Chapter 20

20

U nknown number. Gennie hesitated, her hand suspended over the device. Then she swiped to answer. ‘Hello?’

There was a pause, long enough for her to consider hanging up.

Then a voice she hadn’t heard in months snaked through the line. ‘Gennie… It’s me, Daniel.’

Her heart stopped and jolted back to life with a vengeance. Anger and disbelief pumped through her veins like liquid nitrogen, freezing her insides. She held her phone in a punishing grip, her tendons strained against her skin. ‘What do you want?’

He sighed, the sound as false as his promises. ‘I dreamt about you last night, Gennie. About the day we met. Do you remember?’

Of course she did. That memory was tattooed on her brain. In the service tent on the set of Last Outpost II – Toxic Nemesis . A film that had never even been released.

Oh, the irony.

He’d been tall, dark, and sporting more red flags than a parade in Peking. She remembered thinking, This guy is trouble. Too pretty. I’ll never have him to myself. Hard pass. But then she’d gone to the bar with him and the others anyway.

Tequila, you traitorous bitch.

She’d wanted something easy, but he’d love-bombed her for the first few months, drowned her in attention until she’d thought, Maybe I was wrong. Maybe he’s really into me. Just enough to make her feel safe, to open up. And once she’d been hooked like a fish, he’d reeled back. Classic narcissistic move. Textbook stuff. Too bad she hadn’t seen it.

‘I miss you, Gennie.’ His voice was scratchy and quivered enough to sound sincere.

He was a great actor. Too bad he wasn’t making any real money with it.

‘No, Daniel. You don’t.’ Her words cut like a scalpel. ‘You miss how you feel when I worship at your altar, but that’s not the same as missing me. You miss my attention, that’s all.’

‘Don’t lash out. I had a lot of time to think and… I realised how special our connection is. I don’t have that with anyone else. Only with you. You’re special, Gennie. We are special. What we have, it’s once in a lifetime.’

More quiver. More emotion. Nothing but theatrical crap to get her back in his thrall.

A laugh ripped from her throat, sharp as broken glass. ‘Oh, you’ve just realised that? After four fucking years! After I’ve been trying to tell you for at least three of them. And why is that? Because I’m in Scotland and you need to put me back on the leash. You can’t stand the fact that I’m not sitting at home, waiting for you to grace me with your presence. You disgusting narcissist. Don’t ever call me again. I swear, I’ll kick your useless pretty arse from here to next Tuesday.’

‘I’m sorry it took me so long to—‘

‘Did you not hear me? FUCK YOU!’ She hit the end call button so hard, she nearly cracked her screen.

The sheer audacity to think he could waltz back into her life with a few empty words. She’d fallen for that horseshit before, but not again. Not when hell froze over and Satan was handing out froyo.

She blocked that number, too.

The kitchen door creaked open, and Nathan’s bulk filled the frame. Brows knitted together as he clocked her state. ‘Everything awright?’

Gennie took a deep breath and forced her features into a smile. ‘Yep. Peachy. Just an ex who doesn’t know how to take a hint.’

There was something dark and protective glinting in his eyes. ‘Want me to have a word with him?’

She huffed in irritation. ‘I’m a grown woman, I can handle my own fallout.’

The second she said it, she knew she could. She was done playing games, done letting boys like Daniel into her life. She deserved better. She deserved a real man. A man like…

Nathan.

It hit her like a roundhouse kick to the solar plexus.

Nathan, who made her feel safer than Fort Knox and more precious than the Crown Jewels. With his crusty shell and marshmallow heart. She wanted more of him. A whole lot more.

‘Let’s go out for dinner tonight,’ the words tumbled out bypassing her brain entirely. ‘Just you and me. Somewhere nice.’

A moment of silence stretched between them as she held her breath, waiting for his response.

He blinked and surprise flashed across his features. ‘Right. But I’d need a babysitter for Abby tonight.’

‘Nathan, please.’ Her voice cracked, and she hated it. ‘I need to get out the house before I climb out of my own skin.’

He sighed. ‘I’ll ask Martin and Gordon. They love spoiling her rotten. Where do you want to go?’

Gennie grinned. Triumph fizzed through her veins. He didn’t scramble for excuses, or question her. He was on board, just like that.

So that’s how it’s supposed to feel.

‘Let me do some digging,’ she said. ‘And put on something nice.’

Gennie dropped onto the bed, phone cold and heavy in her hand. Her brain was trapped in a chaotic dance of thoughts about Daniel’s call, her career, whatever this was with Nathan, her future.

She scrolled through her contacts and landed on Melody’s name. If anyone knew where to go out, it was her. That woman had an innate sixth sense in sniffing out hotspots like a truffle pig. With a grin, Gennie hit the call button.

‘Miss Rivers!’

‘Hey, Mel. Long time no chat. How’s the set?’ Gennie twirled a section of hair around her finger.

‘Busy as usual. How are the ankle and ribs? You healing up or just milking it for all it’s worth?’

Gennie sighed. Her rib twinged as if on cue. ’Slowly but surely, but God, I hate being benched. Makes me feel like a useless potato.’ Each missed day piled on like bricks.

‘I bet. Any idea when you’ll be back in action? I’m missing ya.’

‘In two days.’ Gennie sat up straighter. ‘I’ll be taking over a few scenes from Chloe.’

‘Yeah, I heard. That’s a big thing. But not half as interesting as living in the haunted house with Mister McMysterious. Any pet tigers? Drugs?’ Melody’s tone was teasing, itching for gossip.

