‘Thanks. Give us the hard work and steal all the credit.’
‘Now now, don’t sulk. You’ll get a little mention in the right-hand corner.’
‘Tell you what, how about this?’ Ward retaliates. ‘We’ll do the advertising and you can redo the brochure and we’ll have as little to do with one another as possible.’
‘Oh, Ward, I thought we’d moved on. How’s your home life these days?’
‘Business only.’
I knock on the door and can’t fail to register the ice-cold atmosphere between them. ‘Let’s toss for it,’ suggests Spencer. ‘Ah, January, just in the nick of time.’
I place some paperwork on Ward’s desk. ‘Details for tomorrow.’
‘Ah yes,’ chips in Spencer, doing his ‘let’s read upside down’ trick again, ‘I’m pitching for that place in Marlborough too. May the best man win.’
‘Right, I’m off.’
‘Before you go, can you toss?’ Ward asks me.
Spencer winks as he hands me the coin, giving it a little kiss beforehand.
‘Heads or tails?’
‘Heads,’ Ward says.
The coin lands in my palm before I turn it over. ‘Sorry, tails.’
‘Well, well,’ Spencer gloats, ‘I win again.’
As I’m clearing my desk, Spencer joins me after his meeting, saying hello to Spud before taking a peek into my Jigsaw bag. He lifts the top out, holds it against his chest, posing.
I snatch it off him.
‘Put it on,’ he suggests.
‘Fuck off, Spencer.’
‘What is it with you and Ward? All you do is hurl insults at me.’
‘Maybe you deserve them.’
‘You both need a holiday.’
‘Yep, away from you.’
‘Harsh. I’m hurt.’ He looks at the green top again. ‘What’s the occasion?’
‘I was meant to be going on a date.’
‘Meant?’
‘He cancelled. He has to work.’
‘That old chestnut.’ He laughs. ‘Sorry, you know my teasing is a sign of undying affection.’
‘Whatever, Spencer,’ I say, my nerves on edge.
‘Well, seeing as you’re not doing anything now, why don’t you and me—’
