She gazes out over the desks outside the conference room. “It’s nice to see female faces in the technical side of the company now. I felt a bit on my own for a while.”
I fiddle with a pen that’s been left on the desk. “Yes, Des has really got the team to a better place. It was a nightmare for a while there.”
She laughs. “Well, I’m glad you and Cath recruited them.” She studies her hands on her lap. “I actually wanted to chat about how you’re going to manage when I go off on maternity leave. Des’ll be at the end of a phone and can fly back if we get into any problems. I can come in, too. I’ll have a small baby, but I’m not disappearing. I won’t be pulling my weight in the same way I usually do, but I can be here for meetings. We’re getting a nanny to help, and Janus is scaling back at his business, so we’ll be well covered.”
Yeah, but Des is going to be swamped trying to build a team out in Korea, recruit people, and cultivate a closer relationship with Samsung. She and Janus are going to want to spend time with their newborn, aren’t they? Shit, she sounds worried. That’s the last thing she needs when she’s heading into a huge life event like this. Thank Christ she doesn’t know I was reeling around the roof of my apartment building five days ago, drunk off my ass.
Her eyes scud over the cut above my eye. “We never have the opportunity to sit down and chat about personal stuff nowadays. How are you doing? How are things with Jane?”
She’s too smart not to realize that I’m not firing on all cylinders, isn’t she? I’ll have to give her some upbeat version of the truth.
“Jane’s got a new boyfriend, and he came to stay.” I can’t meet her eyes. “That was awkward. It’s been difficult sharing the apartment with her since we split up, so I’ve moved into Des’s place. It’s already a lot easier. I’m going to keep an eye on it for him while he’s away.”
“That sounds great. Des mentioned Jane was dating someone else. I can’t believe she brought her new boyfriend to stay! Did you know about him before that?”
“She told me a couple of weeks ago.”
“That must have been so hard, seeing them together ...” She shakes her head.
How much did Des tell her? My throat tightens. “Yeah.” She reaches across the conference table and squeezes my fingers, and I huff out a breath, not meeting her eyes. “Don’t be nice to me, Jo. I don’t want to lose it again in the office.”
I dissolved into tears on Des in here a few weeks ago, and his queer posse chipped in with all manner of romantic suggestions to help with Jane. And shit, I shouldn’t have said stuff about losing it to Jo. Why am I running my mouth? All it takes is one person being kind to me?
Her face creases in concern. “Are you all right after your fall?”
At least she doesn’t know any more about that. When I think about standing on the edge of that roof, all I feel is nauseous.
“I’m good, Jo. It was just one of those stupid things you do.” I hate myself for lying to her, but I can’t tell her the truth. “What good are glasses if they can’t save you from a cut next to your eye?”
Fortunately, she laughs. “Are you okay with taking over the running of the business? It’s a lot to take on when you’re going through some personal stuff, and Lord knows, James, I don’t want to pile more pressure on you.”
“I’m not worried,” I say.
It’s another lie, but what else can I say?
Des appears beside my desk later that afternoon, a mutinous jut to his jaw.
“I really think that Sadie should have my spare bedroom as soon as Alex and I leave,” he says as he picks up a small plastic Yoda from my desk that he gave me ages ago and tosses it in the air. I take it out of his hands as I wave him away.
“I’m totally on board with it. I’ve already talked to her.”
He raises his eyebrows as he grins. “You have? That’s excellent news.”
“Fair warning, she said she’d think about it. I lean forward and lower my voice. “She’s got a bruise on her face, Des.” For some reason, I don’t want to get into Sadie’s dad with Des. His eyes dart over toward where she’s sitting. “I asked her about it, but she didn’t say much. I think keeping an eye on her is a good idea. But I’m not the most persuasive person in the world, as you well know, so we might need some of the Des charm applied to this one.”
His eyes narrow on her for a bit before swinging back to mine. “Okay, I’m on it,” he says, nodding, and he turns and heads toward the kitchen. Later, I spot him talking to Sadie, his arms folded on his chest. Well, if Des can’t persuade her to do this, no one can.
Lo and behold, Sadie comes to a halt by my desk as she’s heading out for the day. “I’ve been giving what you’ve said some thought, and I’ll come and stay, but only for a couple of weeks until I find something else.”
I grin at her. “That’s awesome.”
Her hand fiddles with the cuff of her cardigan. “Can we have a pact that, if it’s ever a problem, you’ll tell me straight out?”
“Deal,” I say, still grinning. “Firstly, are you all right with moving in this weekend? Des and Alex are leaving on Sunday. If you come round then, you can wave them off with me.”
She nods.
“Second question, can you make dinner that evening?”
