Free Be My Hero by Nell Dixon Page A

were rigid. “You’re the man who knows the law. Isn’t there something people plead when they don’t feel like answering someone’s questions?”
    â€œI’d say sorry again, but I don’t think I’m ever going to be able to apologise enough to you, Tali.” For a split second, he saw the hurt he had caused resurface on her face. His heart ached with regret.
    She placed her knife and fork on her plate with care before dabbing the corners of her lips with a napkin. “I think we’ve covered that ground already. We need to move on.”
    Her gentle reproach stung more than if she had shouted. He pushed his plate away, meal unfinished. His appetite had gone.
    ****
    Nathalie forced herself to continue with her meal. She hadn’t enjoyed rebuking Evan. His apologies had sounded sincere, and she had no doubt that he truly wanted her to forgive him.
    In many ways, she wanted to erase the events of the last six years and go back to how they had been before, but it felt impossible. Too much water had passed under the bridge. He hadn’t trusted her with the truth then — could she trust him now?
    She glanced at her watch. “Do you think we should leave?”
    Evan frowned and pulled back the cuff of his jacket to check the time. “I guess you’re right. Have you finished your meal?”
    â€œYes, thank you.” She picked up her bag, and Evan stood up to assist her with her coat. Her pulse quickened as she shrugged into her jacket. Conscious of his body close to hers, she could smell the faint, musky scent of his cologne, and she swallowed hard.
    He opened the door for her and held out his hand to help her in. Nathalie’s skin tingled as his fingers closed over hers for the second time that day. It had taken all her concentration to not betray her feelings when he had held her hand at the table.
    She moved her hand from his as soon as she thought it polite, murmuring her thanks as she slid onto her seat. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears, and her palms felt sticky with sweat. Evan programmed the satellite navigation system for directions to the first property on the list. Nathalie busied herself with reading the house details yet again.
    The journey to the first house didn’t take as long as she’d expected. The property stood at the end of a short country lane not far from the main road that led from town. They sat for a moment in the car, looking at the outside of the building. “What do you think?” Evan asked.
    â€œIt looks newer than it does in the photo on the details.” She cast around for something positive to say about the house’s garish red bricks and dark wood window frames. Two large conifer trees stood quite close to the building. On a murky winter afternoon, the house looked dark and depressing.
    â€œYou don’t like it, do you?” Evan looked at her.
    Nathalie shook her head. “I can’t say it’s a house that appeals to me, but it might be nice inside,” she suggested.
    â€œI must admit I’m not keen on the exterior. Still, the owners are expecting us, so we’d better go and take a look.”
    Half an hour later they returned to the car and he put the property details inside the glove box. “I think we can rule that one out.” He turned the car around and programmed the satnav with the details for the next property on the list.
    â€œI don’t think they’d been strictly honest on the details with their descriptions,” Nathalie mused.
    He burst out laughing, and after a second’s pause, she joined in. “You’re telling me! I think we both need a lesson in estate-agent-speak.”
    â€œMmm, who would have guessed ‘classically decorated’ meant they had an Egyptian-themed bathroom, complete with scarabs and a mural of the Sphinx?” Nathalie wiped tears of laughter from the corners of her eyes with the back of her hand.
    â€œI think I