A Safe Pair of Hands (15 page)

“
Look,” she said suddenly. “There is less than an hour to go
before our work day is done; so why don't you skip off
early?”

Sadie smiled gratefully. “I really want to get these bits
finished; they shouldn't take me too long...”

“
I can do them,” Marcy jumped in. “I mean you stayed at your
desk the other day so that I could go off for my dental
appointment; and then you were okay with me taking a longer lunch,
so let me do this for you, Sadie.”

“
Oh I don't know...”

“
I think that Marcy is right,” Nick cut into their
conversation. “Finishing a bit early today, and letting Marcy do
some of your work, well it won't bring the world crashing down
around our ears.”

“
Oh well,” Sadie sighed. “If you are both going to
insist...”

“
We are,” Marcy nodded emphatically and flashed a quick look in
Nick's direction. “Now, just run through that paperwork with
me...”

Ten minutes later, Sadie was wrapped in her coat, and waiting
by the elevator.

“
Are you okay to get home?” Nick asked from behind
her.

She turned to smile up at him. “Oh yes... I really am well you
know, and so I thought that I would go and do a bit of shopping –
on my way home.”

He frowned. “Does that mean having to walk the way you were
going the other day?”

“
Yes, but there is still plenty of daylight yet, and there are
bound to be people...”

“
Hang on, I will just get my coat and I'll walk you into the
town centre.”

“
There really is no need!”

He smiled, but his eyes were firm. “I could do with a breath
of fresh air.”

It was really nice walking along with Nick beside her, but how
she would have loved for him to have held her hand, or touched her
arm – or something that made it seem less impersonal, and more
romantic.

They left the pavement to cut through the pedestrian section,
and the silence and tranquillity seemed to embrace them.

“
I know that we said that we would keep work on a business
footing, but I find that I really need to do this.”

He stopped and took her in arms to turn her around and kiss
her gently on the mouth.

He took his time about it, but did not turn it into anything
deeper, and Sadie could have stood there like that all
day.

It was damp and chilly though, and when he did finally pull
back she gave a little shiver.

“
There now, that will have to keep us going until
later.”

He took her hand and slipped it into his deep pocket, and they
walked the rest of the way into the town centre.

Once they reached the pavement again, with the traffic, and
people, Nick stopped walking.

“
Well I guess that you should be safe enough now,” he said with
a little sigh.

“
I think that I would have been safe enough anyway,” Sadie
smiled up at him apologetically.

He kissed her gently on the cheek. “'Think' is not safe enough
for my peace of mind.” he told her seriously, but then grinned
suddenly. “Enjoy your shopping – but be ready when I come for you,
because I suspect that if I step foot into your house – then we
won't get out again in too much of a hurry!”

*

Sadie spent a delightful two hours shopping for Christmas
presents. She had made a list of the things that she wanted to buy
and so it was just a matter of going to the right shops for the
right items. Of course she saw other things on the way, and so her
goods outnumbered her list by almost twice as much.

But she was brimming with happiness, as she queued for her
bus, even though her arms ached from all the bags and she felt more
than a little bit hot and bothered. She absolutely loved this time
of year, and this Christmas promised to be one of the happiest in a
long time for her.

It was gone five by the time the bus left the station, and so
she knew that by the time that she got home, she would not have
time to go through her items – indeed she would have to really get
her skates on, if she was to be ready for six thirty.

She flicked the lights on as soon as she entered her house,
and lugged her bags straight up the stairs to her spare
room.

The bed where little Pete had 'almost' spent the night, had
been stripped down so that she could wash the bedding and put it
away.

Sadie dumped her bags down on the mattress with a little gasp
of relief, but did not hang around long enough to catch her
breath.

She ran back down the stairs and put the kettle on to boil,
and then went around closing the curtains and switching on a few
lights.

The place felt so much the brighter for that, and she sat
munching on a couple of biscuits before pouring out a much needed
cup of tea.

It was almost six o'clock by now, and so Sadie took her cup
with her, back up the stairs, and left it on her dressing table
whilst she dove in the shower; and then sat sipping her tea with a
damp towel wrapped around her.

Nancy was informal with her little dinner parties, and so
though she would have loved to have dressed up, for Nick; Sadie
happily tied her hair back into a long pony tail, and then she
dusted on a very light make up, before pulling on slacks and a
sweater.

She hooked in some pretty, dangling earrings, and then stood
back to examine her reflection critically.

“
Good enough,” she nodded in satisfaction.

She slipped into some flat comfortable shoes – her feet were
still aching a bit from all that shopping, and then picked up her
empty mug and took it back down with her.

She glanced at her watch and then shrugged. Nearly half an
hour until Nick said that he would come to pick her up.

There was time enough for another cup of tea and a couple more
biscuits.

*

When Nick pressed her door bell a little later, she answered
looking bright and calm and cheerful, as though she had spent the
day relaxing and chilling out.

“
I thought that you were going shopping?” Nick asked as he
looked her up and down appreciatively.

She looked young and fresh and full of life, but she also
looked all soft and cuddly as well.

His hands twitched with the urge to touch her and see if she
was a soft as she promised.

“
Oh I did,” she nodded as she slipped into her coat, and
grabbed her keys and her handbag. “I spent a very successful couple
of hours, shopping.”

“
And yet you look as fresh as a daisy.”

