The NSC Boxset: Heart of Stone

by D H Sidebottom

  Nate took my hand back and with a wink and a grin, he asked Benny for a table. He led us over to a booth in the corner and I slid in as Nate wedged his large frame into the opposite bench. “Here’s the menu,” Benny smiled, passing us each a leather bound folder. “Would you like a drink while you choose?”

  “A bottle of chardonnay, please Benny,” Nate acknowledged, raising his eyebrows at me in a query. Nodding desperately at Benny in confirmation to Nate’s choice, I silently wished the man would hurry up with the damn wine. I needed alcohol before my nerves gave way.

  “Still enjoy the odd glass then, Liv?” Nate questioned with a smirk when Benny retreated to fetch our wine.

  “Ha, of course,” I scoffed. “Wine and Haribos have always been a constant in my life.”

  He picked up his menu and ran his fingers over the gold embossed lettering, tracing each letter with a stern expression. “What else is a constant in your life, Liv? Married? Partner? Kids?” he probed, searching my face.

  “Divorced, no and yes,” I answered honestly and evasively to the three questions. “You?” I queried, quickly bringing the conversation round to him.

  “No, no and no,” he answered frankly.

  “Oh, I expected you to be married by now.”

  “Nope,” he spoke bluntly with a pop of the ‘P,’ looking directly at me.

  Benny came over with our wine and to take our order. Pouring the wine into my glass Nate continued with his interrogation. “So, how long have you been divorced?”

  Gulping my wine, I glanced around the room for a distraction. “Ten years,” I answered with a shrug.

  “Wow, that long? No current interests?” he probed further.

  Sighing loudly I shook my head. “Nope,” I said with a pop of the ‘P.’ “So, how long have you been friends with Peterson?” I asked quickly to change the subject away from me.

  He looked at me puzzled. “Friends?” he asked. “I’d hardly call us friends.” He tilted his head to one side. “He’s your boss. What do you make of him? Be honest,” he added with a laugh.

  “Well, let’s see. He doesn’t like me. He’s rude, arrogant and very full of himself.”

  “I find it hard to believe he doesn’t like you, Liv. How can he not?” He smiled lightly, his eyes sparkling.

  Taking another large mouthful of wine, I sneered. “Because he told me to get drunk to help ‘loosen up my tight thighs,’ so I told him to ‘Go fuck himself’ but in more polite terms.”

  Nate’s eyebrows lifted to his hairline as he pursed his lips. I noticed his finger twitch rapidly against the tablecloth. He nodded his head once. “Really?” he said, more of a statement than a question.

  He went quiet for a while, his face tight with anger and fortunately our meal arrived.

  As I picked at my salad Nate looked deep in thought so I remained quiet until he suddenly looked up and grinned at me. “You don’t fancy Simon then?” he teased. “Everybody else seems to. He’s good looking and wealthy.”

  I gagged on my food and stared at him. “What sort of question is that?” I asked, perplexed. “No, I don’t fancy Peterson, Nate. Anyway, I’m off men completely.”

  It was Nate’s turn to choke now. “You’ve never turned gay, Liv?”

  Laughing full on at his wide eyes, I drained my glass and motioned him for a top up. “Good god, No!” I exclaimed. “I just haven’t been interested since my div. . . . .” I realised what I’d said and clammed up.

  Analysing my tight face and frowning deeply, Nate swallowed. “Has there been anybody since your husband, Liv?”

  Squirming in my seat I shook my head and looked away. He blew out a large breath and covered my hand with his. “What happened, Liv? You must have really loved him to not be able to move on after he’d gone.” He gave me a sad smile and looked down at his plate.

  Laughing sarcastically, I shook my head. “You have no fucking idea, Nate.” I bit my bottom lip and looked away from his confused stare. “Anyway I have Bob,” I announced with a sly smile, trying to lighten the mood.

  “Bob?” he asked, raising his eyebrows.

  “Mmm, Bob,” I repeated, lifting my chin in defiance.

  “And who’s Bob?” His eyes became hard and intense.

  “BOB . . . my Battery Operated Boyfriend,” I stated with a crafty grin.

  Waiting for the penny to drop, I stared at Nate as I smiled to myself. The moment he realized his face split into a huge grin and he gave a belly laugh. “Now, I would love to meet Bob,” he smirked with a wink.

