“What’sthe soonest we can get this done? I need to move on with everything else and this is just going to hang over my head like a big sharp dagger until then.” David Hartford tapped the side of his coffee mug, his second since he’d been there.
Seph had made the first while I’d made uncomfortable conversation about the weather, David reluctant to discuss anything about the case until Seph was back. As soon as he’d drank the coffee, he’d tapped the mug and pushed it towards me, a dismissal as if all I was capable of was making him a drink.
I’d resisted adding an additional ingredient to it.
“Like I said, we can go to mediation fairly quickly. That avoids court and the costs that’ll bring.” Seph retained the same calm, relaxed pose he’d started the meeting with.
“I’m not sitting in that room with him. Not after what he’s done to me.” David crossed his arms, his fists clenched. “He shouldn’t even be entitled to any of it! He’s already taken his share out – without even mentioning it, asking, coming to an arrangement...”
For a moment, I felt sorry for him. To feel betrayed by your brother in such a way after so many years of working together must be horrific, and I did have sympathy for that, but David Hartford wasn’t a man easy to empathise with.
“We can mediate with you in separate rooms. It’s likely that the judge will suggest mediation first if we haven’t tried it already and that’s to avoid costs, so if we don’t do it now, we’ll likely have to come back to it anyway, which will prolong everything further.” Seph sounded matter of fact, merely stating what would happen.
David didn’t look pacified. His stare went from me to Seph and back again. “When’s that accountant coming back with evidence of Ron stealing the money?”
I resisted the urge to look at Seph and communicate what we both knew. David was placing too much hope on the withdrawal of funds, but from what we knew so far, he was clutching at straws. His brother was too clever to leave himself open to criminal charges, and creative accountancy could find enough legal loopholes to thread money through. In simple terms, as Ron wouldn’t sell to David, the quickest solution was for the company to be sold, and David to take a bigger share of the profits, but both Seph and I knew, every penny was going to be fought over, going back to who put initial investments into the first jewellery store forty years ago.
“We should get his report in another couple of weeks,” I said, knowing this wouldn’t be good enough for David. “In the meantime, we should prep for possible mediation.”
“I’ve said I don’t want to do that, or weren’t you listening?” His tone was sharp.
Seph stood up immediately. “And that’s the last time you’re going to speak to Georgia like that.” He said the words quietly. “You either trust us to guide you through this and take our suggestions, or you find other representation.”
David looked like a child who’d just been scolded. “I’m sorry.” He directed the apology at me, but it didn’t sound sincere. “This is a very stressful time for me.”
I gave a nod and looked at Seph. “If we don’t prepare for a mediation, David, we’d be negligent.”
“I understand.”
He didn’t, but he wasn’t going to embarrass himself in front of Seph any further.
“I have another matter I need to discuss with you. I want to transfer part ownership of the industrial estate to my son, Edward, but I’m wondering how we do it without incurring any additional tax.”
David looked away from me, focusing on Seph who was still standing.
“Send the details over and we’ll look at it. We’ll have to leave it for today as we’ve another meeting to get to.” Seph was expressionless, his arms still folded, his biceps bulging in the sleeves of his shirt.
I pulled my gaze away from him. He was hard to look at when he was like this, semi-seething because I knew David Hartford had just royally pissed him off with how he’d spoken to me. His body was tense, his back rigid and his jaw clenched.
I itched to touch him. I wanted David to go and then I could put my hand on Seph’s chest, run it up to his shoulder and ease the muscles there. Between my legs started to burn and I ached.
This was not how it should be. It was my second week at a new job, and I’d been through enough shit where I worked before to know office relationships or flings or even one night stands were never simple.
David got up, not looking at me, and offered his hand to Seph. “Make this same appointment for next week and we can catch up, but I’ll speak to you tomorrow. If anything comes in from the other side today, make sure you give me a call.”
“Will do.” Seph kept the handshake brief and then opened the door for David to leave the meeting room.
The silence between us was loaded with heavy, unspoken words while we waited for the door handle to click and David’ footsteps to fade away. I got to my feet, feeling off balance with Seph still standing.
“I wish I’d said no to this case.” He moved so his back was resting against the door, stopping anyone from entering.
I shook my head. “Seph, how he spoke isn’t that unusual. One of the partners where I worked before was even worse with the women who worked there. He was either trying to fuck them or ignore them.”
He looked at the floor. “Yesterday…”
“When we kissed.” We had to talk about it. There was no way I was forgetting it any time soon, and I suspected it was the same for him.
“When we kissed. You’re fucking gorgeous and I’m really attracted to you, but we probably shouldn’t do that again. I want to, fuck, Georgie, I want to, but…”
