‘So, am I to take this as you calling to say you’ve come around to logic?’ Despite his words, his tone holds a note of hesitancy. I find it helps.
‘I’m not sure any of this is logical. All I know is I don’t want to lose my company, and as much as I’d like to blame you or Luke for putting me in this position, I’ve concluded the fault lies with me.’ And that the problems were always there. I should’ve prepared better. Sought sound advice and followed a different path. Not been full of such reckless confidence.
‘There’s no need to sound as though you’re about to face the firing squad. For what it’s worth, I think you’re doing the right thing. I want to say the grown-up thing, but I don’t want to make you cross.’
‘That’s a first.’ I almost laugh as I flick his business card across the room. It spins like a helicoptering maple seed.
‘What is it they say? Happy wife, happy life?’
‘Now you’re just being mean.’
‘Where are you, Olivia?’
‘At home. Why?’
‘Give me your address and I’ll send a car over for you.’
‘I’m not going to your house,’ I say a little panicked.
‘I’m in the office,’ he replies smoothly.
‘On Sunday? I thought you lot didn’t work very hard?’
‘I get paid for what I know, not for what I do. Yet here I am. Doing.’
‘Couldn’t wedothis tomorrow, then? Mondays are so boring as it is. It’d give the devil something to look forward to. A nice pound of Olivia flesh?’
‘As tempting as that sounds, do you really want to go over the particulars with an audience milling around?’
My mind goes back to the things he said, and I imagine an office full of admin staff holding grudges and wielding pitchforks.
‘We could meet somewhere public,’ I reply, ignoring the implications in his words.
‘You don’t trust me.’ There’s that amusement again. ‘Or perhaps you don’t trust yourself.’
‘I’m pretty sure I can manage to restrain my base urges where you’re concerned.’
‘You mean you can restrain yourself from killing me.’
‘I’ll certainly try my best.’
‘If you’re disinclined to come over to the office this afternoon, we could do dinner this evening.’
After last time? Ah, hell no. ‘Can’t. I’m busy tonight.’
‘Tomorrow is no good for me, and I’m flying to New York,’ he answers crisply. ‘In short, I won’t be around for a week. Is that going to complicate things for you? Your cash flow, I mean.’
I sigh. This is ... embarrassing. The last time I was beholden to anyone was when I was at college.And having family pay my bills isn’t the same.
‘Olivia,’ he says sharply. ‘If you find it difficult to be in the same room as me already, I’m not sure this arrangement will work.’
‘Fine,’ I answer quietly, blowing out another breath. I strain to keep my eyes wide open and glued to a spot on the ceiling. If I can do this, I won’t cry.
I.Won’t.Cry.
‘Then you’d better give me your address.’
I consider not getting changed and turning up in his sleek and shiny office in a pair of boyfriend jeans and an old T-shirt. But in a fit of panic, I begin to wonder if he’ll change his mind at the sight of “Sunday Olivia”.
