Nix, Leon’s wife and PA, comes in and says cautiously, “Everything okay?”
“Well, Archer and Jude have just played out a scene fromGladiatorin the Quad, but yeah apart from that everything’s great.” He scowls.
Her lips twitch. “Coffees all round?”
“Please.”
She goes off to make the drinks.
Leon leans back and runs his hand through his hair. I exchange a look with Stefan, who seems amused more than anything.
“Never thought of you as a boxing guy,” he says, “but you’ve got a mean right hook on you.”
Leon gives a short laugh, and my lips curve up as the two of them chuckle.
“Jude couldn’t have looked more surprised if you’d hit him with a wet fish,” Stefan adds. “Your street cred’s gone up by a few thousand percent, anyway.”
He’s making a joke to lighten the atmosphere, but the reference to how this might have affected my reputation feels as if he’s thrown a bucket of cold water over me. I’m supposed to be a respectable pillar of the community. I’m a therapist, for crying out loud, someone other people come to for help and guidance.
If my father knew what I’d done…
I lean forward on the table and cover my face with my hands, sink my hands into my hair for a moment, then lean back again. “I am so sorry,” I say, meaning it this time. “I shouldn’t have done that in the Quad.”
“No, you shouldn’t.” Leon’s brows draw together. “But I understand why you did it.”
Anger flares inside me like a lit match. “He hurt Beth.” I say the words to Leon, but I know I’m defending myself to my father.
Leon nods. “I know, I saw.”
I blow out a breath and look out of the large window that faces the garden behind the Ark. What a fucking mess. Jude said, “I think of you like a brother,” and I feel the same way about him. I love the guy, and what Beth and I did might have been understandable, and arguably not cheating, but it was unforgivable. Jude still loves her, and he wants—wanted—to try to work things out. But I ruined that, and I don’t know if our friendship will ever recover from it.
The door opens, and Nix comes in with a coffee pot and cups. “Lunch is ready,” she says. “Can I bring it in?”
We’re supposed to be having a working lunch today to talk about the movement of staff between PAWS and the Ark. I’m not sure if Noah will be back at some point, or whether Leon will want to continue without him, but he says, “Please,” and Nix goes off to get it.
She comes back with Wren, who works in the break room kitchen, both of them carrying trays that they put on the table in front of us. There are plates of club sandwiches, small quiches and pies, sushi, and cakes, and my stomach rumbles.
“Thanks,” we all say, and they smile and head out, closing the door behind them.
I help myself to a few sandwiches and some sushi, and tuck in, hoping it’ll settle my uneasy stomach.
“I mentioned to Beth about her staying on our relief list if she goes to PAWS,” Stefan says. “Do you think this might have changed her mind about going?”
“I don’t know,” I say honestly.
“So… are you two an item now?” Leon asks.
I shake my head. “We haven’t really discussed it. She wanted some time to think about things.”
“She won’t go back to Jude, surely?” Stefan says.
“I wouldn’t think he’d want her back now,” Leon replies.
“She was adamant their relationship was over,” I can’t help saying, feeling a tad defensive. “He doesn’t want children, and she does. She said things haven’t been great for some time.” But I know I sound like a petulant teenager, trying to make excuses for my behavior. I don’t need Leon’s pointed stare to know I should have left the two of them to work out their differences before I made a move on her.
Leon checks his phone. “Noah says he’s on his way back. Look, for now why don’t we go through the general staffing lists and talk about anyone else who you think might be interested in helping at both sites.”
He opens the folder next to him, pulls out a list, and starts going through it. I try to concentrate, forcing my brain to think about who I want at PAWS.
