Chapter 5

Part Two - Grand Battement

I laugh and accept the twig from the tiny fist, my attention halfway between Leandra's youngest and the screen of my mobile. Where I'm scrolling through old posts about Lin DaoShi's messy break up with Anastasia Chen, about a year ago. Boy, this was one fucked-up shit, all right. Photos leaked on social media, of her and the bloke she co-starred with on the drama they were filming at the time, and those photos were... I want to say hot, but I'm not into women, so I'll settle for very inappropriate, when you're engaged to the man who happens to be the best friend of the bloke you're caught dry-humping.

Fuck, that must have been awkward, to say the least. I'm sure he was heartbroken, betrayed like this by his fianc‚e and his best friend. And he's had string after string of bad luck, after that. There was that issue with his flat being vandalised, then his phone was hacked, then he lost a contract to Hao WanLu, now engaged to Anastasia Chen. To top it all, the riding accident that landed him in hospital, the physical therapy, being replaced by another actor on the project he'd been filming... no wonder he wants to stay away from all that drama for a while. No wonder he ran to the UK.

He moved in last week, met him to hand over the keys and show him how to work the stupid garage door, that thing has a life of its own. Turns out he doesn't have a valid driver's licence for the UK, so he's not rented a car. The moment he said that, I instantly offered to give him a ride, should he need one. As if he doesn't have his nephew to do that for him. He took one look at my pale green SUV and laughed, shook his head in mirth. I asked what he was mocking me for, stomach burning as if a flame had been dropped inside me.

'Of course you'd have a mint green car,' he said, and I kind of swooned. Don't really know what he meant by that - whether good or bad - but I swooned. Had to remind myself bloke's straight, and sure to be nursing a broken heart. At least some sort of disappointment; can't be easy to be publicly shamed the way he was. By the very same people he was sure to trust above all others. No wonder he's a bit uptight.

"Didn't fancy you for a nanny."

My heart kick starts, breath fails me. I stiffen and face forward, Lucas's grubby hands tightening around my knee as if the child can feel my sudden distress. It's not distress, to be honest, is it? No, it's more like excitement.

Lin DaoShi stands to my right, his shadow falling over the bench. I raise my eyes to him, made momentarily small. Can't help the stupid grin on my face, though, bloke's so absurdly handsome. Especially when he smiles like this. I hide my hands deeper in the pockets of my parka, air blowing out of my mouth in little puffs of white.

"I's cold, Jai," Lucas whines, and I pick him up, hugging him tight until he shrieks with laughter.

"We'll go home, then." Standing up, child held in one arm, I reach my free hand to Lin DaoShi, who shakes it. "I'm not. Just looking after Lee's youngest, her nanny had an appointment at the dentist. But seeing it's almost lunchtime," I say, facing Lucas, "we should go back home so this little man can be fed. Because he wants to grow and be tall like uncle Jai, right?"

Lucas giggles, his dirty, cold hands cupping my cheeks, fondling them.

"I's want to be tall like Jai, and I's going to be like daddy and..." his speech is halted by a sudden joyful screech, and he lets go of my cheeks to reach chubby arms across.

I turn round to meet Gizzy's open grin, as she, too, opens her arms for Lucas. I pass him over, he may like me a lot, but has an adoration for his nanny.

"Hey, Jai," she greets, one hand caressing my upper arm. People keep doing that, since Allen died. "Sorry I'm a little late, thank you for watching him. I'll take it from here."

"Everything all right with your teeth?"

"I'm fine, thanks. Lucas, say bye-bye to uncle Jai, sweetie."

"He coming for lunch."

I fondle his curly hair, place a kiss up his forehead. "I'm sorry, darling, Jai can't make it today. Promise I'll soon come over and we can eat together. I'll let you help me cook, all right?"

"Not Yara," he demands, referring to his elder sister.

I shake my head. "No, not Yara. Next time it's only Jai and Lucas in the kitchen. Deal?"

He nods effusively and allows Gizzy to sit him on the push-chair. They wave goodbye and take off towards where she must have parked her car. It's not easy to find a spot this close to the centre, and this tiny playground is well in demand by parents who don't know what else to do with their toddlers. Noticing Lin DaoShi hasn't moved, I face him again, blinded by the smirk on his face. There's a weird look in his eyes that I can't fathom, but my cheeks cover in red, heat rises up my neck.

"Are you settling in well?"

He nods, keeps staring at me, as if studying an exotic animal. I mentally go over what I'm wearing, and no, it's not a pair of jeans falling apart. I hastily put on a pair of joggers and trainers under a parka to bring Lucas to the playground. It's nothing wild, is it? Sneaking a peek down my legs, I notice how the kid managed to stain the knees of my joggers with mud, and can't help laughing.

"Why am I always a mess when I run into you?" The day I handed him the keys, I'd just spilled a cappuccino down the front of my jersey. He must think I'm hopeless.

"You're good with kids," is all he says, and I can feel my face blush even harder, so I look away.

"What are you doing down here? Did you walk all the way?"

He holds up a bag full of apples. "Ran out of them, figured there must be somewhere to get groceries at the centre, right? I was already going for a jog."

He's wearing trainers and joggers, too, but his are black and fitted, showing off his dancer's legs. He's really thin, though, and this outfit only enhances it more. According to Lee, all he has in the fridge is milk and tofu, and he always has apples on the counter. Though she's never seen him eat any. Drinks a lot of green tea, apparently.

"Listen, if you want to go over to Tesco's for your shopping, I can drive you. Just give me a call, it's no trouble." Oh wow, Jay, that was subtle. Way to offer the bloke your phone number.

He eyes me with a bit of surprise, nods, and actually fishes his mobile from within the shopping bag. "Give me your number."

My mouth dries, I find myself licking my lips repeatedly. But he has my number, now, though what I expect to get out of this is beyond me, bloke's straight. Before I can analyse the stupid way my mind works, the sky opens, and a sudden downpour falls on us. My instant reaction is to pull up the hood of my parka, but then I see Lin DaoShi's not wearing a coat, he'll get absolutely soaked.

"Come on, I'll drive you home. Just need to go by my flat to grab the car keys, it's not far."

He squints, pulls back hair that's already drenched, but follows me as I jog out of the park and down a narrow side street. I managed to get a flat at the centre, not far from where I work. It's a tiny place, but I don't need a huge house, do I? It's also not very expensive, as it's on the top floor, and not many people care for climbing stairs all the way up. I don't mind. Fell in love with the place the moment I first laid eyes on it, what with the skylight. Placed the bed right under it, and it's a privilege to fall asleep as I lay counting the stars. When I manage to sleep.