Page 33 of One Month's Notice

The moment was interrupted as Nat laughed at the sound of Michael’s stomach rumbling.

“I guess it’s dinner time!” Michael grinned. “Enzo and I can pick up some takeout. Any requests?”

“Ooh, how about Indian?” Nat began scooping up the wallpaper trimmings from the floor. “I’m craving something spicy.”

“Indian sounds perfect. That OK with you both?”

Lexi nodded and offered a paint-splattered thumbs-up. “We’d better start clearing away then.”

“I’ll grab my coat.” Enzo offered his hand to Lexi to help her down the ladder. “Anything in particular you like?”

“A bit of everything?” Lexi threw her hands in the air and shrugged. “I’m terrible at deciding.”

“We’ll be back as soon as we can.” Michael smiled at Nat as he held the door open for Enzo.

“So…” Lexi waited for only a second after the door had clicked shut. “You and Michael seem to be getting on well.”

“Stop it! We’re just work colleagues, that’s all.” Nat felt her cheeks flush, instantly betraying the fact that she had been thinking the same thing all afternoon.

“Mm-hmm, sure.” Lexi pursed her lips together and folded her arms across her chest. “Because work colleagues always give up their weekends to help decorate a shop with absolutely no ulterior motive whatsoever.”

“He’s just a kind person who was at a loose end.” Nat busied herself with tidying away the paint trays, doing her best to avoid Lexi’s stare. “Anyway, talking about ulterior motives and getting on well. What about Enzo?”

“He is…” Lexi looked towards the ceiling, lost for a moment in her thoughts. “He is very lovely. But, as always, you are trying to shift the attention away from you.” She shook her head and narrowed her eyes. “How has it been at work?”

“Since the incident a couple of weeks ago, it’s actually been OK. Michael seems happy with my work, and it’s definitely getting easier. I don’t think it will ever be my dream job, but at least it keeps Simon off my back for a while.”

Nat was surprised to discover how much she enjoyed updating Lexi about her new life in the corporate world, discussing office politics, and sharing the latest rumours of a potential romance in the accounts department.

“Oh, and then there’s this woman Clara.” Nat rolled her eyes. “I met her for the first time this week.” Before she could go into any more detail, Michael and Enzo returned with arms full of food and a couple of bottles of wine.

“We’re back!” Michael began spreading out the containers onto the counter. “I hope you’re hungry.”

“We’ve got enough food here to last a month.” Enzo piled their plates high with aromatic curry and rice and brought them over to the table.

“It smells amazing!” Lexi reached for some glasses from the cupboard and handed them to Nat, ready to be filled by the bottle she had just opened.

“Cheers!” The sound of four glasses clinking together echoed around the shop, signalling the shift from hard work to playtime.

Nat leaned back against her chair and took a long sip of red wine, enjoying the feeling of warmth as it flowed down and settled in her full stomach. Across from her, Michael was smiling, his blue eyes crinkling at the corners. She had never seen him look so carefree before. As the evening progressed, laughter and conversation flowed easily. While Enzo entertained them with funny tales from his classroom, the wine bottles steadily emptied.

Lexi poured the last of her wine down her throat and jumped up from her seat. “We shouldn’t just be sitting here. This is a music cafe.” She made her way to the keyboard that was set up near the stage area. “It’s time for some music!”

The melody of a lively jazz tune filled the air as Lexi’s fingers flowed across the keys, accompanied by her beautiful voice. Enzo grabbed two wooden brushes and started drumming along on the counter, keeping a perfect rhythm. Nat watched as the pair grinned at each other, communicating the rise and fall of the song through unwavering eye contact.

Her attention shifted as she noticed Michael stand up, swaying a little tipsily to the music. He held out a hand to her, and she allowed him to pull her to her feet, giggling as they twirled around the cafe. Nat couldn’t remember the last time she had laughed so much. As the wine kept pouring, her inhibitions melted away. She let Michael, his warm hand a perfect fit on the small of her back, lead her around the space that would soon be filled with tables, chairs, and happy customers. At that moment, the rest of the world faded away. It was just the two of them, lost in the music.

Michael gazed down at her, reflections from the light dancing in his blue eyes. Nat’s heart fluttered in her chest. She tried to tell herself they must keep things professional between them. But it was so tempting to get lost in this feeling…this connection. The song slowed to a stop and they paused, holding each other close. Nat held her breath, wondering what was going to happen next. His face was just inches from hers.

Lexi’s voice rang out in the brief silence. “Uh-oh, looks like we’re out of wine!”

Nat and Michael stepped away from each other, the spell broken. Nat’s cheeks flushed as she smoothed down her shirt, her attention suddenly drawn to a spot of stray paint on the floor. She used the point of her toe to release the fleck, taking much longer than necessary.

“Luckily, there’s a shop just down the road. Enzo and I can go grab some more.”

“Oh, you don’t have to do that.” Nat started to protest, but Lexi waved her hand dismissively.

“It’s no trouble at all. We won’t be long.” She grabbed Enzo’s arm. “Come on, we can carry on jamming when we get back. You’re quite the talented drummer!”

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