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Once I’d showered and changed, I headed for the Tube station, messaging Ethan as I walked.
Me: My dad got married last week.
Ethan: Let me guess. He didn’t bother to tell you til now?
Me: Got it in one.
Ethan: He’s a piece of work.
Me: Don’t know why I was surprised. Always hope he’ll change but he never does.
Ethan: Don’t let him get to you.
Me: I’ll try. FYI I’m still pissed off about that little stunt you pulled earlier.
Ethan: You’ll get over it. Something had to change between you two. You’ll be thanking me in the end.
Me: Whatever mate. I doubt that.
Ethan: Deny it all you want.
Me: Ha. Saw Martha earlier BTW. Jodie doesn’t think she has long left. Fucking shit situation.
Ethan: I’m sorry mate. Always here, whatever. OK? Call or message ANY TIME.
Me: Thanks Eth.
9
Olivia
“No way, Lisa. How can Hawkeye be your favourite? He doesn’t even have superpowers.” Jamie sat back in his seat with such a comical look of disgust on his handsome face that I laughed out loud. He and Lisa, our accountant, were discussing their favourite Avengers, although the discussion was becoming more of an argument.
“That’s why I like him.” Lisa grinned, tossing her red curls over her shoulder. “I always root for the underdog.”
“Thor is my favourite,” I interjected.
“Of course he is,” Jamie muttered, rolling his eyes.
“Well, he does have a hammer. Plus—Chris Hemsworth.” I shrugged.
Jamie sighed, resigned, sliding his black-framed glasses down his nose and rubbing his eyes. “Why do I bother entering into these discussions?” he asked himself, staring up at the ceiling. “No one takes me seriously.”
“Okay, who is the best Avenger in your humble opinion? Since you clearly have a problem with our choices,” Lisa shot back.
I tuned out of the now rather heated discussion as my computer pinged with an instant message.
MEETING ROOM BOOKED FOR 10AM. BE THERE.
My mind flew to Luke, and I couldn’t help wondering if he was going to find this truce difficult. I, however, was going to try my very hardest not to rile him up. I’d had a lot of time to think since Ethan had called us into his office, and I’d realised that because we’d got off on the wrong foot right from the beginning, I’d continued to make things worse by antagonising Luke when I should have treated him with the same polite respect I gave everyone else. I couldn’t put my finger on why he affected me in the way he did, but today was a new day. I could only hope it would go better than the previous morning.
Responding to Luke’s message, I typed “LOOKING FORWARD TO IT!” There. I’d started off on a positive note. I just had to keep the momentum going.
Sitting next to Luke in the small meeting room, my gaze trailed over his profile, down his strong forearms to his hands. Why did he have to have his sleeves rolled up? And what was up with his hair? Unlike his usual groomed look, it was messily styled, as if he’d been running his fingers through it.
Argh. It would be so much easier to dislike him if he wasn’t so gorgeous.
I groaned under my breath, studying his hands as he flexed them on his laptop keyboard.
