Page 69 of One Month's Notice

Chapter twenty-nine

Wednesday 1st June

Simon weaved through the music cafe with an air of concentration that was typical of him as he balanced a tray heavy with glasses. He approached the table, setting down the drinks as carefully as possible, trying not to waste a drop. Nat watched him, unable to hide her amused smile. Her brother, always the high achiever, even with the simple task of fetching a round.

“Here we are,” he announced, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “Drinks for everyone.”

“I hope one of those is for me!” Lexi arrived at the table like a summer storm, all energy and apologies. “Sorry, I had to finish unpacking boxes in the storage room,” she said, squeezing a chair in between Nat and Enzo and flashing her wide, infectious grin.

Nat reached out, her fingers brushing against the cool surface of her glass, drawing patterns in the condensation. As well as Simon, Lucy was there and excited at the prospect of a rare night out together. Only once they had found a babysitter that wasn’t Nat for a change. Michael was by her side, his serious blue gaze scanning the room, with Enzo opposite, laughing at something Lexi had just whispered to him.

“I’m such a terrible friend. It’s been so crazy here, I haven’t even had time to ask you—how did your interview go yesterday?” Lexi looked expectantly at Nat.

“It went well, I think.” She had hoped to sound casual, but wasn’t convinced she had pulled it off. “But honestly, I won’t hold my breath. The competition was really tough.” Her eyes met Michael’s for a fleeting second, searching for reassurance.

“Nat’s being modest.” Simon’s voice was tinged with the pride of an older sibling. “She’s got talent pouring out of her ears. They would be lucky to have her.”

“Thanks.” Nat offered a small smile, hoping to convey gratitude while her mind spun with doubts.

“Hey, you’ve got this.” Lexi bumped her shoulder against Nat’s. “You’re going to win that contract, no question about it.”

“Absolutely,” Michael added. “I think we all know how good you are.”

“Let’s not jinx it.” Nat laughed, trying to keep the mood light despite the tension coiling within her. “Why don’t we talk about something else?” She was keen to change the subject and turned to Lucy. “So, have you decided about going back to work?”

Lucy’s eyes brightened. “Yes, we’ve agreed I’m going to go back next month. Maternity leave has been wonderful, but I miss nursing.”

Simon leaned back in his seat and put his arm around Lucy in a rare show of affection. “I’m so proud of you.” He smiled at her. “And I’ve decided to cut back on my hours at the office so I can help more at home with Louis.”

“Really?” Nat beamed, her expression a mix of surprise and pleasure. Maybe Simon really was capable of changing his old-fashioned ways after all.

“Absolutely.” Simon planted a quick kiss on Lucy’s cheek.

“Speaking of busy schedules,” Enzo said, turning to Lexi. “How’s everything been going with the cafe?”

“It’s been crazy this weekend. I’ve managed to book music acts for every Friday and Saturday coming up the next few months.” She glanced around the room, a flash of pride on her face as she looked at the busy tables around them. “But it looks like I’ll need to hire more staff soon.”

“Need a charming Italian barista?” Enzo joked with a theatrical waggle of his eyebrows. “I make a mean espresso.”

“Your students would miss you too much,” Lexi teased. Something about the look on her face told Nat that Lexi would love nothing more than to take him up on his offer.

“So, how’s everything at the company since that mess with the gambling firm?” Simon asked Michael, the lawyer in him never quite off-duty.

“Actually, it’s all going to work out OK,” Michael said, turning to look at Nat. “All thanks to you and your sister. We’ve just signed a deal with Ethica. It’s a solid partnership that aligns perfectly with our company values.”

“Ethica,” Simon repeated, nodding approvingly. “Sounds like you’ve made the right choice.”

“Indeed.” Michael took a sip of his drink. “And there’s more.” The weight of his tone suggested this was no trivial update. “It turns out Clara had—let’s say—inappropriate associations with Spinigma. We mutually agreed it would be best for her to leave the company.”

The revelation hit Nat like a wave, her heart hammering against her ribcage as she processed the news. “What do you mean?” She tried to find her voice, but it was barely above a whisper, lost in the noise of the cafe.

“Well, it seems she has been in a secret relationship with one of the partners in the organisation.” Michael raised his eyebrows. “It had been going on for some time and explains why she was so keen for the deal to go through.”

“But surely that’s a conflict of interest?”

“Exactly. That’s why she kept it a secret. That and the fact she was engaged to someone else.”

“Yes, what about her fiancée?” Nat felt a surge of satisfaction at recognising from the start that she wasn’t a woman to be trusted.

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