I shrugged. I’d read her application and heard my brothers wasting words about what an asset she’d be to the commercial litigation department, but I hadn’t paid too much attention, knowing that if I started to analyse her strengths and weaknesses, I’d end up worrying about how good she’d actually be and what additional work she was going to create for me.
“She’ll be good, Seph. She was a partner for Eversley Harrop and she won on the James-Higford case last year.”
I stifled a yawn and didn’t say anything. I’d heard all this before. She was leaving another top law firm to come to us, after a win that had been huge – a really technical case that had made the gazette and altered precedent.
“I’m sure she will. I just hope she’s ready to get stuck in – we were instructed by Cabotts today. It’s going to be a big one.” That was probably an understatement. Cabotts were a huge company involved in the export and import of goods, and my initial understanding of what they were claiming was that it was complex and involved a lot of cash. Even if I hadn’t decided to immerse myself in work for the next few months, the chances of having any form of social life during this were going to be pretty much zero, unless my new colleague was that good.
“She will be. You sure you don’t want a lift?”
I shook my head. The fresh air would do me good.
Probably.
Chapter Two
Seph
“One very hot, double shot coffee with extra frothed milk.”
The mug it was presented in was different to what every other customer in the café had. It was taller with a smiling dog face on one side and a slogan that told me not to have a ‘ruff day’ on it.
This was my morning routine. Wake up, head to the gym where I’d train for an hour, head to Amelie’s café for breakfast and then walk into the office, all before eight am and usually before seven-thirty.
That routine was going to have to change.
“Happy Friday, Sugar.” Amelie sat down opposite me, her hair the most normal colour I’d ever seen it.
Usually it was blonde with purple or pink woven through it, but today it was all blonde, the colour of summer fields. She’d been our neighbour when we were growing up, the same age as Jackson, or just a bit younger and I’d crushed on her hard when I was nine and thought she was a princess.
If she’d known about my crush, she’d never said, but as I’d gotten older, I’d known about hers and that wasn’t something I was going to share with anyone.
“Happy Friday. How’re the plans going?” I tried to stick some enthusiasm in my tone.
“Good. A few more weeks and I’ll be there permanently. By the sea.”
She looked blissed out already.
“I’ll come visit as soon as I can.” Anglesey wasn’t that far, just a few hours’ drive, and if I took a Friday or a Monday off it would give me a decent break. Amelie was leaving her café-bistro to be run by a manager she’d appointed and taking over a pub in a small seaside village.
Hence my routine would have to change.
“I know you will, Sugar. I’m hoping to see most of you over summer. Just because I’m leaving London doesn’t mean I’m leaving you.” She smiled brilliantly, but it didn’t reach her eyes.
I knew Amelie had been in love with Maxwell for years. When I was about fifteen and I’d figured she wasn’t ever going to be interested in me, but I still liked to look. That's how I saw her watching Max, and noticed how she didn’t take her eyes away but then dodged his gaze if he looked at her.
I asked him once if he was going to ask Amelie out and he’d laughed, embarrassed, telling me that she was a friend and that it was possible for a male and female to be just that.
I’d never been sure he was right.
She’d never looked at him like he was a friend and when he’d started dating Victoria, I’d seen her face, the understanding that Max had met someone who wasitfor him. And it wasn’t her.
“I wish you weren’t going.”
She shrugged. “I need a change, Seph. I want a different pace and different scenery, and I always fancied living by the sea. You’ll still get your coffee from here. Daniel’s going to do a fab job.”
I picked up the coffee and sipped at it, the heat numbing my mouth. “It just won’t the same without you here.”
This time her smile was sweeter. “You know, change is good for you sometimes.”