Sadie laughed as she stepped outside and pulled her front
door. “Oh you should have seen me an hour ago; it was so not a
pretty sight!”

Chapter Sixteen

It was a really fun evening for both Sadie and
Nick.

They spent the first hour at Nancy's house, just sitting on
the floor and playing with little Pete. This gave Rob and Nancy the
chance to finish cooking the meal, and serve it, without having to
keep an eye on little Pete.

Nancy came strolling into the living room, just as Nick was
tickling Pete after a game of hide and seek.

“
Right then you lot,” she said sternly. “Grubs just about up,
so I expect you all to go and wash your hands before you sit at my
dinner table.”

The three of them grinned at each other before piling off to
the downstairs bathroom.

“
Lukk mmommmy!” little Pete chirped up. “Moi hundz are all
clein now!” he held his little hands up to her, and Nancy dutifully
examined them.

“
Mine too!” Sadie said waving her fingers under her sister's
nose.

“
And mine,” Nick held his hands out flat.

“
Good, good – very good all of you,” Nancy nodded as she led
them through to her dining room, where Rob was just finished
placing the dinner plates – complete with steaming hot
food.

Little Pete sat next to his dad and across from Sadie and
Nick, and he was as good as gold during the meal.

It was a Friday and since he was being so well behaved, he was
allowed to stay up a little later tonight, even though he was
already in his pyjamas; but by the time the meal was done, he was
already looking drowsy.

“
I think that it's time for someone to go to bed!” Rob declared
as he stood up and gently scooped up his little son.

“
I wan' 'Sissy an, an Nuckk tu take mei!” Pete whimpered
sleepily.

Rob looked across at Sadie who nodded enthusiastically even as
she jumped up.

“
Absolutely!” She reached out her arms, and Pete went
willingly.

“
We'll put the dishes in the dishwasher, and make a pot of
coffee, while you do that.” Nancy declared.

They spent a good ten minutes with little Pete. At first he
wanted a story, but then he decided that he was too tired for that,
and so Sadie and Nick knelt by his bed and crooned and warbled
their way through a couple of half remembered lullabies,
instead.

Sadie gently stroked his hair away from his eyes, and when he
did not so much as flinch she sighed quietly.

“
I think that he is asleep,” she whispered softly.

They left the room, leaving the door slightly ajar and hand in
hand walked back down the stairs.

Rob and Nancy were still in the kitchen, and Rob had his arms
around his wife as he kissed her passionately.

“
Oh my,” Sadie blushed as she backed away. She cast a quick
glance at Nick, who looked amused and the two of them slipped into
the living room instead.

“
Pete's fast off!” she called lightly as she sat down beside
Nick on the sofa.

A few seconds later, Rob walked in carrying a tray, and
followed by Nancy who looked a little flushed.

Sadie could not resist a little giggle, and Rob met her eye,
and grinned knowingly.

The four of them sat talking long into the evening, and it was
so nice that everyone seemed to get along so well.

“
Mum and dad will be back on Monday,” Sadie suddenly said
thoughtfully. “And so I thought that I might cook a dinner for them
– to welcome them home?”

Nancy nodded. “They would really like that, I think; but I
would leave it until Tuesday or Wednesday if I was you.”

“
As a matter of fact, I was thinking that it would be nice for
us all to be together, and I would really like for them to meet
Nick as well,” she said as she glanced at him
uncertainly.

“
Well then I am afraid that Friday is the only evening that I
am free next week,” Rob said apologetically.

“
Okay Friday it is then... if you are available,
Nick?”

He smiled at her but his eyes searched hers for a moment. “I
would like that,” he nodded. “But why not do it at my house, I have
a bigger dining table, which should seat everyone quite
comfortably.”

“
That would be really good for us too,” Nancy grinned, “Because
we can walk round and walk back as soon as little Pete has had
enough.”

“
So that's set then? Everyone put it in your diaries for next
Friday.” Sadie said decisively. “I'll ring mum first thing on
Tuesday and let her know.”

Nick bit back a grin at her bossy tone, as he nodded his head
solemnly and as he glanced at Nancy he could see her eyes sparkling
with humour as well.

As their eyes met, they shared a moment of amusement at
Sadie's expense, but it was amusement filled with love and
affection for her.

The evening was a very pleasant one for all of them, but it
had to end at some point, even though it was gone midnight when it
did.

Nancy and Rob saw them out, and Rob stood with his arm around
his wife as they waved Sadie and Nick off.

Sadie gave a sleepy little yawn as she relaxed into the warm
comfort of Nick's car, and he cast her quick glance as he drove
down the quiet dark roads.

“
You look tired,” he smiled.

“
I guess I am,” Sadie nodded. “But then I am not really used to
staying out this late.”

“
No, me neither.”

She sat up straighter in the car. “And I've made it worse for
you for making you drive me home,” she realised
suddenly.

“
Well it is where you live after all.”

“
We... we could have stayed at your house though?” she blurted
out awkwardly.

Nick gave a little sigh. “I look forward to the night that you
sleep in my bed, Sadie,” he said quietly. “More than anything else
I look forward to that... but I am trying to be discrete with our
relationship, and keep it low key, whilst we find our way; and that
is very difficult with your sister living right next door to
me.”

“
I suppose so,” Sadie mumbled doubtfully.

He drove the short distance to Sadie's home, and pulled up
outside.

He walked around the car to help her out, and then walked with
her to her front door.