actually my great-aunt, as she is my Gran’s younger sister and has been living in Israel for years. She was the reckless daughter, the one who travelled overseas when she should’ve married a local boy.”
“Quite the rebel?” He grinned. “Like you?”
“Not like me at all, I wish I had her spunk.”
“Pardon?” Nate said so loudly she swivelled to look at him.
“I was saying—”
He cleared his throat. “I think there are some differences with our slang.”
“Oh.” She felt her cheeks warm. “I’ve always been the good one and have never done anything wild—”
“Except shagging a married MP destined to be a Prime Minister while his wife was undergoing chemo?”
She threw him a furious look before catching the smirk tugging at his lips. “Well yes, apart from my wild sex romps.”
He chuckled. “Why did your aunt come to Israel?”
“To do a spiritual tour. But she met the love of her life, got married and stayed.”
“Her husband was Israeli?”
“Actually no. He was from England, also visiting. They met on tour and within two weeks they were married.” Maude and Jack’s falling-in-love-story gave her hope that she would one day meet the right man as well. She thought she had found true love with Travis, but she had been blinded by her own misgivings. Was she also blind sighted when it came to Nate? It was too early to be in love, despite everything he had done for her. Perhaps she was confusing admiration and gratitude with love. A glance at her watch told her the time was not good to ring Australia. She longed for a voice of reason, a friend who would be able to help her. For the time being, she was on her own. Her heart sank with the realisation.
“Why live here?” His question broke her thoughts.
“They loved Jerusalem and wanted to share that love with tourists, so much so, they started a company specialising in small group tours for the devout.”
“Her husband is still alive?”
Her throat grew tight. “Uncle Jack passed away a couple of years ago. It’s been really hard for Aunty Maude on her own. Mum and I want her to come back to Australia but she’s very strong-minded and refuses.” She rubbed the grit from her eyes. “I worry about her.”
“I’m sure you do.” Sympathy creased his brow.
She stole a look and her shoulders slouched seeing he was not ribbing her. His face was calm and resolute, while his gaze remained fixed on the highway and the traffic.
She continued. “You live in London. A visit to Europe or the Middle East involves a plane trip of between one and six hours.” She brushed some hair that had come lose from her ponytail and secured it behind her ear. “From where I live it’s an eight hour drive to Sydney and then twenty-four hours flying time plus connections.” She gnawed on her bottom lip. “I need to see Aunty Maude and explain everything to her in person, not over the phone. She and Gran have been such a positive influence in my life. Over the past week whilst hiding here, she’s been incredible supportive and sympathetic.”
“Okay.” He may have sounded okay, but she could see the tightness around his jaw which indicated he was not at all happy. “But I’m in charge of your safety,” he said with a determined voice.
A sudden weariness washed over her. The lies, the running, the whole debacle. She could not wait till the next best news story bumped her off the front pages of the newspapers. Couldn’t a Royal get pregnant? “I just wish they’d leave me alone.”
“Tilly, you’re hot property at the moment. As an engaged woman you can counteract those infidelity claims and I’ll be there to back you up.” He scratched his chin. “We also need to have a solid reason for where I was and why you came to Israel instead of hiding at my apartment.”
“Good thinking. We’ll have to align our stories.” She stole a look at him and her heart sighed thinking how he was fighting for her, helping her out. Shame she had