Page 21 of Finding Jacob
“I’m sure I shouldn’t be getting hot flushes,” I said, hoping my makeup would stay put.
“You’re meant to get horny as hell also,” Dory added, whilst stuffing the largest handful of crisps into her mouth.
“For royalty, you sure have poor manners,” I said, laughing as she choked a little. “You want to work on that gag reflex. As for horny, I’ve gone through two packets of batteries in the past month!”
At that, Dory spat her crisps over my lovely Egyptian cotton bedspread.
“Get off! Look at that,” I said, rushing over to wipe the crumbs to the floor.
She laughed as she waved over her shoulder while leaving the bedroom. “Call me later, tell me how you got on. And as for gag reflex, no need, nothing that large is going down my throat.”
I grumbled at her retreating back. With just one glance in the mirror, I also left the room. Usually, before a night out, I might have treated myself to a glass of wine. Instead, I poured a glass of flavoured water. A wave of nausea washed over me, and I dropped the glass. It shattered to the floor, and I gripped the sink.
I felt a hand on my back and instantly knew it was Nathan. He had his own key to my house and would let himself in and out when necessary.
I dry heaved while he rubbed my back. When I was done, I stood up straight.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Yes, this is normal, apparently.”
“Are you sure? That doesn’t look like morning sickness to me.”
“And you’d know...how?”
He chuckled. “I have been around pregnant women before, you know. Now, move out of the way, let me clear this glass up.”
I stepped to the side while he picked up the glass. He then threw a tea towel down and used his foot to swipe it around, mopping up the water.
“What?” he asked, looking at me.
I guessed the mortification showed.
“Nothing, shall we go?” I asked, not wanting to get into a discussion as to why his dirty shoe shouldn’t be on my tea towel.
He was still chuckling as we left the house.
Despite owning a car, I hated to drive, I wasn’t a natural behind the wheel. So, when Nathan came onto the scene, he was perfect for me. I’d been receiving some hate mail, death threats over a campaign I’d allowed some of my models to attend. It had been Dory who had introduced us initially. I assumed he’d been in some sort of security detail before, but he had been as evasive about his life as Jacob had. We’d become firm friends over the years. He looked after me very well.
We drove a short distance into Kent and despite me questioning where we were going, Nathan kept quiet.
“What on earth...?” I mumbled as we pulled through some gates into Biggin Hill private airport. “Nathan?”
“Soon be there,” he said, parking the car.
He opened my door and held out his hand, I took it. He indicated with his other hand towards a helicopter sitting on a piece of runway.
“You are kidding me?” I said, stopping in my tracks. “Who is flying that?”
“Not me, never got to grips with those whirly birds. Now come on.”
“I... I can’t get in that.”
He turned to look at me and laughed. His laughter stopped when he realised I was serious. I’d felt the colour drain from my face.
“What’s wrong, Anna?”
“I’ve never been in a helicopter before. I’m not sure I’d like it.”
