A loud bang on the road outside the apartment block woke Nanette with a jolt early on Monday morning. Startled, it took her a second or two to realise it was the workmen starting the long process of dismantling barriers and stands and returning Monaco to its normal state for the next ten months.
Lying in bed for a few more moments, Nanette thought about Zac and his dinner ‘invitation’. She had talked more about it to Jean-Claude last night before he returned to his villa.
‘I still have questions I’d like Zac to answer,’ she’d said. ‘Maybe this is my opportunity. Perhaps he’s decided to talk to me – answer any questions I have about…’ her voice had trailed away. ’Maybe he just wants to take me out to dinner and knew I wouldn’t willingly consider it, so he didn’t give me a chance to refuse. Although I can always phone him and tell him no way.’
‘I think he is a man who does not like the word no, and in my experience, Zac Ewart never does anything without a reason,’ Jean-Claude had said quietly.
‘True,’ Nanette had agreed thoughtfully. ‘But I think I’ll go and try to take advantage of the situation. Once, whatever it is that Zac wants to talk to me about urgently is over, I’ll ask him a few questions of my own. Insist he gives me the answers I need.’
Jean-Claude had sighed as he’d taken her hands in his. ‘I don’t trust him, Nanette. Make sure you take your mobile. If you need me, call me. Promise?’
Nanette had smiled at him. ‘I promise.’ It was a long time since a man had worried about her, wanted to protect her. But, in all honesty, it was just dinner in a Monaco restaurant with an ex-fiancé and she could always walk away.
For several seconds, Jean-Claude had held her gaze before letting go of her hands and saying goodnight.
All day, as she went about her normal routine, Nanette thought about Zac and the evening ahead of her. She knew that Zac, master of the unexpected daredevil manoeuvre on the race track, was a lot less spontaneous in real life. When she’d first worked for him, she’d realised he was a man ruled by his head rather than his heart. Later, when they were romantically involved, she’d got to know the softer side of Zac that very few people ever saw. But even then, when they were really close, she accepted that he wasn’t the easiest or the most romantic man on the planet. Oh, there were presents on her birthday and at Christmas, some expensive, some not, but unexpected gifts of flowers or chocolates for no reason or just because he wanted to treat her were rare.
By 8 p.m., when Zac rang the apartment bell, she’d almost convinced herself that their shared past was the reason, the only reason, Zac wanted to take her out for dinner. There was no ulterior motive. A nostalgic talk about places they’d been, things they’d done together. Clearly, he was hoping that he could persuade Nanette to forget the past and be friends again. Nothing more sinister than that. Convincing him that he was wasting his time, as being civil to him in public was all she was prepared to agree to, was going to be difficult.
‘Where are we going?’ Nanette asked, as the lift took them down to the ground floor.
‘We’re eating on board Pole Position,’ Zac said. ‘I’ve got a brilliant chef this year and he’s promised me a meal to remember.’
Nanette, having forgotten Zac’s tendency to like privacy when he didn’t have to show a public persona for the sponsors, realised she should have anticipated that dinner would be an on-board meal.
As Zac ushered her up the gangway and she stepped onto the deck, the yacht’s crew sprang into well-rehearsed action, ensuring everything went smoothly.
Sipping her champagne and nibbling canapés, Nanette looked around the main saloon as Zac pressed a couple of hidden buttons on the wall. Simultaneously, the side windows opened, letting in a gentle sea breeze, while romantic piano music filtered in through the sound system.
Nanette glanced at Zac. What exactly was he playing at tonight? Candles in elaborate candelabra casting shadows, seductive music playing in the background, the moon shining on the Mediterranean. It was a perfect setting for a romantic evening.
‘Dance with me for old times’ sake,’ Zac said quietly.
Before she realised what was happening, Zac had taken her glass away and Nanette was in his arms and the two of them were swaying to ‘Lady in Red’ – a favourite of theirs from the past.
As Zac held her close, it was as if the last three years apart had never happened. He appeared to have conveniently forgotten the trauma, the hurt, the broken body, as well as the broken heart he’d left her with. Nanette, though, hadn’t and even if old emotions that she’d thought were dead and buried forever were rising to the surface, she had no intention of giving in to them.
When Zac began placing gentle kisses on her head, a tremor of anger flooded through her body. She had to put a stop to this.
‘No, Zac, stop it now, otherwise I’m leaving.’ Nanette pushed him away.
Zac dropped his arms and shrugged. ‘I just thought maybe you’d like to forget the past – put it behind us.’