Heat spread across Gennie’s cheeks. Nathan’s face flashed in her mind, those intense eyes that seemed to peel away her layers and see straight into her soul. ‘He’s not that mysterious once you get to know him. He’s normal, handsome, and kind. Like…really kind.’

‘Whoa, hold up. Handsome? When did that become a thing?’ Melody’s voice shot up a notch. ‘You’ve been holding out on me. Spill it! What’s going on?’

Gennie hesitated. Being around Nathan was like finding calm in the storm. She’d never met anyone who could do that. And she couldn’t hold it in any longer.

‘He’s…different. Not what I expected. Honest as the day is long. And he actually listens when I talk.’

Melody pounced on that. ‘Different, huh? So, have there been any, you know, encounters?’

‘A few, I guess,’ Gennie admitted and her blush deepened to nuclear levels. The memories of last night and this morning sent electricity zipping through her veins. ‘It’s…erm…complicated.’

‘Oh. My. God. No way. You’re riding the Lord of the manor!’ Melody didn’t let her off the hook. ‘How old is he, exactly?’

‘He’s not a lord and yeah, there’s a bit of an age gap.’ She braced herself for Melody’s reaction. ‘And there’s hardly any riding. But it doesn’t feel weird at all. We just…click.’

‘Click, huh?’ She let out a dirty laugh. ‘If that’s what you wanna call it. But how much older are we talking? Like, “you could be his daughter” older?’

‘Not quite. He’s in his late thirties. So, about twelve years.’

Melody whistled low. ‘Alright, alright, alright. But seriously, Gennie, you sure this isn’t just a phase?’

‘It’s…new territory for me.’

Melody wasn’t entirely wrong. Gennie’s mind wandered to his brooding intensity, the way his eyes changed when he looked at her. Like she was the last drop of gin during prohibition. He was…intense on every level.

Melody snorted. ‘New territory, huh? Make sure he doesn’t throw out his back trying to keep up with you. You might need to keep some extra Bengay on hand.’

Gennie laughed. ‘You’re the absolute worst!’

‘I know, I know. But seriously, keep your eyes open and your head on straight,’ Melody said. ‘He must be experienced though. Bet he’s got some kinky vintage moves.’

‘Mel!’ Gennie’s face was hot enough to fry an egg.

‘What? I’m looking out for you, that’s all. And I need all the juicy details,’ Melody teased. ‘Honestly, I wouldn’t mind a piece of hot daddy action myself. The whole “let me show you how it’s done” vibe is hotter than a tamale on the sun. Has he spanked you yet because you’re a naughty girl?’

Gennie laughed. ‘You’re terrible!’

‘Damn right I am. Promise me you’ll be careful, okay? Older guys break your heart harder because they know how it’s all done.’ Melody’s sass didn’t veil her genuine concern. ‘Enjoy. I’m living vicariously through you here, you lucky cow.’

‘I promise. And I’ll keep you updated.’ Gennie’s grin widened.

’Good. I’d expect nothing less. Okay, enough about Mister Hotkilt. Tell me the real reason you called.’

‘I need a favour. Do you know any nice restaurants around here?’

‘Ooh, we’re having a pre-fuck date?’ Melody’s voice dripped with curiosity.

Gennie smiled, and her heart lurched as if it had struck a pothole. ’Maybe. Maybe not. I want to go out to a really nice place, and I doubt he knows any. Doesn’t seem to be his kind of thing. I could barely drag him to the burger place in town.’

‘I see. There’s a cosy little restaurant in the ass end of nowhere, called Tayside Arms. Food to die for, wine that’ll make you weep, intimate atmosphere. That’s where our A-listers hang out occasionally. Heard nothing but good things.’

‘Thanks, Mel. I owe you one.’ Gennie glanced at the clock, and a flutter of butterflies took flight in her stomach. ‘Gotta get ready now.’

‘Have fun, girl. And tell me everything later! I’m dying to know.’

‘Nope. Bye!’ Gennie tossed her phone onto the bed, Mel’s laughter still ringing in her ears. Her lips curled into a smile. She hobbled to the antique wardrobe and opened the doors with a creak. It released a wave of cedar and lavender. Her fingers trailed over the fabrics of her shirts and sweaters, settling on her deep green travel dress. It was always good to pack one outfit for unforeseen circumstances. The fabric never crinkled and hugged her curves in all the right places. It was the kind of dress that turned heads and made men walk into lampposts.

Perfect .

As she laid the dress on the bed, her mind wandered back to Nathan. That burr, as raspy as his three-day stubble and twice as sexy. Those hands … Jesus, those hands.

Yet there was that nagging voice again, whispering doubts. This wasn’t a casual dinner and a shag; it was a high-stakes game of emotional Russian roulette. She was falling harder and faster for him than a skydiver without a parachute. But there was an age difference between them, and her return ticket to the States might as well have been a grenade. Melody was right. If she wasn’t careful, she would end up with her heart splattered all over these Victorian walls.

Gennie shook her head and tried to clear the doubts from her mind like water from her ears after a swim.

She wasn’t even sure what she wanted from him. But one thing she knew for sure: tonight, she’d make it special. Not only for her own sake but for him. If what Gordon and Martin had said was true, Nathan seemed like he was running on empty, all alone with his kid. Did everything for his daughter, nothing for himself.

Tonight, she’d show this devoted single dad a fun evening. Take his mind off things. Let him enjoy himself.

With a determined nod, Gennie grabbed her make-up bag and marched to the bathroom. She had a date to get ready for, and she’d be damned if she let a few doubts get in the way of a good time.