Page 99 of Lovers' Dance

She narrowed her eyes at him and huffed. “You’re disturbing my boss, Mr Walthamstow. You and his brother. I won’t have you barging into his office like this.”

Nathan had a soft spot for Matt’s secretary. He found her northern accent charming. “How’s your father doing? Have you been back to Manchester to visit recently?”

She narrowed her eyes further, squinting up at him with barely concealed suspicion. “He’s still in the hospital. Thanks for asking, and I’m putting you in the book.”

Nathan twisted his blonde head to grin at Matt before answering the bristling secretary, “For how long this time?”

“I’m not sure yet,” she snapped, then popped her head around Nathan’s broad shoulder to send Matt an unhappy look. “I’m sorry, Mr Bradley. I won’t allow anyone else to get past me.”

“It’s okay, Rachel,” Matt repeated, and with a worried expression plastered across her face, she closed the door.

“Right,” Nathan said briskly, walking over to the desk. “I’m finishing for the day in one hour.” He pulled out the seat next to Adam and plonked onto it, glaring at both brothers. “Bella’s parents have invited us to their place in the Cotswolds and we need to beat the traffic out of London. Whatever it is you need me for, it better be quick.”

“Madi’s mad at Matt and he’s being cagey about it,” Adam advised in a droll voice.

Nathan’s scowl deepened. “You called me here for this? Buy her something nice. Women like that sort of thing.”

“That’s what I said,” Adam agreed, with a nod.

Matt regarded them silently for a moment before admitting, “I have. She’s still mad.”

“What did you buy her?” Nathan asked in exasperation. “It can’t be any cheap, old dross, Matt.”

Matt gave him the look that comment deserved. “A Porsche Cayenne with personalized plates…”

“It’s the little touches that make all the difference,” Adam mused then stopped, mouth parting in shock. “Wait,what?”

Nathan chuckled at Adam’s expression. “Don’t look so surprised, Adam. Matt’s always been show-offy.” He turned his attention back to Matt. “And she’s still mad?”

Matt nodded, frustration pouring off his face. “Then I bought her jewellery, ridiculously expensive jewellery.”

Adam was looking alarmed. “How expensive?”

Matt ignored Adam, instead exchanging a thoroughly helpless glance with his best friend. “She returned it, Nathan. Diamonds. What woman in her right mind returns diamonds?”

Adam looked sick, probably doing a mental tally of his younger brother’s spending.

“I got her dozens of bouquets of flowers,” Matt continued, starting to get irritated. “She sent a text—a text. It had the word ‘dies’ in it.”

“Bloody hell, mate.” Nathan sat up straighter in the chair. “What did you do?”

Matt ran his hand through his hair, ruffling the waves into disarray. “I didn’t do anything.”

Nathan gave him a disbelieving stare, holding a curled hand up to make his point. “A Porsche Cayenne”—index finger standing proud—“diamond jewellery”—middle finger up straight—“flowers”—ring finger joining the others.

“I had a catering company take gourmet food over to her studio yesterday,” Matt added. “I’ve apologized a million times and she’s still mad. Nothing is working, and I don’t understand why.”

“Is she on her monthlies?” Adam asked, looking upset over Matt divulging his recent spending on his current girlfriend. It was worrying. He didn’t like the thought of this woman making Matt spend money. He didn’t like it at all.

“What?” Matt asked in annoyance. “What the hell does her monthlies have to do with this?”

“Women act irrationally around their time of month,” Adam said glibly. Nathan bit his lower lip, fighting a smile at the look Matt gave his older brother.

“Adam, I am not going to discuss Madi’s cycle with you…that’s just—just shut up.”

“I’m only pointing it out,” Adam muttered under his breath. “Everyone knows women get temperamental around that time.”

Nathan let slip a little laugh that he covered with a cough. As an only child, he never had to deal with an irritating sibling. These two men were the closest thing to it, and it amused him when they acted this way with each other.

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