  “Dear God, you haven’t changed a bit,” I laughed, shaking my head.

  We chatted lightly for a while longer as we finished our food and wine.

  Glancing at my watch, I told Nate I would have to get back to work. “That quick?” he said, looking at the time.

  He paid for the meal, escorted me back to the car and drove me back to NSC.

  As we pulled up in front of the building, Nate exited the car and walked round to open my door.

  “Thank you for lunch,” I said, reaching up to kiss him on the cheek.

  “Always my pleasure, baby” he murmured as his arm slipped around my waist holding me still whilst he inhaled my scent and rested his chin on my head.

  I pulled away sadly before I walked up the steps and entered the foyer.

  I felt his arm slip around my waist again as I approached the elevator. Frowning, I turned to him. “What are you doing, Nate? I have to go back to work now.”

  He regarded me with a sly look. “Me too.”

  Then it dawned on me. “Oh my God. You work here?”

  “Well . . . Yes,” he laughed. “Tell me Liv, what do you think NSC stands for?” he asked as he pulled me into the lift with him.

  “Uhh, I don’t know, Nate. I never got chance to research the company before I took the job.” My eyes widened as I worked it out. Looking at him in astonishment, I breathed, “Nathan Sam Carter.”

  He nodded his head as he grew serious and took my hand. “I built the company, Liv. I’m your ‘rude, arrogant and full of himself’ boss’s, boss’s, boss!”

  Chapter Five

  NATE ESCORTED ME to my floor and then continued up to the 50th floor where his office was situated.

  I dropped into the chair behind my desk and tried to get to grips with what Nate had just revealed to me. I couldn’t believe after all these years Nate was now my boss. I had just slagged my boss to my ‘big boss.’ How unprofessional.

  Taking a deep breath, I immersed myself into my work and about an hour later Peterson called me into his office.

  As I was shutting the door behind me, he began to rant at me. “Miss Adams!” he snarled with a furious look on his face. Cringing, I attempted to smile at him as I sensed his fury. “What the fuck has happened to you this week, mmm?” he bellowed. “You’ve been late twice and your mind has been far from your work today!”

  Rubbing my hands together, I attempted to defend myself. “Mr Peterson, I’m so sorry if you feel I’ve been incompetent but . . .”

  “INCOMPETENT?” he cut me off, enraged. “I’d say you’ve been downright UNPROFESSIONAL, wouldn’t you Miss Adams? Hmm?”

  Worrying where this was going, I started to get flustered. Chewing on my lip, I tried to apologize again but he butted in once more.

  “I’d say having lunch with your boss is very unprofessional, Miss Adams. In fact if I didn’t know better, I’d say you were a little brown nose Liv!” he sneered, articulating ‘Liv’ in the same tone Nate had used in the foyer.

  “Well . . . Mr Carter and I are old friends, Mr Peterson. I can assure you that I am not ‘brown nosing’ as you put it.” This arrogant man was now starting to piss me off.

  “BOLLOCKS!” He thundered. “Are you fucking him, Miss Adams?”

  “How dare you!”

  Peterson’s office door flew open and Nate stalked in. He looked calm but I could see the fire in his eyes, the wrath on his face and his clenched fists.

  He tu
rned to me. “Could you leave us a moment please, Miss Thomas?”

  I opened my mouth to inform him I was now Miss Adams but quickly shut it when he gave me a slight shake of his head, his eyes blazing wildly. Swallowing and nodding, I escaped the room hastily, the tension thick and menacing.

  Closing the door behind me, I took a huge, calming breath and walked back over to my chair on shaky legs.

  “What the Hell, Olivia?” Grace gushed, eyes wide. “What was all that about?”

  I sat in my chair, shaking. “Peterson was laying into me, saying that it was inappropriate to have lunch with my boss. The twat even asked if I was screwing Nate! And he has the cheek to call me unprofessional.” I claimed, disregarding Grace’s even wider eyes.

  There was now shouting coming from Peterson’s office and I shuddered, knowing that Peterson was going to make my life hell for this.

  “You know Mr Carter?” Grace asked, astounded.

  “Yeah, we were friends at uni,” I told her, only giving her the half-truth.

