Page 50 of Worth Every Penny
Nico rolls his lips. “He cleans stuff up for us. There’s nothing to worry about. It’ll be like last night never happened.”
Like it never happened. Didn’t I say something like that last night? Uncomfortable memories tug at my mind, but I can’t put them together.
“That’s good.” I sit back in my seat, but then a thought occurs to me and I lean forward again, turning to stare at Nico. “Hold on. You have a fixer who sorts all kinds of crap out for you, but you couldn’t get hold of my address last night?”
Checkmate.
My words hover in the air, as close to a direct accusation as I dare to get right now. A few moments of silence pass and then Nico mutters something under his breath that I can’t make out.
We drive the rest of the way in silence.
It’s only when we finally draw up outside my family home, and we both get out of the car, that the tension in my abdomen releases.
Nico opens the boot, hands me my bag, and lifts his own out, as well as several boxes I assume are gifts for Mum, which he tucks under his arm.
He clicks the boot closed and we turn at the same moment, colliding in an explosion of bags and boxes.
“Shit,” he mutters, as a box falls from his pile.
The lid topples off and the contents slide halfway out. A shoe. A woman’s shoe.
What?
My heartbeat ramps up.That's not just any shoe.
It’s a pair of shoes, identical to the ones I lost last night.Erica Lefroy’s.It can’t be a coincidence. The side of the box reveals that they’re my size.
But my shoes were last season’s exclusive editions. I bought them in the winter sale, stored them for six months and cracked them out this summer. I’d only worn them a couple of times.How the hell did he source another pair?
My skin buzzes, coming alive with an emotion I can’t name. I look up, but Nico’s frowning at the lone shoe like he’s never seen it before.
“What’s that?” I ask.
He shifts the other parcels in his arms, a small crease forming between his brows. “That’s for you.”
As if it needs no further explanation, he steps over the box and walks straight towards the house.
16
NICO
My mind spins as I walk away from Kate. I wasn’t ready to show her the shoes. I’m not sure I fully intended to do it at all. Erica already thought it was weird that I was desperate to get my hands on a pair at short notice, so I can’t imagine what Kate’s thinking.
Not my proudest moment either, dropping them on the gravel and stepping over them, leaving Kate to pick them up. In my defense, my hands were full, and hers were empty.
I decide to put the incident out of mind; no point worrying about it, or the way Kate looked at that shoe like it was a bomb that was about to detonate in her face.
I stand a little straighter as I head towards the Lansen family home, like my height might ward off Kate’s inquisitive gaze, which I’m pretty sure is still burning holes in the back of my shirt.
This place holds a lot of pleasant memories for me. Due to our fathers' close friendship, Seb, Matt and I were over here often, but I came more than the others because I’m Jack’s contemporary. We went to boarding school together, and thatbond is nearly as unshakable as the one between me and my brothers.
The house itself is a little tired, but it’s still impressive in the way most large commuter homes in the Home Counties are. It’s red brick, with a 1930s arts and crafts feel to it; terracotta tiles decorate the walls like fish scales beneath the windows. The garden must be at least five acres, and there’s a pool and tennis court in the back, and the hot tub… well, that holds one of my more enduring memories.
Mrs. Lansen greets me at the door like a long-lost son. She kisses me on both cheeks, blushing as I put the pile of gifts down on the hall table.
“Mrs. Lansen,” I say. “Thank you for having me. It’s been a long time.”
“Debbie. Call me Debbie. My God, you get better looking every time I see you.” She beams. “Just like your father. You know, if I hadn’t met Gerard first, I’d have been all over your father like a rash.” She lets out a girlish giggle, and I force myself to smile politely. “Don’t stay away so long next time.”