Big Ben (See No Evil Trilogy #1) - Nana Malone Page 0,54
snotty rich London. You’ve got to see the really grimy bits. The markets, the people. I’ll take you to this Ghanaian restaurant which is so incredibly delicious. But you might want to leave the fancy threads at home.”
“You’re on. Is that where your mom was from?”
“She was the Ghanaian ambassador to the UK for years. And then to the United States, Japan, France for a bit, and Italy. All over, really. Dad was British, but I happen to have been born in the States while she was stationed there. And then I just went to international schools most of the time.”
“And you’re talking to me about being snooty?” His laugh was more conspiratorial than teasing.
“I’m not snooty. I hated all of that stuff. So, wherever we moved, I quickly found the nicest local I could and hung out with them as often as they’d allow. It was the only way I really learned about a place. It kept me grounded. So, I’m very down to earth. I watch all the best down-to-earth shows,” I joked.
He laughed then. “God, something tells me I’m going to be scared of your telly viewing.”
I rolled my eyes at that. “I’m sure you consider footie on ITV to be the end all-be all of what’s on television?”
He laughed. “Well, I don’t really have a lot of time for TV.”
“God, don’t you ever just veg on Sunday? Take a walk, do something that isn’t putting oodles of money in your bank?”
To my surprise, he laughed. “No, I guess I don’t.”
“I want to make you a viewing playlist immediately.”
He brushed a blond hair out of his face. “Oh, yeah? What’s going to be on it?”
“First thing that’s going to be on there is Turn Up Charlie. Idris Elba’s in it. He’s British and part Ghanaian. It’s excellent and hilarious.”
“It’s a comedy?”
I smoothed my hand down over my hair as a quick wind gusted through the square. “I can’t believe you’ve never heard about it.”
“I guess I’ve been living under a rock.”
“You have been. We’ll fix that don’t worry.” He was easy to talk to. Too easy. I could forget that he was my boss. Or rather my boss’s boss. I could almost forget how we’d met and that I’d blackmailed him into helping me.
Not blackmail when he bribed you.
“You are an odd one.”
“I think I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“You should. You can come off as so buttoned up. Almost sterile. Like in your office. Why don’t you have any pictures or plants or something?”
“I was taught you might need to be able to move quickly. Best not to unpack too much.”
“Yeah, I kind of guessed that. Always ready to run.”
“Something like that. Granted, running isn’t by choice most of the time.”
“If you say so.”
We rounded a corner and strolled through cafés and boutiques. As we were headed back to the hotel, I heard a screech. A lorry was coming around the square, honking its horn. It jumped the curb, and I squealed. “Oh, Jesus, he’s going to hurt someone.”
Before the words could even finish tumbling out of my mouth, the driver lost control of the lorry with a trajectory directly toward us.
I don’t know what possessed me. Ben was busy looking in the window of a cigar store, and he was turning a moment too late.
“Look out.” I shoved him hard, toward an alley. He didn’t budge much, but he did trip over the lip of the curb into what looked like a trough of water of the nearby florist.
“What the fuck?”
The lorry skidded again and then managed to right itself before careening off.
“Hey!” I shouted. “Come back.”
Ben blinked up at me. “What are you doing?”
“I’m sorry. The lorry—”
“Yeah, I saw it. But why did you jump in front of it and push me away?”
Was he serious? “I was trying to save your life.”
Several people had come over at that point to try to assist us. Someone had gotten the driver’s license plate. As we were relatively unharmed, there was no point in waiting for the police, really. With slippery hands, a couple of people helped me get Ben up out of the trough.
When he was free, he glowered down at himself. His shirt, vest, and trousers molded to every muscle on him, and I stared.
Focus. You just shoved your boss into a trough of water. He’s not going to be thrilled. “So, is this the moment when you realize I saved your life?”
His glare told me everything. This was not a life-saving event to him.