for that—” she sputtered.
“—but it’s time you learned what we’re dealing with. Things can’t go on as they have.” He studied her. “I’m here to help your family, Natalie. I’m not the enemy.”
“Yes, you were brought on to help Dashwood and James,” Natalie agreed, stung by his criticism, “so I suggest you stick to your hire agreement, and do your job. But my behaviour – and my relationship with Dom – is none of your bloody business!”
Rhys threw down his own napkin. “I don’t give a shit about your relationship with that guitar-smashing fuckwit,” he snapped. “It’s your life; throw it away however – and with whomever – you wish. But I’d appreciate it if you’d refrain from making yourself the next four-colour photo op in the Daily Mail…for the store’s sake, if not your own.”
She blinked, outraged. “How dare you! You have no right—”
“I haven’t time to waste discussing your messy personal life, Miss Dashwood. I’ve better things to do, like trying to keep your grandfather’s stores solvent. Because the truth is,” he added coldly, “some of us actually do have to work for a living.”
Natalie blinked, too astonished to speak. The diners nearest to them had gone quiet; even the clink of silverware had ceased. Mortification washed over her as she realised they’d heard every outrageous word Rhys said to her.
“You can run grandfather’s company however you like, Mr. Gordon,” Natalie said, her voice unsteady as she pushed her chair back. “But you won’t run me. I’m not one of your projects, and I don’t need advice on how to conduct my messy life – particularly not from a rude, arrogant prat like you. So you can just – fuck right off!” She let out a single, hiccupping sob and fled.
As she emerged on the street, fury catapulted her forward. She scrabbled in her handbag for her sunglasses and thrust them on. Her head was pounding and her thoughts were in turmoil.
She pondered various ways to kill Rhys Gordon. Which would be more satisfying – a slow, torturous death, or something quick and violent? Tough call, that…
“Natalie!” someone shouted behind her. “Is it true you’re having an affair with Rhys Gordon?”
Suddenly she was surrounded by paparazzi, jostling one another as they thrust microphones and cameras in her face. “How long have you two been seeing each other?”
“Will Rhys turn the company round, or is Dashwood and James past redemption?”
“Tell us, Natalie – is Gordon as hard-driving in bed as he is in the boardroom?”
“No comment,” she managed, flustered. She began to tremble. Thank God she had sunglasses on; if they saw her tears, they’d probably say she’d had a lovers’ spat with Rhys!
“What does Dominic Heath think of your new boyfriend?”
“Rhys Gordon is not my new boyfriend!” Natalie sputtered. “He’s not my boyfriend at all!”
Suddenly Rhys appeared, thrusting his way through the crowd of reporters, and took possession of her arm.
“Is it true, Rhys?” a female reporter for the Mirror called out. “Are you and Natalie an item, or not?”
“What does Miss Dashwood say?” he countered, unperturbed.
“She says you’re not.”
He glanced at Natalie, his expression unreadable. “Then we’re not.” He turned back to the reporters. “Now bugger off, the lot of you.”
Shaken, she let Rhys draw her away. “Thanks,” she murmured, and cast a hunted look over her shoulder as the media hounds dispersed to return to their cars and news vans to sniff out a story elsewhere. “They came out of nowhere. Even after two years with Dom, I still hate it.”
Reporters had often waited outside Dom’s townhouse in Primrose Hill, hoping for a quote or a photograph. It was a nuisance; but it went with the territory when you dated a pop star.
No, far worse was the débâcle with her father when she was a child. Journalists had loitered at the gates to her family’s Warwickshire home for days, bristling with microphones and cameras, and shouted rapid-fire questions at the car as mum drove past, questions ten-year-old Natalie hadn’t understood.
But at least mum had shielded her and her sister Caro from the worst of it…
Natalie realised that Mr. Gordon had spoken. She looked up at him with a guilty start. “I’m sorry, what?”
He raised a brow. “You were a million miles away. Are you all right?”
She nodded. “A bit shaken, that’s all. I’m fine.”
“You never really get used to it,” he observed, and walked beside her as they headed back to Sloane Street. “The media, that is. You learn to handle them,” Rhys said, “and you learn to be firm. That’s the only thing they understand.”
She gave him a sidewise glance. “Spoken like someone who’s been there.”
“I have, more than once.” A shadow passed over his face, gone as quickly as it came. “I’m sorry if I was a bit hard on you in the restaurant.”
“It’s all right.” She added, “It won’t be easy to turn Dashwood and James around, you know.”
“Believe me, I know.” His words were grim. “The store’s finances are a bloody mess, and I’ve a lot of work ahead to get things sorted. But I shouldn’t take my frustration out on you. I apologise.”
“Sorry I told you to fuck off.”
Rhys smiled briefly. “Forget it. If you’ve time when we get back, Miss Dashwood, I’ll show you a couple of spreadsheets to demonstrate how bad things really are.”
Natalie groaned. “I despise spreadsheets, truly. But I suppose I could fit it in. I haven’t any ships to christen at the moment.”
As they rounded the corner onto Sloane Street, Natalie was conscious of his hand at her back. She realised that her headache was gone.
“Shit.” Rhys slowed his pace. Several reporters waited outside the store. “Normally I’d deal with them, but I haven’t time today. Come on, we’ll slip in the back entrance.”
But they’d been spotted. With a couple of shouts, the journos abandoned the front steps and pelted after them.
Natalie, her hand gripped tightly in Rhys’s, ran with him around the corner and gasped, “This is crazy!”
As they ducked into the store’s service lift, Rhys glanced back at her. “You’re not upset?”
“Why would I be upset?”
“Well, we’re being chased by the paparazzi…your famous ex-boyfriend is engaged
