His head snaps up. Under his steady gaze, I really feel like chickening out, but I can’t risk not telling him. His eyes narrow. ‘Well? What is it?’
I spoon some salad leaves onto my plate for something to do. ‘It’s probably nothing. Just a random spot-check thing, but… I’m having a tax audit.’
He frowns and nods. ‘A tax audit? Okay, that’s fine. When are they coming?’
‘They’re already here. Two of them. They arrived on Wednesday, but I didn’t get a chance to tell you.’
‘What? So they’re already at Salinger’s?’
‘Yes. They’ve taken over my office.’
‘Hmm, that’s not good.’ He leans back in his chair and scratches his cheek. ‘How long are they going to be there for? Did they give you an idea of timescales?’
‘It can take days or weeks. They can’t be more specific unfortunately.’ I know I should tell him the rest, but I can’t bring myself to do it. Maybe the inspectors won’t find anything, and they’ll simply leave. Then things can go back to how they were before. But I realise I’m kidding myself. I’m in a financial mess and there’s no way to get out of it without telling Nathan the whole story. Just… not tonight.
‘Right, well, you’ve got nothing to hide, have you?’
I shake my head. ‘Nothing that springs to mind.’
‘Good. So it’ll be fine. Just do everything they ask. Be really helpful, and they’ll eventually leave. Do they work evenings?’
‘No. They leave when I leave.’
‘Good. That’ll give you a chance to go and check what they’ve been up to.’
Nathan seems remarkably calm, for which I’m grateful. I thought he might blame me. I thought it might lead to us getting into a fight and him getting angry. I allow my shoulders to relax and unclamp my jaw. My appetite has even come back. I try a small bite of the salmon – not bad, though I say it myself. I allow myself a few more mouthfuls before setting my knife and fork down on the plate.
‘You’ve got such a tiny appetite, Fi.’ He gives me an appreciative smile. ‘Not like your friends – Kelly and Tia eat like pigs.’ He chuckles. Even though Nathan likes home-cooked meals, he isn’t too keen on me eating them myself. Not that he says anything specifically. It’s more a feeling I get. Consequently, I’ve trained myself to eat really small portions.
‘I really don’t know what you see in those two,’ he continues. ‘I know you were all friends at school, but they don’t really fit into your life any more, do they?’
‘They’re my oldest friends,’ I protest. But, thinking about it, he’s right about Tia. We have nothing in common any more.
‘Well, I think you should cut them loose. Make some new friends – ones who’ll be good for your business.’
‘Maybe… but it’s nice having friends who aren’t linked to work.’
‘If you say so.’ He shrugs.
I wait for him to finish his plate and start clearing the table while he goes through to the lounge and switches on the TV. Once I’m done and the kitchen is immaculate once more, I slip off my heels and follow him through to the lounge, where I snuggle up next to him on the sofa.
‘What do you fancy watching tonight? A series or a movie?’ I ask.
Nathan leans away from me and gives me an enquiring look. ‘What are you doing, Fi?’
A chill slides down my back. I know that tone. I knows he’s trying to catch me out. Think, think. What have I done to annoy him? What have I forgotten? ‘I… Sorry, Nath, did you want something else? Tea? Some dessert?’ Even though Nathan never eats dessert, I try to think what I could whip up. Maybe a fruit salad… or I could nip to the shops. Maybe Kelly’s got something. She’s bound to have a freezer full of desserts for the boys.
‘You don’t think you get to sit and watch TV when you’ve screwed-up so badly,’ Nathan sneers.
My heart is pounding now. Knocking so violently against my ribcage that it actually hurts. Nathan’s eyes are stony. I’m so stupid. Why did I have to tell him what’s going on with the tax audit? I should have kept it to myself. ‘No, of course not.’ I jump to my feet. ‘I’ll… I’ll go to bed.’
‘Bed?’ He shakes his head and smiles incredulously. ‘No time for sleep, Fi. You’re going to have to head back to the office and go through your accounts