“And I wish I had come to Dublin with you,” she said and was shocked by the revelation that she hadn’t planned on revealing and actually had only just realised it herself.
“I asked you to come with me, Steph!” He sounded exasperated by her desire to do one thing and then do the opposite.
“I know, but even if I had agreed I wouldn’t have been able to come with you, would I? Not you, me and your wife!”
“No, but it really isn’t what you think. We need to t–” he said before Steph interrupted.
“Talk! We need to talk! You always say that when the subject of Lucy comes up and yet we never do,” she said irritated by him and their situation again.
His own irritation was on the rise, “This isn’t all on me, just remember that you are usually the one who shuts down those conversations.”
Silence fell between them, Jon not willing to take those words back and Steph refusing to agree with them anywhere outside of her own head.
Jon picked things up, a little softer again, “We will talk this time. We have to. I will come over now and we will talk everything through tonight,” he suggested.
“No,” she protested. “I really do have some work to do and I have already told you that I wouldn’t be free this weekend . . . maybe we should have a bit of a break and then we can decide exactly what we want.”
“If that’s what you want!” said Jon unusually petulant now.
“It is. I will see you Monday at work and then we can still meet in the evening if we’re both ready to talk,” she suggested seriously.
“As you wish!” he said coldly. “I will expect you in my office first thing Monday with Grant to discuss your future,” he said before adding, “Enjoy the rest of your weekend, goodbye Stephanie.”
“Bye Jon,” she replied and briefly wondered whether this was the beginning of the end and would it be better all round if it was?
Seven
Steph sat nervously in the car park at Brookers and jumped when there was a bang on the window. She turned and found Steve staring in at her, pulling a face that made her laugh. As she shook her head with mock disapproval she got out of the car.
“Good morning, Miss Pryor. Are you coming in or sloping off back home?” asked Steve.
“Good morning to you too, Mr Cannon. I am indeed coming in.” She joined him for the walk across the car park towards the lift.
As they entered it, Steve asked, “Are you okay Steph? You look nervous.”
“I’m fine thanks, it’s just that Dave is back today and I am discussing my contract and role with Grant and Mr Brooker this morning.”
“So? You have nothing to be concerned about there. Trust me when I say that you are going nowhere other than into your own office.” He smiled at her as he arrived at his floor.
Steph continued in the lift to the twenty-third floor and was debating whether she should go back down to accounts when thedoors opened to reveal Jon standing there in a dark grey three piece suit with a dazzling white shirt and black tie.
“Good morning, Miss Pryor, I was just coming down to see you in accounts,” he told her.
“Oh, why?” she asked nervously.
“Just to make sure you were here,” he admitted equally as nervous as her.
“Oh.” Steph felt slightly taken aback by his admission.
She was about to speak when the lift doors began to shut with Steph on the inside and Jon on the outside. Steph quickly began to press the buttons on the control panel but the doors shut anyway and the lift began its descent again. She laughed to herself as it stopped at the twenty-second floor, the doors opening to reveal Jon standing there again.
“You really are going to make me do all the running, aren’t you?” Jon stepped into the lift and grinned while selecting the button that would take them back to his floor.
“That wasn’t my intention,” she insisted as they exited the lift and Jon guided Steph by her elbow towards his office.
Andrea was already placing a tray of tea on his desk as he and Steph arrived in the office.
Leaving them, she offered Steph a smile. “Nice to see you again, Miss Pryor.”