  “He was stood outside Peterson office for ages, listening to him rant at you. I thought at one point he was gonna explode,” Grace revealed with a slight giggle.

  “Oh shit.” I sighed, “That means Nate heard every bit of Peterson’s outburst.”

  Rolling my head round my shoulders, I closed my eyes as Grace laughed. “Even the part when Peterson shouted ‘BOLLOCKS are you fucking him, Miss Adams?’” she echoed in her best Peterson impersonation, letting on that she had been listening.

  “Wonderful!” I exclaimed. “Nate’s gonna kill him.”

  Peterson’s office door opened and Nate stomped out, slamming the door behind him. He looked over at me, shook his head, his anger still evident then walked away.

  “I wouldn’t like to get on the wrong side of him,” Grace wheezed. “Although, I wouldn’t mind being under him,” she concluded, laughing as my jaw hit the floor.

  The afternoon passed by and I didn’t see Peterson again until he left his office just as I was shutting down my monitor and preparing to go home.

  “Thank you for staying late Miss Adams,” he said to me politely. “Have a good weekend and I’ll see you Monday morning.”

  “Oh . . . Yes. You too Mr Peterson,” I flustered, baffled by the change in his attitude. He smiled again and left the office, leaving me completely bewildered. “Thank fuck it’s Friday.” I smiled to myself as I rode the elevator down.

  Juggling a large box of files, my laptop and bag, I scuttled hastily to my car before I dropped them all on the car park tarmac. Packing them in my car boot, I climbed behind the wheel. “Take me home Betty.” I smiled, tapping her dashboard. Turning the key, she gave a grunt and chug but didn’t start. Trying again, she made an even worse racket and then just clicked. She had never made a noise like that before and I had an awful feeling she’d finally died.

  “Oh come on Betty, not now,” I pleaded. “After the day I’ve had, I need wine girl!” I was already running late. Matt was still ill and I needed to get home to him. My mother had her yoga class tonight and she’d hated to leave him until I got back but she’d texted me about twenty minutes ago to say she was sorry but she couldn’t wait any longer.

  After trying and failing a third time, I punched the dashboard and dropped my head onto the steering wheel. “Arghh!” I screamed into nothing. “Please, please, please give me a break.” I closed my eyes and took some deep, calming breaths.

  My door flew open and Nate peered in at me. “Having car trouble, Liv?” he asked, frowning at my defeated expression.

  I rolled my eyes at his stupid question. “No Nate, I’m just having a snog with the steering wheel!”

  He chuckled and took my hand. “Come on, I’ll give you a lift home.” He didn’t give me chance to argue, already pulling me from the car.

  “I need some things from my car,” I told him as I opened the boot and loaded his arms with stuff.

  Carrying some things of my own, we loaded them in his boot and his driver opened the car door. “Miss Thomas,” he smiled at me.

  “Miss Adams,” I corrected him with a shy smile.

  Nate turned to me. “Oh God, I’m sorry Liv. My mistake. I keep forgetting you’re married.”

  “Was married, Nate,” I rectified.

  Smiling, he slid in the seat beside me. “Where to Miss?” the driver asked, peering over his seat to look at me.

  As I told him my address Nate slid his hand in mine. “Good day, baby?” he mocked.

  “The best,” I replied with a sarcastic nod of my head.

  His thumb stroked across my knuckles in a soothing gesture and I felt my heart skip, remembering how it always used to relax me. “Liv, why did you let Simon yell at you like that?”

  “Because he’s my boss, Nate. He’d sack me if I told him to fuck off.”

  “You’ve told me to fuck off before and I’m your boss.”

  “You weren’t my boss at the time though,” I scoffed.

  “Seriously though, the Liv I used to know wouldn’t have stood there and took that. She’d have laid into him and tossed his arse all over the office,” he declared, giving me a confused look.

  “Well, that was the Liv you used to know Nate. I’m not that girl anymore,” I told him, looking away from his probing gaze.

  He nodded, more to himself than me. “I nearly pummelled him when I heard him shouting at you. Smug Bastard!”

  “He’s not so bloody smug now.” I smirked. “He was all smiles and politeness when he left. He hasn’t been polite to me in nearly three months.”

  “Jesus! What is that man’s problem with you?”

