Mr Spencer(42)

Spence





I blow out a dejected breath. He doesn’t know what’s going on because I hardly know myself. I loiter around work for a half an hour, and finally come to a conclusion: there’s no harm in talking to him I suppose.

Mr Spencer

My number is 07712345678





A reply comes back immediately.

I have a business dinner on tonight. I’ll call you when I get home around 9pm.





Spence: xoxo





I stare at the hugs and kisses, and I feel my heart flutter. He’s calling me tonight. I want to spin around on my chair in excitement.

I won’t, of course. I’ll pretend, even to myself, that this is an inconvenience.

I click the email closed and turn my attention to Sarah and Paul. “You guys want to go to the pub for drinks after work?” I ask.

Paul shrugs. “Yeah, why not? May as well. I’ve got nothing but mouldy cheese in my fridge at home, anyway.”

Sarah smiles and types away on her keyboard. “Yes, but can we go to the Grange?” “Sure, but why?”

“That place is Hot Dick City.”

Paul rolls his eyes. “I take it you’ve gotten over that other chump in the last half an hour then?”

“God, yes.” She fixes her hair. “His loss. I’m way too hot for him, anyway. Spencer bloody who?”





*



I glance at my watch: it’s 9:30 p.m. Maybe he isn’t going to call after all.

I make myself a cup of tea and sit at the kitchen island. I love this apartment. It already feels like home.

My phone dances across the bench and an unknown number pops up.

It’s him.

My heart begins to race, and I blow out a deep breath to try and calm myself down.

“Hello.”

“Hello,” his mischievous, deep voice says down the phone. I find myself smiling just from the sound of his voice.

“Hello, Mr Spencer.”

He chuckles. “Always so formal.”

I press my lips together, too nervous to speak in case I say something stupid.

“What’s going on?” he asks.

“Nothing serious. I just wanted to see what it was like working in another environment where people didn’t know my father. You won’t say anything, will you?”

“To who? I don’t know any of your family’s aristocrat peers.”

“I know,” I murmur, suddenly feeling stupid.

“Does your father know where you are?”

“He knows I’m in London, but he thinks I’m working at my regular job. Edward and Dad are overseas for six weeks. I thought it was a good opportunity to have some fun.”

He inhales sharply. “By fun, you mean sex?”

I smirk. Why does he always have to be so upfront? “No, I mean spend time with Beth, my friend. Work a different job. Meet new people, things like that.”

“Haven’t your guards snitched on you?”

“No, they don’t know what I’m doing, either. They stay on the ground floor of my office building and meet me on my breaks or when I finish.”

He hesitates. “Let me get this straight—you’ve moved to London for six weeks and are pretending to be someone else and nobody at all knows?”

I run my finger along the edge of the kitchen counter. “Beth knows, and now… you.”

“And what about him?”

I frown. “Who?”

“The man you slept with?” He’s clearly annoyed.

“Oh.” I scrunch my eyes shut. God, this is the biggest lie I’ve ever told. “No, he doesn’t know.”

“So, he’s still communicating with you as Charlotte.”

“Yes.”

He stays silent for a moment. “I take it you are in a relationship with him then?”

My eyes widen. “N-no,” I stammer. “No, it was just a one-time thing.”

“Why would you give your virginity to someone for a one-time thing?” he snaps, and I can hear tension in his voice.

Shit…. I close my eyes. “It just happened, Spencer. It’s over now and I would rather not talk about it, please.”

“Is that why you moved to London and are carrying on with this fa?ade? You were hurt? Or were you just running away from him?”

“No. It really was a one-time thing, and now it’s over. Did you call me to talk about my past because I’m quite sure there is a lot of your history that we can discuss instead.”

He falls silent, eventually speaking softly. “Can I see you?”

God, I would like that.

“Perhaps we could go out to dinner when my father gets home?” I offer.

“Why not now?”

“Because if I’m seen with you, my guards will tell my family, and then I’ll be watched extra carefully. I’ve come this far with this fake identity and I want to carry on with it for the full six weeks. I’m really enjoying my job, and the friends I am making.”

“You don’t think I’m worth the risk?”

I roll my eyes. “You are being very high maintenance tonight, Mr Spencer. Did you call me to nag me to death?”