Page 96 of Love Letters on Hazel Lane

Jo paused for a second. She could offer to stay late and talk Leona through everything – it would be far easier in an evening when everyone had gone home – but she’d intended to go along to Scrabble club this evening; she missed them all. And she couldn’t avoid Razz forever. So what if he was dating someone else? She had to move on.

On the other hand, it would be hard to walk in again after her absence; practically as bad as walking in for the first time. Everyone would be sure to ask her where she’d been and what would she say?

Perhaps she’d go next week.

Kill the bully with kindness.

‘Are you and Hannah going out tonight?’ she asked.

Leona hesitated.

Perhaps, Jo thought, she’s afraid I’m going to invite myself along.

‘Not tonight, no,’ said Leona. ‘Hannah has a date.’

‘Stay on after the others have gone. We can run through it all properly, sort out everything you need to know. We could even reorganise Caroline’s files so they’re easier to find. I’ve been itching to do that for ages.’

‘Why? Why would you do that?’

‘Because I’m a kind person.’

The words hung in the air between them. Along with the unspoken words that Jo had wanted to add but hadn’t. And you’re not.

For once, everyone left on time and, when only the two of them remained, Jo pulled her chair across the office to Leona’s desk and they went through it all: the budgets, the invoices, the schedules, the forward-planning documents.

Mona stared down at them, a disapproving look on her face. Jo knew what she was thinking as she was thinking it herself. Why are you helping her, Jo? She got the promotion that should have been yours.

I’m killing the bully with kindness, Jo told Mona silently, though she was still trying to convince herself. Was this bonkers? Helping someone who’d been so mean to her?

Although maybe it wasn’t. Something had shifted. It was subtle, hard to put her finger on, but she realised that she no longer felt afraid of Leona. Giving up an hour or two of her evening was well worth it just for that.

‘Thanks,’ said Leona when they’d finally gone through everything. ‘Did you er… want to go for a drink? I mean, I owe you. Big time.’

‘Another time,’ Jo said and tried not to notice that Leona looked relieved.

It was nearly half past eight when Jo left the office. There was a train in fourteen minutes; she might make it. She had a spring in her step as she strolled along the edge of Deansgate. She knew that job should have been hers and that Leona still didn’t like her much, but despite that, Jo had helped her colleague and she felt rather good about herself.

She dodged grumpy commuters, an elderly woman wheeling a small suitcase along, a group of young men on a night out. She passed the Wetherspoons where she’d had a drink with Si and ¡Tapas! ¡Tapas! where she and Neil had gone for their first – and only – date. She glanced inside.

She’d gone past before she realised what she’d seen. She took a step or two backwards, like a film rewinding, and looked again. Zoey. Leaning across a table, caressing the face of the man sitting opposite her.

And that man wasn’t Razz.

It was Neil.

*

If she hadn’t stayed late to help Leona, she’d never have known.

What were the chances?

Well, they were all fishing in the same pond, weren’t they, on those dating apps. All around the same age, looking in a similar geographical area.

But what about Razz? Had he and Zoey split up? Or had they never been together? After all, Jo had just assumed but she’d never known for sure.

And then the thought occurred to her: what if Zoey was cheating on him?

Ought she to warn him?