Page 95 of The Grand Duel
Elliot grins as he shrugs. “What goes on tour…”
I ignore them.
Ignore her, too, as she reappears in my mind’s eye, brown eyes bright and shining, young, beautiful.
Fuck.
“Probably a good thing he got it out of his system given how gorgeous that assistant of yours is. Right, Aldridge?”
“I’ll fucking castrate the both of you right here and now.”
They continue to laugh at me.
“We’re fucking with you. There’s no one else to wind up now that Sullivan’s gone.”
My stomach seems to unknot. “So, they’ve not broken up?”
“Oh no, that part is legit.”
I drop my head back a final time, done with the day.
I hear Elliot still laughing as he ups and leaves the room.
“Lissie’s right, mate,” Mason says across the coffee table. “You need a break.”
When I arrive back at Charles Aldridge, I find Lissie is in my office, files spread out on the coffee table as she sits crossed-legged on the sofa reading them.
Both dogs are lay out beside her.
“Apologies, Mr Aldridge, we seem to all like your office more.”
I can’t escape her. If she’s not rattling around in my head, she’s in my office.
“It’s fine.”
She forces her eyes up from whatever she’s reading, dropping them back down again with a smile once she catches the look on my face. “If you’re going to moan at me for being in here or about going away, save it. Edna decided we’ll be reflooring the entire reception, front offices, and the girls’ playroom. She’s started on emptying my office already.”
“I said it was fine.”
Her lips twist, but she doesn’t look up. “Good. I promise you won’t even know I’m here.”
“I highly doubt that,” I mutter, sinking down in my chair.
“Ed took me to lunch at the head office today to show me around. Everyone seems really lovely.”
I look up from behind my desk. “You went already?”
Her attention is a million miles from me, and I hate it.
“We wanted to save you a job, and Edna swore she’d be a better tour guide than you,” she teases.
I rub at the back of my neck, the tension that formed there whilst visiting my friends still lingering, tightening. “Who did you meet?”
“Who did I meet?” she repeats on a yawn as if it doesn’t matter.
It does. “Yes. At the head office. Who did Edna introduce you to?” I say, a little snappy.
She looks up at me, frowning. “Um, Paul? I think. Ollie and Will.” I watch as she racks her brain. “Arthur. He’s a talker, isn’t he?” She laughs, and I wonder if trashing my entire office would feel as good as I think it would right now. “Are you okay, Charles?” she asks, unfolding herself from the sofa and standing. “You seem?—”