Page 159 of The Grand Duel
Lissie
I leave the office dead on five, desperate to get home and shower before I start my shift at The Nightingale and mindful that Charles could be back at any moment.
He opened up to me last night in a bid to help me understand why he didn’t tell me, and I get it—he’s never had a sexual relationship outside of the club. As much as it hurts that he kept it from me—embarrassment I still feel over certain interactions we’ve had, I can’t blame him when I don’t know how I’d have reacted in his position.
I feel an aching need to cave to his apology every time I’m near him. And while I do understand and should probably brush it under the rug, the things he said last night, telling me that he would go back to the club—basically saying he doesn’t see this going anywhere between us, I can’t get my head around his words when they clearly don’t match his actions.
I can’t help but think he does want to do things differently.
That maybe it’s just new, and he’s scared to try.
Once I’m home and showered, I drop back to my bed with the plan to try calling my sister for the millionth time. She texted me yesterday, telling me she’d been busy and would call, but where I’d normally have a missed call at the end of a day, I have nothing.
When I see I have multiple emails from Edna, I quickly click on my mailbox.
Can I book a table tonight at Mullins for when we win this thing?
Edna Harrison
Manager
Charles Aldridge Ltd
Charles’s reply sits right below, and I can’t ignore it.
Of course, Ed. Thank you.
Charles Aldridge
Director
Charles Aldridge Ltd
I chew on the inside of my cheek as I reply.
I have a shift tonight, sorry.
Please let me know how it went today.
Lissie
Assistant to director
Charles Aldridge Ltd
Without thinking too hard about the man who’s done a number on my head—and how it made my chest physically ache seeing him so conflicted in his office this morning—I call Jovie.