‘Ah…’ Virginia let out an annoyingly charming laugh. ‘I’m afraid it’s one of the downsides of my job – by the time I’ve completed a day’s work, I’m ready to crack open a bottle and quite often capable of finishing it before I’ve ordered a food delivery.’
‘I’d better go and get changed and check on Billie…Unless you need me here for anything?’
‘I don’t think so,’ he said. ‘We’re just going over the particulars of the accident on the field at the moment.’
‘But you might need me later?’
‘I’m sure we don’t need to bother you at this point,’ Virginia cut in as she retook her seat at the table. ‘You must be tired, and I’m sure you want to do whatever it is you usually do after work.’
Zoe was tempted to remind her that what she normally did after work was cook and talk to Alex and Billie, like the family they were becoming. But she’d already alluded to that, and Virginia hadn’t seemed concerned by the fact she was an obstacle to Zoe’s preferred evening at home. She wanted to be more understanding than she knew she was. Alex had clearly panicked at some point during the day and made an impetuous phone call to the first person he’d thought of – perhaps the only person he knew who might possess the knowledge to ease his mind. It just so happened that this person was a gorgeous,successful woman, with charm, grace, ease and the sort of proportions that would make your average supermodel green with envy. Zoe wished he’d seen fit to call and at least warn her this goddess would be here, and that he and the goddess had history. Perhaps then she could have got her head around it before she’d arrived home, and perhaps she might not have been feeling so irrationally insecure about it.
‘Thanks,’ Zoe said, not knowing what else she was meant to say. ‘Will you…?’ She eyed the wine glasses on the table, both still half full, and the bottle sitting between them. ‘Will you be staying? I mean, for long? I mean, will you be eating with us?’
‘Oh no.’ Virginia showed her perfect teeth in a dazzling smile. ‘I don’t think so. I’m here on business, really. I was tempted by a teeny drop of wine, but once I’ve had this, I’ll be on my way. I have a long drive.’
‘Where to? Perhaps we can…’
‘Alex already offered me a spare bed, but I wouldn’t hear of it. If the roads are quiet it will only take me a few hours.’
‘You live in Essex?’ Zoe asked, suddenly realising that she would have known Alex in his youth and that he’d lived in Essex then.
‘Not now. I moved to Nottingham for…well, it doesn’t matter why. My office is in Nottingham.’
‘That’s…’ Zoe’s brow furrowed. It was a long drive, as far as she knew. She was about to say so when she decided it was none of her business. Virginia must have known how far she had to go, and she must have been content to make the journey, and Zoe wasn’t about to go out of her way to stop her.
She was turning to leave when it struck her…she’d call it humanity, ordinarily, because the impulse was far more charitable than she wanted it to be. The fact remained that, however awkward she found Virginia’s presence, she didn’t likethe thought of her driving all that way at night to get home. ‘It’s too far.’ She glanced at Alex.
‘I agree,’ he said. ‘I really think you should stay here, V.’
Zoe baulked at the use of a nickname that he’d obviously had for her when they’d been together. It was too cute and too familiar, but what could she say without sounding unreasonable?
‘I have to be at my desk at eight tomorrow morning.’
‘Do you?’ Alex asked. ‘I thought you were the boss.’
She laughed. ‘Yes, and the boss says so.’
‘Is there no way you can rearrange your workload tomorrow so you can drive back in the morning?’ Zoe asked.
Virginia regarded her with some curiosity now and held her gaze for a moment before finally shaking her head. ‘I could, but I’m not going to. Thank you both for the offer, but I’m happy to wrap this meeting up, finish my drink and take the case back with me to look over tomorrow.’
‘If you’re sure,’ Alex said. ‘Listen, V, I do appreciate you helping me with this. I know it’s not your area of law, but?—’
She held up a hand to stop him. ‘You know I’d do anything for you. As soon as you picked up the phone, I was always going to come, and you don’t have to keep thanking me. You’re right, it’s not my area of expertise, but I’m sure I can put it in front of someone who knows more than me, and between us we should be able to help.’
Alex gave a grateful nod, and as they both reached for their wine glasses, Zoe felt oddly surplus to requirements.
‘I suppose I’ll go and get sorted then,’ she said.
By this point, they’d both turned back to some photos Alex must have taken of the accident site on his phone. Next to him he had a map that showed the boundaries of the land Hilltop stood on, and some other bits of paper.
He looked up with a distracted smile. ‘Yeah…Sorry I haven’t cooked.’
‘You’ve been busy – I wouldn’t expect you to. Maybe we can order something in…or have some toast or soup or something?I’m sure…’
He’d already turned back to his papers. Virginia gave Zoe the most cursory of acknowledgements before she resumed her examination of his photos. And Zoe, now being roundly ignored by both of them, decided she might as well see if she could be of use to anyone upstairs because she sure as hell wasn’t useful to anyone down here.
17
