Best of Bosses 2008(120)

‘It’s been nice chatting to you, Nick. Now, I think I see Splice coming with my drink.’

‘Splice?’

‘That’s his nickname.’ Rose smiled sweetly and walked away without giving him the chance to continue the conversation. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her sister looking in her direction and she waved cheerfully, not wanting to spoil the evening by having Lily worrying about her. Again.

The minute Lily could escape, however, Rose was dismayed to find that she was by her side and Rose just knew what her sister was going to say.

‘What on earth was going on with the two of you back then?’ Lily asked, jumping straight in with both feet and making Rose feel even guiltier that her sister had noticed more than she had first suspected. ‘What was Nick saying to you?’

‘Lily, never you mind that. I’m not going to spoil your last Saturday night in London by repeating what that man had the nerve to say.’ At one in the morning, the crowd was beginning to thin out. Most of Lily’s friends had headed off, with a couple of the guys insisting on giving Rose their phone numbers although she, tactfully, declined to return the favour. Still, it was flattering even if she couldn’t get Nick’s nasty remark about her dress out of her head.

He, as luck would have it, was still around somewhere, with the redhead clutching him possessively as if scared that he might disappear unless physically restrained. Which, of course, he would. Rose, consistently aware of his presence, made sure to live up to her statement that she was having a brilliant time. She was pretty sure that, at one point, Ted had even asked if she would consider starring in one of his productions, which had resulted in fits of laughter on her part. She had half hoped that Nick might have glanced over at that point and witnessed for himself just how much fun she was having.

Wrapped up in her mental reverie, she became aware of Lily pressing her for details, and eventually she gave in, telling her that he had criticised her dress and dared to suggest that she was somehow sending off the wrong messages and then, having done that, would be incapable of taking care of herself. Lily was nodding, taking it all in, and finally said, ‘You can’t let him get away with that.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘You should be angry. Fuming!’

‘Well…yes…I am…’

‘You need to march over there and let him know that you’re not just anyone. In fact, you need to let him know that you’re more than capable of taking care of yourself. In fact, Splice was mightily impressed by you…’ Lily glanced at her nails, painted a vibrant, deep purple. ‘Nick might just want to know that he’s not the only guy interested in you…’

‘He isn’t interested in me.’

‘I’ll distract Cat—’

‘Cat?’ What cat? What was Lily on about?

‘His date for the evening. She likes to call herself that. Her real name’s Nancy. I met her briefly in my modelling days.’

‘I don’t think—’

‘Quite right. Don’t think. Thinking just complicates matters.’ She pushed Rose out towards where Nick was standing and holding court with several of the pony-tailed men.

There she went. Chivvying again. What was she supposed to say to Nick? She just wanted to go home, but the redhead was being suitably distracted and the pony-tail brigade was breaking up, heading off, leaving her alone with him.

‘My sister wanted your girlfriend to meet a friend of hers…’ was all Rose could think of saying. ‘Her name’s Cat, I gather.’

‘She’s not my girlfriend.’

‘Oh. Date, in that case.’ Rose shrugged as if she was bored with the business of him splitting hairs. ‘It’s been nice meeting you again, Nick. I’m off now.’

‘Wait just a minute.’ He caught hold of her arm as she was turning away and Rose tensed. ‘How much have you had to drink?’

‘What I’ve had to drink has nothing to do with you.’

‘No? How are you going to get back to your house?’

‘In a taxi. With Lily.’ Where was her sister, anyway? ‘Or not, as the case may be.’ Her skin burnt where he was holding her, bringing back memories she wanted to forget, and she looked at him with unhidden hostility.

‘I’ll take you home.’

‘You’ll do no such thing.’ Alarm and panic slammed into her with such force that she took a step backwards.

‘Your sister’s not around and nor are any of those creeps who were drooling down your front all night.’

‘They were not creeps. In fact—’ she smirked ‘—Ted’s desperate to get in touch with me. He’s a movie producer, you know.’ Or maybe it was advertising. She couldn’t quite remember.