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before she rested her trembling hands on the steering wheel.

 
Chapter Four
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    â€œGood grief, it’s busy today.” Nathalie’s assistant, Gemma, walked past with another bundle of hire suits in her arms.
    â€œTell me about it.” Nathalie looked up from where she had been working in the back storeroom, checking and tagging some of the other suits, which were ready for the dry cleaner to collect.
    Mondays were often busy with weekend hire returns, but that morning had been frantic. Her tummy rumbled with hunger, and she glanced at her watch. Neither she nor Gemma had eaten, and it was almost half past one. “Go and have some lunch, Gemma. I’ll finish these. It seems to have quietened down a little now, anyway.”
    Her assistant didn’t need to be told twice. She deposited the clothes she carried on the table next to Nathalie. “Do you want me to get you something?” She slipped on her coat as she spoke.
    â€œI’ll pop out later when you get back.” She knew Gemma wanted to go and see her boyfriend, who worked in a garage across town. Besides, Gemma’s idea of a healthy diet wasn’t the same as Nathalie’s.
    â€œOkay.” Just then, the shop bell rang. Gemma’s face fell.
    â€œIt’s all right. You go. I’ll see to these.”
    Gemma flashed a grateful smile and left via the back door, while Nathalie walked through from the staff area into the main body of the shop. A tall, familiar figure stood by the window, gazing out on to the high street. She faltered mid-stride, collecting her feelings. “Hello again, Evan. I didn’t expect to see you again before Wednesday.”
    He turned to face her. “I hadn’t realised till I looked at your card that your shop was so near my new office. When I knew how close you were, I thought I’d call in on my lunch break.”
    Nathalie licked lips that had inexplicably dried. “I’m a little busy right now.” She flushed with embarrassment, realising too late how rude her statement sounded. She hadn’t intended it that way.
    Evan let his gaze travel around the empty shop. “Mmm, so I see.”
    â€œI mean, my assistant has just gone for her break, so I’m on my own.” Her inability to conquer her feelings irritated her, and even more so her sudden inability to have a normal, polite conversation.
    Nevertheless, his brow cleared. “Have you had any lunch yourself yet?”
    â€œBelieve it or not, we haven’t stopped all morning.” Nathalie bent to straighten the hem of a gown on a nearby display dummy, glad of the momentary opportunity to dodge Evan’s piercing gaze.
    â€œIt’s almost two now,” he pointed out. “Let me go and get you something to eat.”
    â€œNo, really. I’ll have something when Gemma gets back.” Nathalie straightened up, relieved that the heat had died down from her cheeks.
    â€œYou never did eat properly.” He smiled at her.
    â€œYes, well, you sound like Mum.” He’d always teased her like this before, when he had been her brothers’ friend and she’d been the annoying kid sister. It was an old joke between them, and as he smiled at her now with the endearing laughter lines crinkling the corners of his eyes, her heart raced.
    â€œOkay, well, I’d better get back to the office. I’ll see you on Wednesday.”
    The shop bell pinged, and a customer walked in. Evan raised his hand in a brief goodbye and slipped out of the door.
    When Gemma returned, Nathalie was immersed in helping a nervous bride-to-be try on various tiaras and veils. “There’s a parcel for you in the back,” she murmured.
    â€œParcel?” Nathalie wasn’t expecting a delivery.
    â€œA really handsome guy handed it to me as I came in through the back door. It looks like lunch to me. He gave me a note.” Gemma passed Nathalie a slip of paper.
    Gemma took over