  “I’ve told you. He wanted to get friendly and I didn’t . . . simple.” I shrugged. “Especially now he thinks I’m screwing you. I don’t think he can comprehend how I could turn him down in preference to you,” I sniggered.

  “What’s to understand? I’m gorgeous, hot and fuckin’ hard.” He grinned, wiggling his eyebrows at me as my gaze lowered to his lap. “I knew you wouldn’t be able to resist, Liv. Every time I used to say ‘hard’ you’d always look at my lap.” He laughed, squeezing my hand. I was very tempted to exchange my gaze with my hand and once again feel that hard muscle enclosed in his trousers. I squirmed in my seat. Nate gave me a knowing grin as the car came to a stop outside my house.

  “Wait!” He scolded as I reached for the door handle.

  The driver came round to open my door. “Thank you . . .” I started, realising I didn’t know his name.

  “Blake Hunter, Miss,” he informed me.

  Nate took my things from the boot as Blake shut my door. “I’ll carry them in for you, Liv,” he said, already walking up my path. I ran in front of him to open the door and gestured him in before he collapsed under the weight of everything.

  He placed them on the kitchen table as he took a look round the room. “This is nice, Liv.” He smiled softly, “How long have you lived here?”

  “About ten years now,” I replied as I flipped the switch on the kettle. “Coffee?”

  He nodded his head as he removed his phone from his pocket and started typing. “Give me your mobile number while I’ve got my phone out and then we can arrange a time for me to pick you up Monday morning.”

  “Pick me up?” I asked, puzzled.

  “Yeah. Your car’s broke, remember? I’ll get a mechanic over to NSC this weekend and get it fixed for you, then you can pick it up Monday.”

  “You can’t fix my car for me Nate, I’ll sort it but I would appreciate the ride,” I argued.

  He gave me his slow, sexy smile. “I’d appreciate a ride too, baby.”

  Tutting at him, I handed him his coffee and told him my number. He rang it so I could store his as Erin walked in the kitchen. “Hi,” she addressed Nate as she gave him an inquisitive look.

  “Hello,” Nate replied, cocking his head, a wrinkle appearing on his brow. “You look very much like your mother did at your age.”

  She inhaled sharply. “You k
new my mum when she was sixteen?” She gave me a probing look and I knew what she was thinking.

  “Well she was eighteen when we met,” Nate rectified. “But yeah, we were. . . . uhh, friends.” He smiled slyly, looking at me.

  “Where’s Matt, sweetheart? Is he any better?” I asked Erin, to change the subject. She raised her eyebrows at me, chewing her bottom lip just as Matt walked in.

  “Hey, babe.” I embraced him with a hug. “You feeling better?”

  “Yeah, I’m good Mum,” he said as he looked at Nate. “Are you gonna introduce us?”

  “Yes of course. Matt this is Nate. Nate this is my son, Matt and daughter Erin.”

  Smiling, Nate extended his hand to Matt. “Pleasure to meet you, mate.”

  Erin was still stood silent in the corner of the room. I could feel her piercing stare on me. I was starting to feel uncomfortable and glared back at her, shaking my head a little in warning. Nate, noticing the silent altercation between Erin and me, looked at us both with a confused expression on his face.

  “I’d better let you get on,” I directed at Nate, hoping he’d take the hint and leave before Erin said something stupid.

  “Oh right,” he said, standing up and looking a little stunned. Placing his still full cup in the sink he reached for my hand. “Can you see me to the door, Liv?” Erin’s brows rose even higher and Matt grinned and winked at me.

  As we reached the door he pulled me a little closer. “Can I see you tomorrow night?” He dropped my hand and moved his hand up to my face, cupping my chin and tipping my head back to look in my eyes.

  “I can’t tomorrow night, Nate. I’ve already arranged a night out with Beth and Lexi. Sorry.”

  “Oh wow, you still see Beth and Lexi?” he asked, surprised, dropping his hand instantly.

  “Yeah, we never lost contact.” I swallowed when I realised what I’d said and hoped Nate hadn’t picked up on it but I was disappointed.

  “Well at least you kept in touch with someone.” He glowered at me, “How about Monday night?”

  “Oh God. Monday’s no good either, I have an appointment.”