Chapter Seven

Nathan walked into the lobby of the Plaza and looked around for any sign of Haley. She had called him and told him to meet her in the hotel's restaurant at eight but he had come downstairs a little early in case she did so too. He surveyed the people there but she wasn't one of them. Nathan was about to go to the bar and wait, when he heard someone whisper his name behind him. He turned around and saw a person hiding behind a tall potted plant. He moved closer and saw the person was wearing a long oversized beige coat and a beige hat with an enormous brim which was pushing the plant in the opposite direction. "Haley?"

"I said eight o'clock."

Nathan had to choke back a laugh. "What are you wearing?"

"I'm being covert so as not to attract attention."

"Well, you'll be attracting nothing but attention when you walk into the restaurant wearing that. You look kind of silly."

Haley frowned. Her father had said the same thing. Only he had been red-faced and rolling around on the floor with laughter when he said so. That had quickly stopped when she reminded him that he was on the verge of being ruined. "Well, look, we can't go into the restaurant together –"

"Why not?"

"We can't be seen together - I can't discuss it with you here! I'm going to the restaurant now and in five minutes you should follow me."

"Should I sit at a separate table too? We can get the waiters to pass notes."

Haley glared at him but under the brim of her hat all he could see was shadow. "Wait five minutes. Don't forget."

……………

'This is great, just great,' Nathan thought as he scanned the restaurant. He had expected it to be easy to find Haley in her get-up but the ugly beige outfit was nowhere to be seen. He walked further inside, going all the way to the bar. When he still couldn't find her he grabbed a stool, sitting so that he was facing the entrance and the tables rather than the bar so he could see her.

As his eyes roamed the crowd they came to rest on a young woman sitting on her own at a booth in one corner of the room. She was wearing a light blue dress with gold beads down the front that clung to her figure in all the right places. Her long blonde-brown hair fell in loose waves. When he saw her face Nathan's eyes grew wide. "Haley?"

She looked at him expectantly until he came to her table and sat down next to her in the booth. "Why did you go over there? I didn't say to go to the bar."

"I know - I thought you hadn't come yet."

"Where else would I be? Anyway," Haley said, "there's something we have to discuss, Nathan. Nathan?" she added when she noticed he wasn't paying attention. "What's wrong?"

"What? Oh, nothing," he shrugged.

"Then, why do you keep staring at me but don't talk?"

"Oh…well, that…" he gulped. "You look…"

"'Kind of silly'?" she offered referring to his comment in the lobby.

"Actually, I was thinking more like 'stunning', but…" Nathan let his comment trail off and grinned as he noticed Haley blush.

Haley bit her lip to hold back the nervous smile she felt tugging on her lips and took a long sip of her drink.

"What prompted the change of outfit?" Nathan inquired.

Haley blushed harder. After her father had voiced his opinion of her previous attire she had asked him what he thought would be more inconspicuous. He had replied that she should wear something sexy. When Haley had pushed for an explanation he said that that way she would look like Nathan's mistress. "And trust me, kiddo, if they think that, they're all gonna leave you to your own business." Haley had disagreed, of course, but she had worn the dress underneath the coat. Just in case.

His theory seemed to have been proven right, because now no one seemed to be looking at them, whereas she had felt like everyone was looking at them – or at least, her – out in the lobby. But, there was no way she could tell that to Nathan so she just said, "I thought it would blend in with everyone else better."

"Oh, trust me," Nathan shook his head, "you don't look like anybody else here. And I mean that in a good way."

"Why don't we just get onto the reason that we're here?" Haley said, feeling the need to change to the subject.

Nathan nodded. He felt bad about what he had said outside the museum on Friday and wanted to apologize and maybe, if things went okay, throw in the prospect of dating. However, before he could even open his mouth, Haley began.

"I have something of a business deal for you."

"Business?" 'Who considered dating a business deal?'

"Yes. The reason I called you back is because I need your help." Her voice was getting softer so Nathan moved closer to her. "I need you to help me steal something."

"You want to steal something?"

Haley nodded. "The Chellini Venus."

"The Chellini Venus?" Nathan repeated. "Your Chellini Venus?" Haley nodded again, confusing Nathan even more. "Why would you want to steal something which belongs to you in the first place?"

"Well…" Haley began. "I can't tell you."

"Let me get this straight. You want me to help you steal something which, not only is impossible to steal, but already yours and you won't even tell me why?"

When he said it out loud it sounded extremely crazy, but it was also true. "Yeah."

Nathan was so flabbergasted that he had no idea what to say. "Why did you ask me?"

"Oh…" Haley hadn't expected that question. "Well, its not like I know a lot of thieves," Nathan flinched when she called him that, "and…I thought you might help."

"And why did you think that?"

"Well…" That was a good question actually, why had she thought that? Haley knew it had something to do with the fact that he had turned up while she had been on her 'date' the previous night. "I just thought you might," she muttered.

"And if I say no, what will you say?" Nathan questioned.

"Can you move back?"

"What?" 'What kind of answer was that?'

"You keep moving this way as you talk and you're about to push me out of the booth."

Nathan saw that she was right, so he moved back to his side. "Sorry."

"It's okay."

"So…if I refuse, what will you do?"

Haley frowned. "Well, I guess I'll have to try to steal it by myself."

Nathan shook his head. Even though he was reluctant to try to steal the sculpture there was no way he'd let Haley attempt it on her own. Besides, he was always looking for something interesting, or an adventure of some sort; trying to steal the Chellini Venus would be anything but boring. "Okay. I'll help you."

"You will?" Haley asked eagerly.

Nathan nodded and she smiled at him brightly, as she had never done before. It was then that he realized he was in way over his head.