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Authors: Nell Dixon
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70
The Cinderella Substitute
by Nell Dixon
the only time she could ever remember in her life when she'd felt she had succeeded in pleasing them.
"Penny for your thoughts?" Nate watched her, his face thoughtful.
"I was thinking about my parents," she replied truthfully,
"I was wishing..." Her voice trailed off. "It isn't important."
"Whatever you were thinking, it made you look sad, Jen.
You have very expressive eyes and I know it wasn't a happy thought." The note of warm concern in his voice moved her.
His perception touched her heart.
"Tell me more about your family," she said. Although she had known Nate for a long time now, she knew very little about his private life.
Nate took a sip of his mineral water before he answered.
"My father is a surgeon. He's semi-retired now and does mainly private work. Mum is from France, so they go over there quite often." The main course arrived. He paused until the waiter had gone again before continuing. "Jerome is two years older than me and Nathalie. He's a photographer.
Barnaby is the baby of the family, although at six foot four, he wouldn't thank me for saying so. He's an artist, like Mum."
A pang of something like loss resonated through Jenni's heart at Nate's description.
"What about you, Jenni? Do you have any aunts or uncles?"
She shook her head and prodded her trout with the fish knife. "My parents were both only children. They were in their forties when they adopted me. That's why I wanted to find my birth mother. I don't know who my real father is. It just 71
The Cinderella Substitute
by Nell Dixon
says Father Unknown on my birth certificate. I have so many questions I need an answers for."
The gentle touch of his hand on her cheek made her lift her gaze from the poor fish she had been mindlessly poking on her plate.
"I'm sure you'll get your answers soon, Jenni."
She swallowed. His tender caress combined with the compassionate tone of his voice rendered her unable to think straight.
"Nate! Jenni! What a nice surprise to see you two here!"
At the sound of his sister's voice, Nate whipped his hand away from Jenni's face as if her skin had burnt his fingers. His abrupt withdrawal left Jenni with a racing heart and her emotions in a whirl.
72
The Cinderella Substitute
by Nell Dixon
CHAPTER SIX
"Nathalie, we were just talking about you." Nate stood up to greet his sister in traditional Gallic fashion, with kisses on both cheeks.
Like Nate, Nathalie was tall, with the same jet black hair.
Hers fell in an abundance of curls all the way down to her waist. Dressed in a smart, tailored suit, she looked very glamorous and pretty. Her eyes twinkled at Nate's discomfiture at being caught in an intimate moment with Jenni.
"I do hope my brother isn't working you too hard, Jenni?"
Nathalie queried.
Jenni smiled in response. "Oh no, Nate was very kindly treating me to lunch. He mentioned you had recommended the restaurant here."
"Well, if Nate took any notice at all of something that I've said, then it's a first. You look fabulous, Jenni. I hardly recognized you."
"You're welcome to join us if you haven't eaten." Nate felt obligated to offer, but couldn't help hoping his sister would take a hint and disappear.
"I've eaten already and much as I'd love to, I can't stay.
Besides, I'm sure you don't really want a gooseberry sitting with you while you eat, do you?"
Nate groaned inwardly while Jenni looked a little embarrassed. After more kisses, his twin departed, leaving a faint trail of perfume in her wake.
73
The Cinderella Substitute
by Nell Dixon
Nate resumed his seat opposite Jenni. "My sister the diplomat," he joked.
"She seems to have got the wrong impression, seeing us here together."
"Well, that's Nathalie. She's an incurable romantic. She falls in and out of love like other people take a bath."
Jenni continued to pick at her fish. "And you?"
Nate wasn't sure how to answer her. Jenni had never asked him such a personal question before.
"I
The Cinderella Substitute
by Nell Dixon
the only time she could ever remember in her life when she'd felt she had succeeded in pleasing them.
"Penny for your thoughts?" Nate watched her, his face thoughtful.
"I was thinking about my parents," she replied truthfully,
"I was wishing..." Her voice trailed off. "It isn't important."
"Whatever you were thinking, it made you look sad, Jen.
You have very expressive eyes and I know it wasn't a happy thought." The note of warm concern in his voice moved her.
His perception touched her heart.
"Tell me more about your family," she said. Although she had known Nate for a long time now, she knew very little about his private life.
Nate took a sip of his mineral water before he answered.
"My father is a surgeon. He's semi-retired now and does mainly private work. Mum is from France, so they go over there quite often." The main course arrived. He paused until the waiter had gone again before continuing. "Jerome is two years older than me and Nathalie. He's a photographer.
Barnaby is the baby of the family, although at six foot four, he wouldn't thank me for saying so. He's an artist, like Mum."
A pang of something like loss resonated through Jenni's heart at Nate's description.
"What about you, Jenni? Do you have any aunts or uncles?"
She shook her head and prodded her trout with the fish knife. "My parents were both only children. They were in their forties when they adopted me. That's why I wanted to find my birth mother. I don't know who my real father is. It just 71
The Cinderella Substitute
by Nell Dixon
says Father Unknown on my birth certificate. I have so many questions I need an answers for."
The gentle touch of his hand on her cheek made her lift her gaze from the poor fish she had been mindlessly poking on her plate.
"I'm sure you'll get your answers soon, Jenni."
She swallowed. His tender caress combined with the compassionate tone of his voice rendered her unable to think straight.
"Nate! Jenni! What a nice surprise to see you two here!"
At the sound of his sister's voice, Nate whipped his hand away from Jenni's face as if her skin had burnt his fingers. His abrupt withdrawal left Jenni with a racing heart and her emotions in a whirl.
72
The Cinderella Substitute
by Nell Dixon
CHAPTER SIX
"Nathalie, we were just talking about you." Nate stood up to greet his sister in traditional Gallic fashion, with kisses on both cheeks.
Like Nate, Nathalie was tall, with the same jet black hair.
Hers fell in an abundance of curls all the way down to her waist. Dressed in a smart, tailored suit, she looked very glamorous and pretty. Her eyes twinkled at Nate's discomfiture at being caught in an intimate moment with Jenni.
"I do hope my brother isn't working you too hard, Jenni?"
Nathalie queried.
Jenni smiled in response. "Oh no, Nate was very kindly treating me to lunch. He mentioned you had recommended the restaurant here."
"Well, if Nate took any notice at all of something that I've said, then it's a first. You look fabulous, Jenni. I hardly recognized you."
"You're welcome to join us if you haven't eaten." Nate felt obligated to offer, but couldn't help hoping his sister would take a hint and disappear.
"I've eaten already and much as I'd love to, I can't stay.
Besides, I'm sure you don't really want a gooseberry sitting with you while you eat, do you?"
Nate groaned inwardly while Jenni looked a little embarrassed. After more kisses, his twin departed, leaving a faint trail of perfume in her wake.
73
The Cinderella Substitute
by Nell Dixon
Nate resumed his seat opposite Jenni. "My sister the diplomat," he joked.
"She seems to have got the wrong impression, seeing us here together."
"Well, that's Nathalie. She's an incurable romantic. She falls in and out of love like other people take a bath."
Jenni continued to pick at her fish. "And you?"
Nate wasn't sure how to answer her. Jenni had never asked him such a personal question before.
"I
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