A Safe Pair of Hands

by Ann Corbett

  Little Pete sat next to his dad and across from Sadie and Nick, and he was as good as gold during the meal.

  It was a Friday and since he was being so well behaved, he was allowed to stay up a little later tonight, even though he was already in his pyjamas; but by the time the meal was done, he was already looking drowsy.

  “I think that it's time for someone to go to bed!” Rob declared as he stood up and gently scooped up his little son.

  “I wan' 'Sissy an, an Nuckk tu take mei!” Pete whimpered sleepily.

  Rob looked across at Sadie who nodded enthusiastically even as she jumped up.

  “Absolutely!” She reached out her arms, and Pete went willingly.

  “We'll put the dishes in the dishwasher, and make a pot of coffee, while you do that.” Nancy declared.

  They spent a good ten minutes with little Pete. At first he wanted a story, but then he decided that he was too tired for that, and so Sadie and Nick knelt by his bed and crooned and warbled their way through a couple of half remembered lullabies, instead.

  Sadie gently stroked his hair away from his eyes, and when he did not so much as flinch she sighed quietly.

  “I think that he is asleep,” she whispered softly.

  They left the room, leaving the door slightly ajar and hand in hand walked back down the stairs.

  Rob and Nancy were still in the kitchen, and Rob had his arms around his wife as he kissed her passionately.

  “Oh my,” Sadie blushed as she backed away. She cast a quick glance at Nick, who looked amused and the two of them slipped into the living room instead.

  “Pete's fast off!” she called lightly as she sat down beside Nick on the sofa.

  A few seconds later, Rob walked in carrying a tray, and followed by Nancy who looked a little flushed.

  Sadie could not resist a little giggle, and Rob met her eye, and grinned knowingly.

  The four of them sat talking long into the evening, and it was so nice that everyone seemed to get along so well.

  “Mum and dad will be back on Monday,” Sadie suddenly said thoughtfully. “And so I thought that I might cook a dinner for them – to welcome them home?”

  Nancy nodded. “They would really like that, I think; but I would leave it until Tuesday or Wednesday if I was you.”

  “As a matter of fact, I was thinking that it would be nice for us all to be together, and I would really like for them to meet Nick as well,” she said as she glanced at him uncertainly.

  “Well then I am afraid that Friday is the only evening that I am free next week,” Rob said apologetically.

  “Okay Friday it is then... if you are available, Nick?”

  He smiled at her but his eyes searched hers for a moment. “I would like that,” he nodded. “But why not do it at my house, I have a bigger dining table, which should seat everyone quite comfortably.”

  “That would be really good for us too,” Nancy grinned, “Because we can walk round and walk back as soon as little Pete has had enough.”

  “So that's set then? Everyone put it in your diaries for next Friday.” Sadie said decisively. “I'll ring mum first thing on Tuesday and let her know.”

  Nick bit back a grin at her bossy tone, as he nodded his head solemnly and as he glanced at Nancy he could see her eyes sparkling with humour as well.

  As their eyes met, they shared a moment of amusement at Sadie's expense, but it was amusement filled with love and affection for her.

  The evening was a very pleasant one for all of them, but it had to end at some point, even though it was gone midnight when it did.

  Nancy and Rob saw them out, and Rob stood with his arm around his wife as they waved Sadie and Nick off.

  Sadie gave a sleepy little yawn as she relaxed into the warm comfort of Nick's car, and he cast her quick glance as he drove down the quiet dark roads.

  “You look tired,” he smiled.

  “I guess I am,” Sadie nodded. “But then I am not really used to staying out this late.”

  “No, me neither.”

  She sat up straighter in the car. “And I've made it worse for you for making you drive me home,” she realised suddenly.

  “Well it is where you live after all.”

  “We... we could have stayed at your house though?” she blurted out awkwardly.

  Nick gave a little sigh. “I look forward to the night that you sleep in my bed, Sadie,” he said quietly. “More than anything else I look forward to that... but I am trying to be discrete with our relationship, and keep it low key, whilst we find our way; and that is very difficult with your sister living right next door to me.”

  “I suppose so,” Sadie mumbled doubtfully.

  He drove the short distance to Sadie's home, and pulled up outside.

  He walked around the car to help her out, and then walked with her to her front door.

  “I won't come in tonight, Sadie,” he told her regretfully. “It's very late, and we are both shattered, and I don't want our time together to be overshadowed by something a petty as fatigue.”

  Sadie opened her mouth to protest, but instead a tired yawn and a shiver came out instead.

  She covered her mouth hurriedly, and as Nick's smug 'see I told you so' smile flashed, she gave a little giggle.

  “I suppose that you are right,” she said instead.

  He smiled again as he bent to gently kiss her on the lips. “I will come and see you tomorrow, and maybe we can go out for a drive or something,” he told her lightly. “Go inside now though, Sadie, I want to hear you lock up before I leave.”

  She meekly did as she was told, and dropped the catch before walking through to switch off her downstairs lights.

