200 Harley Street: Her Perfect Stranger

Chapter 2

Helen jumped as a hand came down on her shoulder and a deep voice asked if she was okay.

She turned and saw that the delicious stranger who made her morning commute just a little bit nicer had actually got off the train to check on her, when she knew that this wasn't his stop.

'Go,' she said, 'the train might leave...'

'There'll be another one,' he said. 'Actually, given we're talking British Rail, we might even have time for breakfast...'

He made her laugh amidst the tears that she was desperately trying to stop, and stop they briefly did as she became more aware of his hand that was still on her shoulder. Their eyes met again, only this time with contact between them.

God but he was even better looking close up, Helen thought.

He was not her usual type—he was a bit scruffy and unshaven and his black hair could do with a cut but his eyes, on closer inspection, weren't green, more hazel and they were seriously kind.

What was her type? Helen wondered and then remembered she had just got engaged—oh that's right, she wasn't allowed to do that anymore.

She'd said yes to a man who, of late, she had found out really wasn't her type at all.

'I'm Aiden,' he said and watched as she struggled to make conversation and wondered then if she'd prefer if he left.

'I see you some mornings...' Helen gulped.

'Not for much longer, I finish work next week, I'm heading overseas in the New Year...' Still they looked at each other and he saw the flicker of disappointment in her eyes. Much the same as he had felt when he had seen her ring. 'Is there anything I can do to help?' Aiden didn't have tissues but he had his own supply of take-away napkins in his coat pocket and offered her one, which she took.

'Not really,' Helen let out a breath. 'No.'

Only she could get herself out of the situation she had found herself in.

Helen just didn't know how.

The train hissed into life and it was either get back on or wait for the next one.

'Better?' Aiden checked because she seemed a bit calmer.

'Better,' Helen said. 'Though the whole carriage is staring at me.'

'Who cares?' Aiden said.

Not she, Helen thought. Who cared about people who could only be bothered to gawk but would look away the second she returned? Aiden had actually had the kindness to get out.

'Thanks,' Helen said. 'I'm fine now.'

They walked back to the train together and when Helen sat down she wondered if Aiden might sit with her.

Aiden would have liked to but there was a ring on her finger and if there was one thing Aiden loathed it was cheating. He had no intention of resuming the little smiles and glances they had shared, especially in the last couple of weeks.

As the train moved out of the station he got back to the news on his phone, trying to tell himself that it didn't matter....

He still didn't know her name.