even enough milk for her morning coffee.

  She shrugged on the new coat that Lorna had convinced her was a bargain and grabbed her bag, ready to walk the few streets to the all-day supermarket. If Nate came while she was out, he could push the file through her letterbox. Her heart fell into her shoes at the idea. It would be embarrassing seeing Nate again after last night, but the possibility that she might miss him felt even worse.

  When she rounded the corner an hour later, laden down with bags, Nate's tall muscular figure crossed the road towards her.

  "Let me help you."

  Before she could protest, he had taken most of the carriers from her grasp and set off with long strides towards her front door. She fumbled in her pocket for her door key with her free hand.

  "I wasn't expecting you yet."

  Nate stood aside to let her open the door. He followed as she led the way up the stairs. She opened the flat door and headed for the kitchen to deposit the heavy bags.

  "Where do you want the carriers put?" He was right behind her. His proximity in the small space both excited and disturbed her.

  "Just drop them down there and have a seat. I'll put the kettle on."

  Time spent stowing away the shopping would provide a welcome respite from his closeness. To her annoyance he lingered in the kitchen.

  He watched while she opened and closed cupboards and drawers, knocking over and spilling the contents in her haste to tidy everything away.

  "After yesterday I didn't know whether to call first, or just to come around," Nate said.

  "Have you brought the file with you?" Jenni fumbled in the cutlery drawer for a spoon, determined to keep the conversation on a professional level. Okay, so she was attracted to him. It was fine, everything was cool. She could deal with this.

  He reached in the inside pocket of his jacket for a long fat envelope which he placed on the counter. "All present and correct. I'll run through it with you so you'll know where things stand."

  "We'll go in the lounge and you can brief me on everything."

  * * * *

  Jenni sat in the seat furthest away from his. Her blue eyes wide as she sipped her drink, the ruffled edges of her hair made her look as if she had just tumbled out of bed.

  The unexpected thought caused Nate to slop a little of the hot coffee over the edge of his mug onto his thumb. He put the drink down quickly and sucked the burning fluid off his hand. What was the matter with him?

  He opened the envelope he had brought with him to begin briefing her on who she should expect in the delegation.

  Jenni made cryptic little squiggles on a notepad. After she read back over her notes, she made a few suggestions about the plans he'd outlined. She rested her pencil against the corner of her mouth when she paused.

  Nate's attention strayed to where the pencil eraser pressed against the soft pink skin of her lips. Lips which had aroused feelings he had thought he could no longer feel.

  "Nate?" Jenni frowned at him. She must have asked him some question he simply hadn't heard.

  "Sorry Jen, I didn't hear you. I was thinking." Good job she didn't know what he'd been thinking, or he suspected he would have been thrown out of her flat with the same speed that he had been told to leave the previous night.

  "I see." She frowned again and placed her pad down on the coffee table. "Nate, about what happened last night..." Her eyes were troubled. A chill of foreboding ran through him. Please don't let her resign.

  "Jenni..."

  She held her hand up to stop him from speaking. "I think we should forget about what happened between us last night. It was a mistake and won't ever happen again."

  "It won't?" He should feel reassured by her statement, relieved that she didn't appear to want to change the basis of their friendship. Instead, depression settled over his head like a raincloud that refused to go away.

  She flushed and her eyes met his. "It won't," she confirmed. She tucked her hair back behind her ears and surveyed him levelly. Her words hit him with the same physical impact as a thump in the stomach. Nate struggled to find the right words to express how he felt.

  "You're right, Jenni. I shouldn't have taken advantage of the situation. I'm sorry." He had to focus, remember Jenni was his secretary. He should be pleased with her decision.

  "Then the sooner we both forget about it the better, we need to go back to a normal working relationship." Her eyes looked a little over-bright when she made her statement, but she sounded determined.

  "In that case, I'm taking you out for Sunday lunch. I owe you for all the extra work you've done this morning and a civilized lunch would help restore things to the proper perspective." He told himself he should be pleased that Jenni didn't want to get involved with him romantically. His life would become simpler. Things would go back to normal.

  She looked doubtful, as if she wasn't sure about his motives. In fairness, he couldn't blame her.

  "We are still friends, I hope, Jenni." He prayed she wouldn't refuse. It was important to him that he got their old easygoing friendship back. Then everything would settle down again and he could carry on as he had before. A bleak sense of loneliness filled his soul as he snuffed out the tiny flame of hope that had flared for a short time in his heart.

  * * * *

  Jenni felt a little deflated as she clambered into Nate's car and buckled her seatbelt. She'd got what she wanted, hadn't she?

  More to the point, why had she agreed to go out to lunch with Nate? When she had opened her mouth she had planned to politely and tactfully decline his offer.

  She had to get a grip. Nate still loved Cerys. He had made it quite clear in the past how he viewed Jenni, as a mate, not a date. He had jumped at her plan to return to their normal working partnership.

  "Everywhere will be busy. Where are we going?" She wondered if they would be able to fin
d anywhere with a free table at the last minute.

  "I thought we'd go to the Langstone. Test-drive the restaurant before the party next week." He glanced at her. Jenni raised her chin, remembering the disagreement of Friday when he had scuppered her date for the party.

  "Sounds good. But I thought you'd been there before?"

  "I joined just after it opened. It was Nathalie's idea. She goes there quite often. She recommended it when I was after a venue for the staff party. I've only been a few times myself."

  They turned off the main road onto a long, tree-lined private driveway. Jenni recalled the glossy brochure she had received on booking the party. The large stone portico led into a marble-floored entrance hall, where a glittery crystal chandelier twinkled overhead.

  The restaurant was huge. On one side of the room floor-to-ceiling picture windows afforded a panoramic view of the Japanese water gardens and gazebos. Dark oak panelling divided part of the room into smaller booths for more private dining. The waiter showed them to a quiet table with a view of the gardens.

  As the man pulled out her chair, Jenni noticed the huge array of cutlery on the snowy tablecloth in front of her. A ball of panic rose in her stomach.

  "I wasn't expecting it to be this," she struggled to find the right word. "Glamorous."

  "This is the member's restaurant. The staff party will be in one of the function rooms. I believe this place is popular for weddings now." He smiled at her. "We could always go back to the pizza restaurant if you prefer."

  She smiled back at him. "No, this is fine. It was just a surprise, that's all."

  The waiter returned with a wine list.

  "Jenni?"

  "Mineral water will be fine. I'm not used to alcohol in the middle of the day," she explained. A curious expression crossed Nate's face before he closed the list and handed it back to the waiter with a request for two mineral waters.

  The food menu appeared more problematic. Most of the dishes were written in French and Jenni's rusty schooldays translations were not up to the mark. Nate helped her translate some of them and pointed out the ones Nathalie had recommended to him.