‘Because I can’t trust you with her. You’re too weak.’
Great. I wish I’d thought of that before I told Holly she could stay out late.
‘You can trust me.’ I put my hand on his knee. ‘But it would be nice if you stayed. I’d like that.’
He stares straight ahead but doesn’t reply.
‘They can find someone else to go to Zurich, can’t they? It’s not like you’re the only partner who can handle the problem.’
He looks at me like I’ve just told him the moon landing was faked. ‘But I’m the best.’
‘I know. But I’m sure there are other people who can handle Zurich.’
‘Actually, not really, no. It’s a very delicate situation, Kate. Billions of dollars are at stake. We’re talking one of the world’s largest financial institutions. And they have a crisis. A big one. That’s why they call me.’ He pokes his own chest. ‘I’m the fixer. I’m the best.’
I nod, like that makes total sense. Any minute now, I’m going to get a lecture on how good he is at it. Of course, that is his actual job. He’s a senior partner at a management consultancy firm that specialises in risk assessments. He works with some of the world’s largest companies to overhaul their operations and, sometimes, to fix problems before they become public.
The truth is, he wants to go. This is a big job for the company. There’s no way he’s going to let someone else fix whatever the crisis is and, especially, get the credit.
He narrows his eyes at me. ‘So, my question to you is, can you handle her?’
I look at him. ‘You know I can. I’ve been handling her—’ I manage not to cringe ‘—for over two years. I’m doing everything that needs to be done. I make sure she does her homework, I make sure she gets good grades and that she practises her piano.’
He stares at me, nostrils flaring.
‘I know what I’m doing, Max. We’ll be fine. You’re only going for ten days.’
I lean in even closer and kiss the side of his chin.
‘I’d love it if you stayed, but if you want to go, you can trust me with her. I promise.’
He looks at me sideways, then he takes my head in his hands and kisses me on the lips. But he’s holding me too tight, and it hurts. ‘Do you know what I do all day at work?’ he says into my face.
I hold his wrists. ‘You fix things.’
‘I don’t just fix things,’ he says, his mouth moving to the side of my neck. ‘I fix people too.’
A lump forms in my throat. I swallow it down. ‘I bet you’re very good at it,’ I say.
‘That’s right. And do you know how I fix people who mess up? The ones who don’t listen to instructions?’
He doesn’t wait for an answer. He knocks the side of my head with his index knuckle.
‘I rewire their brain.’
I jerk back. ‘I’m not one of your employees, Max.’
‘We could argue that point all night, but let’s not.’ He sits back against the sofa. ‘You have to learn there’s a right way to do things, and a wrong way.’
‘I have to clean up,’ I blurt, standing up.
‘I need to be sure something like this won’t happen again, Kate. I need to teach you the right way to do things.’ He rubs his chin. ‘I think you should do lines. Five hundred lines. That should do it. What do you say, my little schoolteacher?’
‘Max, come on. Don’t make me do that. It’s really silly.’
‘Actually, wait. You made a nice dinner, so let’s go with three hundred.’
‘Max—’
