Page 27 of One Month's Notice

“Bye then!”

She took a deep breath, held the tube in one hand, and pulled her rucksack onto her shoulder. Nat hoped he would be on his own for a change as she walked towards his office. She slowed down as she reached the door.

“Typical,” she muttered under her breath on seeing a glimpse of Clara through the glass. She turned on her heels to walk away just as the door opened.

“The restaurant is booked for 7pm.” She heard Clara say to Michael as they walked out. “So that means we have time for some cocktails beforehand.”

Nat picked up her pace and let the rucksack drop from her shoulder. She shoved the cardboard tube inside and pulled the zip across roughly, catching her finger in the process.

“Shit.” Her hands shook as she sucked her finger to ease the pain. The numbers showed the lifts were still on the ground floor. The last thing Nat wanted was to share a confined space with that woman. She couldn’t bear the thought of any further humiliation, not in front of Michael. She pushed the door to the stairwell and began making her way down, her mood dipping a little further with each step.

Chapter thirteen

Thursday 12th May

Nat pulled up her hood and zipped her coat higher as she stepped off the bus. The recent spell of spring sunshine had been short-lived, replaced by a morning of torrential showers. It was only a short walk to Michael’s apartment, so she picked up the pace to avoid getting drenched further. As she turned the corner, the large doors to Michael’s building swung open. A figure stepped out holding a large black umbrella. Nat’s stomach lurched and she stopped in her tracks. In a panic, she jumped into a shop doorway and shielded her face—just enough to not be recognised, but still able to peek out. She watched as Clara walked down the other side of the street and away from where Michael lived.

Nat’s pulse raced, thumping against her chest until it almost hurt. She took a deep breath in through her nose. The damp air, heavy with acidic car fumes, flooded her lungs. She couldn’t understand why her reaction to seeing Clara leaving Michael’s apartment had been so intense. It wasn’t like there was anything going on between them. The tiniest spark of attraction at his apartment the week before hadn’t grown into anything significant. In fact, Nat questioned whether it had been entirely in her imagination.

When she was sure Clara was far enough away, Nat stepped out of the doorway and back into the rain. She waited at the edge of the pavement for the traffic to clear.

“Well, who Michael sleeps with has got absolutely nothing to do with me,” she muttered to herself.

Just as she was about to cross the road, a cyclist sped past and straight through a puddle, sending spray in all directions. Nat let out a startled yelp and tried to shield herself. The freezing water soaked her clothes and drenched her shoes, leaving her shivering and deeply annoyed. She glared at the cyclist, who had already disappeared into the distance, oblivious to the chaos they had left behind. Sighing, she shook off the water and crossed the road, wondering if the day could get any worse.

“Hey!” Michael was smiling as he opened the door. “Oh, I didn’t realise it was raining that much. I’ll grab you a towel.”

“Thank you,” Nat said, pulling off her coat. “The speeding cyclist didn’t help the situation.” She untied her laces and worked her feet out of the soggy boots, leaving them in the corner.

“You do look very sorry for yourself!” Michael laughed as he took Nat’s coat.

Nat narrowed her eyes at him. “And you look rather pleased with yourself. Did you have a good night?” The words, laced with annoyance, tumbled out of her mouth before she could stop herself.

“Yes, thanks.” Confusion flashed across Michael’s face and his eyes lingered on her face for a moment. “I’ll hang this up and get you a cup of hot chocolate. You look like you need warming up.”

Nat inwardly kicked herself as he walked off. The words had slipped out without a second thought, and now she was left feeling like a jealous schoolgirl. Michael came back with a soft grey towel and handed it to Nat.

“Here you go,” he said. The friendly smile had returned to his lips.

Nat dried her face and hands, trying to shake off the damp chill that clung to her. She sighed and made her way to the table, hoping that throwing herself into her work would stop her feeling so irritated.

As she powered on her laptop, she stole a glance at Michael bustling around the kitchen. He measured everything to perfection—of course—ensuring the exact ratio of milk to chocolate flakes. It was the complete opposite to Nat, who threw everything in and hoped for the best. He stirred the pan continuously, pausing only occasionally to check the thermometer to ensure it reached the precise temperature. A few minutes later, he carefully placed the mug of hot chocolate on the table. The sweet aroma swirled around Nat’s face. She lifted it up to take a sip, looking at Michael the whole time as he waited for her reaction.

“Oh, my goodness!” A wide smile spread across Nat’s face. “Now, that has to be the best hot chocolate I have ever tasted!”

“Glad you like it.” Michael nodded his head in satisfaction, then sat down behind his computer. “Now we’ve got you warmed up, we’d better get on with work. There’s a lot to sort out over the next few weeks before we make any decisions on investments.”

“Yes, I need you to review the notes I made at yesterday’s meeting. I’m just sending them across to you now.” She clicked to send the email. “They might not be up to Clara’s standards, though.”

“Oh, don’t mind her.” Michael glanced up at her. “She can be a bit bossy sometimes, but she doesn’t mean anything by it.”

“You mean rude and condescending?” Nat had bitten her tongue on how she felt for so long. She wondered if she’d gone a step too far with this outburst.

“Wow!” Michael’s eyes widened. “She’s really got under your skin, hasn’t she?”

His inability to see her flaws was beginning to infuriate Nat. She laced her fingers together, rested her chin on top and looked expectantly at Michael.

“So, what’s the deal with you two, then?”

---