Chapter 20 Thus this win my title back?
Jesus Christ. This is me getting a little glimpse into just how much pull Natte Johnson actually has. But he’s just so erratic. He takes me for a simple dinner to an Alpine ranch, well maybe not simple, as he did hire the place out but still, it was a ranch with a serene environment. And now today, he’s flown in mini cakes from Brazil.
I feel like my head is spinning from just being around him. I don’t remember him being this confusing when I was younger. Straight talking, yes. Confusing, no.
“So what does your boyfriend think of you working for a star?” he asks out of the blue, taking a sip of his coffee after he's half done with his cigarette that he carelessly throws in the ashtray next to his chair.
And there’s the straight talking.
“Um … I … um … he doesn’t think anything yet, because I haven’t had a chance to tell him.”
That’s a lie. I’ve had all morning to ring Pine and tell him, but I’m not sure how he’ll take it, so I’m putting it off until tonight when I’ve fed him and seduced him, then I’ll tell him. Suddenly the idea of seducing Pine while here with Natte doesn’t feel alluring at all. It actually makes me feel quite unwell.
“I’m going to tell him tonight when I see him,” I add.
He puts his coffee down and takes a drag of air. “Are you doing anything nice?”
“When?”
“Tonight.”
“Oh, um, no, Will’s just coming round to my flat to have some dinner.”
He’s staring at my face, his own impassive.
“How did you meet him?”
“I knew him from University and we bumped into each other on a night out a few years ago. He asked me out and we’ve been together since.”
“But you don’t live together.”
“No.”
“Do you think you’ll marry him?”
What? Personal much. This guy is still the same, how protective he'd been when I'll just joined junior high school back then. I shift uncomfortably in my seat. I hate it when he starts being direct like this.
I feel like I’m up for a job interview, I’m just not actually sure of the job. Unless he has another one lined up for me that he’s also not told me about. For want of something to do with my fidgety hands, I dip my finger in the cream of my half-eaten bun again and pop it in my mouth.
I notice Natte staring at my mouth.
I quickly pull my finger out and dry it on a napkin. “Well I was proposing marriage to you a few minutes ago,” I laugh. He doesn’t.
“I don’t know,” I shrug, turning serious. “It’s not something I’ve thought about. I guess I don’t really see myself ever getting married.”
He has another drag of his coffee. “Why?”
I shrug again, looking down. I’m not going to tell him that I don’t think any guy would ever ask me to marry him. Not to mention Pine, whom I don't even know where I stand with him.
“I always figured you’d end up with a cool office guy,” he says, in a low voice.
I look up at him surprised. Surprised that he even considered that about me.
“So how long are you in Texas for?” I ask, for want of a subject change.
“I’m flying back to London first thing in the morning.”
“Oh,” I say, disappointed he’s leaving so soon. “Do you have a private jet?” I ask, being nosy.
“Yeah. It’s the band's.”
“You mean the band which you own.”
“Hmm.”
Bloody hell, he’s got his own private jet.
“So the next time I see you will be at the resort.”
“Yes.”
I feel quite sad that I’m not going to see him for two weeks.
“Some best friend you are,” I pout, jokingly. “You do remember that in the contract for being my best friend it has a beck and call clause in it, don’t you? I mean what if I need … I don’t know, chocolates from Belgium, who’s gonna get them while you’re off in London? I don’t know, Natte, I might have to seriously consider trading you in,” I grin.
He chuckles, amused. “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you don’t miss me.”
“I never said I’d miss you.”
“You never said you wouldn’t.”
God, he’s so bloody quick. I’m getting whiplash just sitting here with him.
“I just want you for your cupcakes,” I say jesting. “And talking of cakes, will you help me eat some of them before I scoff them all and get seriously fat … and while you’re at it tell me about the stay too?”
“I can’t ever imagine you’d get fat, Shia … but your wish is my command.”
And he grins in that sexy way he does; the one where I definitely know there’s something going on behind it, I’m just not entirely sure what, as he leans forward and picks up one of the cakes.
Pine is at the door with a bottle of wine in his hand, looking as handsome as always. Just that this time he didn't come via the window.
“Hey,” he says pulling me into his arms, he kisses me firmly on the mouth.
“Hey yourself,” I smile up at him.
He releases me and I walk back down the hall and into the living room. Darla is still away with Dreg so it’s just me and Pine, and I have big plans of seduction for him, and then to tell him about working for Natte and managing his room at the resort.
“Are you ready to eat now? Dinner’s ready.”
“Definitely, I’m starving. What are we having?”
“Roasted herb chicken with garlic mashed potatoes and sautéed asparagus,” I answer heading for the kitchen.
Pine follows me into the kitchen and sets about opening the wine, while I dish up the meal. I carry both our plates through to the living room, putting them down on the coffee table, while Pine brings through the wine.
I sit down on the floor and Pine sits opposite me. I take a sip of my wine, watching as he digs into the meal.
“This is good,” he says. “You make the best roast ever.”
“Thank you, baby.”
Seeing as though he’s happy with my culinary skills I decide to tell him about the resort now. I spoke to him this afternoon on the phone, he’d called when I was out at lunch so I called him back. For some reason I didn’t tell him I’d had lunch with Natte. I think mainly it was because I would have had to tell him about the new deal and I wanted to do that tonight. He did quiz me about my night with Natte though, naturally, which I also downplayed quite a lot.
He scoffed when I said we’d been to the ranch. It really annoyed me to be honest, he can be such a snob at times, so I didn’t even bother to explain the relevance of it to Natte and me.
“So I was … um … offered this amazing opportunity at work today.”
“Oh yes?” he says, forking more food into his mouth.
“Well … Natte … Johnson has asked the resort to host his band in his concert… and well … he’s asked me to manage his room.”
“Really? Should I be jealous?” he says.
“It's a big deal. But … um … the other thing is that to do so I’ll have to stay at the resort with the band, you know to follow Natte around, provide everything he needs. Especially as it’s his first and last concert in the music industry without Jonny.”
Pine's brows knit together. “So you’re going on a concert with Natte Johnson?”
“Yes, and the rest of the band.”
“So my woman, my very beautiful own woman is going on a concert with a bunch of musicians, one of whom is Natte Johnson, the notorious womanizer.”