Nanette glared at him. ‘Something you’ve clearly already done. Whereas I…’ she paused. ‘I’ll never forget the worst three years of my life.’
Zac closed his eyes briefly and shook his head at her. ‘Let’s try and enjoy this evening, at least,’ he said. ‘We’re having lobster. I bought it in especially for you. I know it always used to be your favourite.’
Throughout the meal, Zac, clearly still on a high from his win the day before, seemed determined to wine and dine himself back into Nanette’s favour. As he helped her to a generous portion of her favourite dish, Nanette’s thoughts drifted back three years, to a time when evenings like this with Zac had been normal. Almost commonplace, but so much had changed since then.
When she tried to ask him something about the accident, he placed a gentle finger against her lips.
‘Not this evening, Nanette. Tonight is a new beginning.’ He clicked his wine glass against hers. ‘Santé.’
Nanette looked at him, exasperated. ‘You said you wanted to talk to me urgently and I still have questions I want answered.’
‘Are you doing anything special for your birthday this year?’ Zac asked, ignoring her words.
Nanette shook her head. ‘No, nothing planned.’ She didn’t add she hadn’t celebrated her birthday properly in the years since the accident. The two anniversaries were too close together.
‘I remember we always used to celebrate it early as I was racing. This year I’ll be in Canada, so I’ll miss it again. You’ll have to think of this as an early birthday treat,’ Zac said.
‘So long as you don’t plan to present me with a car later,’ Nanette said shortly. ‘Because…’ She stopped in mid-sentence and stared at him.
‘Because what?’ Zac glanced at her curiously.
‘Because I’d have to decline of course,’ Nanette said. She placed her hand over her wine glass as Zac went to top it up. ‘No more wine for me, thanks.’ Carefully, she placed her napkin on the table. ‘I’ve had a lovely meal, but if you’re not going to talk to me or answer any of my questions, then it’s time for me to go,’ and Nanette stood up determinedly, throwing Zac a defiant look, daring him to stop her.
Zac regarded her for several seconds, a strange look in his eyes, before he too stood up. ’I did invite you here tonight for a reason, other than for the simple pleasure of your company. I have a proposal for you. One to which I hope very much you will say yes.’
‘Whatever your “proposal” is, I’m not interested.’ Nanette’s voice was cold. She knew that no matter what the proposal was, it wouldn’t be the explanation or the apology she’d been hoping for. It was a big mistake on her part to have even come this evening in the hope of extracting either from Zac.
Zac followed Nanette as she began to make her way out on deck. More upset by the whole fiasco than she cared to admit, the only thing she wanted to do was get off the yacht.
‘Come back and have another glass of champagne,’ Zac had urged. ‘I really do want to talk to you.’
‘Then you should have spoken at the beginning of the evening, not wasted your time trying to turn the clock back.’
She’d thought she was over Zac and yet here he was, proving he still had the power to upset her. She was about to step on the gangway when he called her name. Swallowing hard, she turned her head to look at him, her hand gripping the gangway rope tightly for support as Zac spoke. She was unbelievably angry with him over his actions – both past and present. Holding her breath, Nanette waited for him to speak and was determined not to let him see how shaken she was.
‘I want you to come back and work for me, Nanette. We were a good team in the past.’
His unexpected request fell into a lengthening silence as Nanette stared at him. All this wining and dining and faux romancing was because he wanted her to work for him?
‘What?’ She looked at him in disbelief. ‘That’s what you wanted to talk about urgently?’
‘I’m starting a new holiday business and I need someone I can trust totally,’ Zac said.
‘I’ve got a job – looking after the twins. When Vanessa and Ralph return from their Amazon adventure, I shall go back to the UK with them.’
‘Come on, Nanette – you’re capable of much more than playing nursemaid to a couple of kids. You were the best PA I ever had.’
‘If I was that good, why no word, no job offer from you before – when I needed all the help I could get?’ Nanette asked angrily.
‘I cut back on my business activities when I realised you weren’t going to be around for a long time,’ Zac said, shrugging. ‘I was too busy racing and simply didn’t have the time to find a new PA.’
Nanette nodded her head slowly as she looked at him. She wasn’t going to let him see how much those words hurt her. She’d been his fiancée as well as his PA but that didn’t appear to count. She swallowed hard before asking.
‘Now you’ve got time for a new venture?’
‘This time I’m trying to invest in a business that I can work at when I give up racing.’