  She walked up the stairs and over to the window, expecting Nick to have already left.

  He hadn't.

  He was standing by his car, and looking up at her window.

  Sadie leaned closer to the glass, and waved to him, and only after he had waved back, did he climb into his car and drive away.

  It was the little things like that, which made Sadie love and trust Nick, the little things like his being concerned for her well being – rather than just seeing to his own needs and wants.

  *

  The snow had all melted away – for the time being, and so they had a lovely weekend together. Nick turned up on her doorstep at just after nine o'clock the next morning and told her to put something warm on, and to wear comfortable shoes – and to pack her overnight bag.

  “And make sure you put something pretty in there as well, for when we go out to dinner tonight,” he told her in his best boss's tone.

  She ran up the stairs to change and pack, whilst he put the kettle on, and made them a cup of coffee.

  Whilst they drank it, he told her of his plans.

  “I thought we could go drive across to Blackpool, and walk along the pleasure beach... if you are agreeable we could spend the night – I have made a provisional booking – if you would like to stay, but I can easily cancel it – without being out of pocket, if you would rather not.”

  “Oh to see the lights, and the grotto, to walk along the beach!” she exclaimed excitedly. “Absolutely yes I would love to!”

  Nick grinned as he enjoyed her excitement.

  “It should take us about two and a half hours to get there, longer if we stop for lunch, but we are not in a great rush – are we?”

  “No,” she smiled. “We have the whole weekend to enjoy – and so let's enjoy it.”

  *

  Nick drove at a steady speed on the motorway, and he pulled off at dinner time so that they could enjoy a leisurely lunch.

  The afternoon was almost gone by the time they got to Blackpool, and it took a little while to get to the rather grand looking hotel, where Nick had phoned earlier to confirm their reservation.

  The room which they were shown to was actually a suite, with a small living area, and a separate bedroom, complete with king-size bed.

  They dropped their bags in their room,
and then Nick went back to the door.

  “How about a nice little walk, before changing for dinner; just to stretch our legs?” he asked as he held his hand out to her.

  “Yes, that does sound nice.”

  They walked along as the afternoon slowly gave way to evening, and as the light faded the famous illuminations slowly flickered into life.

  The bustle of people was everywhere, and the smell of the sea air hung over everything and mixed with the aromas of cooking foods; of hotdogs and fried onions.

  It was cold, but not biting, and as they walked along they were jostled occasionally by happy people going on their way.

  There was an air of excitement around them, and as Nick took Sadie's hand and slipped it into his pocket, Sadie thought that life could never get any better than this.

  They walked the length, and then stood looking across at the darkened sea, the sand brightened things up a bit, and you could hear the sound of the sea, over the general hub of the people.

  It soothed Sadie and she smiled across at Nick.

  “Thank you for bringing me here,” she said softly.

  “I cannot imagine doing this with anyone else.” He smiled into her eyes and for a moment the rest of the world just shrank away.

  “Photograph folks? To remember your visit?” the chirpy male voice broke into their moment, and Sadie blinked as she looked at the thickset man with laughing brown eyes; and a heavy duty looking camera hanging around his neck. “Five pounds a picture, but they are of the highest quality.”

  Nick paused for a moment and then grinned. “We would like that very much!”

  For the first couple of photographs, Sadie felt self conscious as she looked up shyly at Nick, but as he leaned down to kiss her he smiled warmly, and they spent the next five minutes looking and touching and kissing, and Sadie was only half aware of the clicking of the camera, and the people walking by.

  “Right then folks... if you would just come over here, you can take a look through the proofs and pick one or two out.”

  The little pictures that he showed on his computer screen looked lovely, and Sadie found it almost impossible to choose one from another. Finally she chose one of Nick standing behind her, with his arms around her waist, and she was looking up at him as they shared the humour of something that he had just said to her.

  It sealed a moment in time for her that she never wanted to forget, and with the help of this picture, she knew that she wouldn’t.

  There were a couple of others that she liked as well, and so in the end – between the two of them they picked out ten photographs.

  “That’s great!” the photographer said handing Nick a little business card. “I’ll get these printed up, and delivered to your hotel – where are you staying by the way?”

  Nick told him and their room number and name, and the man nodded.

  “Yes, I deliver to them quite a lot, so they know me there... I will drop them off at reception by...” he glanced at his watch. “Seven o’clock, and so if you ask them they will show them to you, and any that you want to keep, just pay reception and they will see that I get the money.”

  “That’s great, thanks very much.”

  Sadie shook the man’s hand and also thanked him, and then the two of them began to walk back to the hotel.

  *

  They had a delightful dinner in the hotel restaurant, but decided to retire early.

  The photographs were everything that the little proofs had promised, and having paid reception they took the folder back up to their room, to look through them more leisurely.

  Nick gently pushed them back into the folder, and looked up to see Sadie watching him.

  The look in her eyes was enough to set his heart a racing, as she slowly stood up and allowed her dress to drop from her shoulders...

