Page 57 of The Time of My Afterlife

Clark is scowling at me. ‘That would mean back to the drawing board and we don’t have time, Florence.’

I look at Jane. ‘It’s your call as it’s your podcast. That’s just my view.’

While Jane asks Jack for his thoughts, Clark comes to sit by me on the sofa. ‘We’re supposed to be a team,’ he hisses.

My irritation spikes. ‘We are, but that doesn’t mean I have to agree with you on everything.’

His eyes narrow. ‘I chose that music.’

‘Well, I disagree with your chosen piece. It’s giving funeral vibes.’

He lets out a heavy sigh. ‘You always do this – muscle in on everything I do.’

Jane collects her papers, and Jack places the microphone under his arm. ‘We’ll go back to my house and think about it.’

I sense Jane has picked up on the tension between Clark and me.

Clark looks horrified. ‘No, Jane, please stay.’

She glances at both of us in turn. ‘I sense you two have things to discuss.’ I watch her and Jack hurry to the door.

As the door closes, I put my head in my hands and groan.

‘That was your fault,’ he says.

I open my mouth to say something inflammatory and then stop. In my head, I can hear Iris and Hilda talking about the test. The word ‘change’ lingers for a few seconds. ‘We’re still acting like two bickering kids.’

He remains silent and nibbles on the side of his thumbnail.

‘We need to agree to stop behaving like children or we’re never going to pass this test and we’ll end up screaming and shouting at each other in that bedsit for the rest of eternity.’

He lets out a heavy sigh. ‘You’re right.’

‘We’re always trying to outdo each other.’

After crossing his legs, he nods. ‘I always feel like I’m in competition with you.’

I turn on the sofa and face him. ‘It’s the same for me.’

He casts me a pained expression. ‘You always come up with good ideas and that bugs me.’

‘Well, you have great ideas too. I loved what you’d done with her voice back there.’

His eyebrows shoot up his forehead. ‘Really?’

‘Yes, I should have said that.’

A smile is spreading across his face. ‘You’re the only person who annoys me this much.’

I chuckle. ‘I can say the same about you. Can we try and stop reverting to when we were kids?’

He sits up, resting his elbows on his knees. ‘I will stop trying to outdo you.’

I take a deep breath. ‘I will too.’

‘What about that triumphant smile of yours? Your secret weapon against me.’

His eyes are studying my face intently, making my cheeks heat up. ‘I will try not to use it,’ I murmur.