‘You’re giving up racing?’ Nanette asked, shocked. That wasn’t something she’d anticipated hearing.
‘Not immediately, but I don’t fancy being the oldest driver on the circuit fighting for a drive. Realistically, I suppose I’ve got another two or three years, but if I don’t win the championship this year’ – Zac grimaced – ‘who knows? I might just walk away from it all at the end of the season.’ He paused and smiled at her. ‘I also thought it would be an ideal opportunity to try to make up for the hurt that I’ve caused you in the past. We could both go places with this new business.’
Zac looked at her expectantly, waiting for her response.
Nanette sighed. Zac could sound so plausible when he turned on the charm. She’d seen it work in the past, when he’d wanted his own way over something. Not this time, not with her.
‘Except that I’m not looking for another job – I’m happy caring for the twins – working for you again is not something I’ve ever thought about.’
‘Will you think about it now?’ Zac persisted. ‘The twins are growing up, they won’t need you forever.’
‘You don’t need me either, Zac.’ The words, ‘And I definitely don’t need you in my life again’, remained unspoken in her head.
‘Oh, but, Nanette, I do,’ Zac said, again reaching out to take hold of her hands and squeeze them tightly. ‘I leave for Canada tomorrow and then I’m back here afterwards, for maybe a day, before the French Grand Prix. Please think about it while I’m away. We’ll have supper when I return and you can give me your decision then.’
‘I don’t need time to think, Zac. I don’t—’
‘Shh.’ Zac effectively stopped her by placing his fingers firmly against her lips. ‘Next week.’
‘Goodnight, Zac.’ Once again, she turned away from him, stepping back on to the gangway to leave.
‘Just give me two minutes while I fetch something from the saloon.’
Feeling the need to put some firm ground underneath her feet, Nanette jumped off the yacht’s gangway and stood waiting on the quay. Standing there, watching the evening activity of the harbour, Nanette felt curiously light-headed. The events of the past couple of hours had been totally unexpected, but she was pleased she’d kept her cool and been able to be so resolute in facing up to Zac, despite her hammering heart. A heart that was hammering, she realised, from sheer nerves and anger, not because she still felt anything for him.
‘Here you are – some bedtime reading,’ Zac said, reappearing with a large envelope marked ‘Vacances au Soleil’ and bulging with papers.
‘What part of no do you not understand?’ Nanette demanded. ‘Watch my lips. I. Am. Not. Interested.’
‘At least have a look at it while I’m away,’ Zac said when Nanette tried to refuse to take it. ‘I’d like your opinion on it anyway. You were always pretty savvy over my previous investments. You never know, reading about it might change your mind.’
Realising the only way she was going to get him off the subject was to take the envelope, Nanette reluctantly accepted it, inwardly vowing to hand it back to him next week, unopened and unread. As she took it, Zac leaned in and kissed her cheek before turning and walking away, leaving Nanette furious at his presumption.
It was too late to phone her sister when she got back to the apartment, but early the next morning, after a restless night, Nanette picked up her mobile to talk to Patsy from the comfort of her bed. Patsy, being a farmer’s wife, was always up early to have breakfast with Bryan before he started his day of chores on the farm.
After the usual, ‘how are you keeping’ questions had been exchanged, Patsy said, ‘Okay. What’s up to warrant this early chat?’
Nanette took a deep breath and told her about her evening with Zac. ‘Can you believe Zac wants me to work for him again?’
‘I hope you told him where he could put his job?’
‘Not in so many words, but I did say no. The only problem is he wasn’t listening.’ Nanette sighed. ‘I think I may have to ask JC to help me get the message across.’
‘I’ll do it,’ Patsy said. ‘Give me his phone number. There is nothing I’d enjoy more than telling Zac Ewart where to go.’
Nanette laughed at the eager tone to her sister’s voice. ‘Thanks, but I think he’ll listen to JC telling him to leave me alone more than you.’
‘Well, I’ve got your back and I’m on standby,’ Patsy said.
They chatted for a few more moments before Nanette ended the call and got up. Time to shower and get organised for the day.
As she dressed, her gaze fell on the envelope on the dressing table where she’d thrown it last night, intending to ignore it until she handed it back to Zac. She had to admit to being a tiny bit curious about the business Zac planned to build his life around after he retired from racing. There was no way she intended to become involved with him again, but remembering Zac saying he’d like her opinion on it anyway, Nanette reached out a hand and picked up the envelope. Carefully, she opened the envelope and withdrew all the papers and started to read.