  Chapter Seventeen

  Sadie had packed a little black dress in response to Nick’s instruction to put something in her bag for the evening.

  It had a zip running down the back, and whilst Nick had been admiring the photographs, she had been surreptitiously working it down her spine.

  Nick had given her a wonderful day today, and she wanted to do something special for him too, and when their eyes met, she just knew that this was it.

  As she removed her dress in front of him, taking her time and giving him the opportunity to look her over, she knew that he understood what this meant to her.

  He knew that she was trusting him completely – handing herself over to him, to cherish her.

  He smiled as she stood with just a lacy bra and matching briefs, and waited for him to make the next move.

  For a moment though all he could do was to sit and admire her. She was just so beautiful – so lovely.

  The tininess of her waist; and the soft swell of her breast – covered now only by the lace trimmed fabric of her bra.

  She was every inch the perfect woman to him, and he loved her. He had always, and would always love her.

  He could feel the blood pumping through his veins as he stood suddenly and swept her up into his arms, and carried her through to the bedroom, where he laid her gently on the bed.

  “You are everything that I have ever dreamt of in a woman,” he murmured huskily, before showing her exactly what she meant to him – several times.

  *

  They enjoyed a leisurely breakfast the next morning, before taking one last walk along the promenade, and then returning to the hotel, for their bags, and to check out.

  “Would you like to stop somewhere for dinner, or go straight home?” Nick asked as he put their bags in the boot of the car.

  Sadie shrugged her shoulders uncertainly. “I've nothing to rush home for, but I wouldn't want to keep you from something?”

  Nick helped her into the car and walked around to the driver's side.

  He drove out of the hotel's car park, and only when they were out of the traffic, did he speak again.

  “I have nothing to rush back for either, and I would very much like to eat a proper meal before I get home.”

  “Well... I could always cook us something at my place?”

  He smiled as he kept his attention firmly on the road. “I wanted to give you a treat this weekend, not create work for you.”

  “Oh but you have! You have given me a wonderful treat!” Sadie cut in anxiously.

  “Good, I am glad... But I would still like to stop somewhere for a proper meal, if you can bear my company for a little while longer?”

  He sounded so unsure of himself that Sadie was speechless for a moment, until she saw the little tilt of his lips.

  “You fraud!”

  His chuckle was a low rumble, which made Sadie feel warm all the way down to her toes.

  “I would really enjoy having a meal with you before we get home, Nick... but it doesn't have to be anything fancy, or anything.”

  He gave her a quick glance. Sadie was frowning down at her faded blue jeans, and although he thought that she looked absolutely stunning, he could see that she did not feel comfortable enough to go to a restaurant with a proper sit down meal.

  “We could stop at a roadside cafe or a pub again?”

  “That would be nice.” She smiled and he could hear the relief in her tone.

  They sat in amicable silence for quite a while after that, and although it was pleasant, Nick had the urge to know what she was thinking about.

  He cast another glance at her to see that she was still frowning, as her gaze fixed vacantly on the rushing landscape.

  “What's wrong?” he demanded gently.

  She gave a little sigh, and shook her head. “Oh, I was just wondering something...”

  “What?”

  “Was it very awful... when your parents died?” she asked hesitantly.

  Nick paused before answering.

  “It was a very long time ago now, Sadie... more than ten years ago.”

  “I realise that... but still, it must have been lonely?” her voice was thick wi
th emotion, and although he did not like for her to be sad; he felt warmed by her concern.

  “It was difficult, I was of course shocked and devastated by their deaths... but I knew that life had to go on... and it was not like I was a homeless orphan or something.” He tried to laugh it off – to lighten the situation, but Sadie it seemed, wanted to know the truth of it all.

  “Your uncles though...”

  Nick gave a little shrug as he indicated with his car lights, and then pulled off the motorway to a small shopping centre.

  He parked the car in the car park, and then turned to Sadie.

  “My uncles had lives of their own. Two of them had wives and family – obligations and they had no time for me at all. And the other was working abroad, and only came back long enough for the funerals.”

  He smiled at her a little sadly. “He did invite me to go back with him for a while, but I got the feeling that I was expected to say no. He knew that I was thinking of starting my own company, and that mum and dad had left me a small inheritance. He put me in touch with a business advisor friend of his, and then went on his way again.”

  “So you started up your company, 'Hargreaves Business Branding and Consultations'?” she sounded almost proud of him.

  “Well not straight away, no... I started out in printing – business cards, and letterheads, and so on, but then I moved into designing them for some of the companies, especially new and young businesses, they heard about me, by word of mouth to start with, and found that I could advise them as well, I was a fellow business man – and I could help them with the promoting of their own business. The whole thing kind of evolved.”

  “But only due to you and your talent, you started from nothing and built something that is very successful.” Now she definitely sounded proud, and he could not help but grin.

  “I have good people around me, and so that is why my company is so successful.”

  She blushed as she realised that he included her in that equation.

  “The people that you hired. However you look at it, Nick; 'HBBC Limited' is everything that you made it to be.”