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Alex had clearly decided to forget her show of emotion last night, and they were back to business as usual. If he could do it, then so could she.
‘Feeling much better.’ He grinned. ‘I’m going to stick with that blanket assurance and leave the details to you and Anita. I imagine that Nisha will be more comfortable with that.’
‘Good move.’
Marie bit her tongue. She didn’t need to be thinking about Alex’s moves—or hers. Last night was last night.
Alex seemed to be loitering, neither sitting down to talk nor about to leave. Suddenly he planted his hands on her desk, leaning forward towards her.
‘I want Zack.’
‘You...want Zack?’
Marie felt her jaw harden. Alex obviously thought he could solve this problem, but he didn’t know Zack.
‘What for? There’s nothing you can do, Alex.’
‘Why on earth not? We’re friends, Marie. Heaven forbid we’d actually try to help each other with our problems.’
All right. He had her there.
‘I can deal with it. I appreciate the offer, but—’
‘It’s not an offer. You can’t deal with this on your own, and I can help. You told me I had to accept what I’ve been given and do the right thing with it. I’m just following your advice.’
‘Well...what are you going to do with him?’
Alex was clearly on a mission. If she wasn’t so cross with her brother for treating their mum so badly Marie might have felt sorry for Zack.
Alex straightened up. He suddenly seemed very tall, his determination filling the room. ‘He’s going to work here. I’ve had a word with Sofia, and there are a lot of things she can get him to do, so he’ll be working hard. He’ll need to, because he’s going to have to pay you back the two hundred pounds he took.’
‘That doesn’t matter, Alex. It’s done now.’
‘It matters. This isn’t about the money. It’s about how he treats people. I need you to take the two hundred pounds and for your mother to accept something from him for his bed and board. Everything else I’ll deal with. He’ll work a full day and he’ll pull his weight. If he turns up here with a hangover I’ll find a job for him that’ll make a cracking headache even worse. And if I see any evidence of drug-taking I’ll test him myself and put him into our drug rehab programme.’
It was exactly what Zack needed. But Alex shouldn’t have to do this.
‘The clinic can’t afford it, Alex. We have budgets and that money could be spent elsewhere.’
‘Yes, but it
appears that I have a small inheritance on my hands, and my income is embarrassing enough to be able to pay Zack without even noticing the difference. My real problem is you. Which I guess makes you Zack’s real problem as well.’
Marie felt herself redden. Alex was right—she was standing between Zack and an amazing opportunity.
‘He does need something like this. Zack’s just so charming that he thinks that everyone will forgive him anything. He’s right, and I’m just as much at fault as anyone in falling for his promises...’
Alex chuckled, finally sitting down. ‘I can be charming, can’t I? You never have any problem resisting that.’
‘That’s different. I respect you.’
‘Okay. I’m not sure how that works, but I’ll take it. Can you get your mother on board?’ Alex finally sat down.
‘Yes. That won’t be a problem.’
Alex had come up with a plan that would make a real difference for Zack. Marie had to acknowledge that with good grace.
‘Thank you, Alex. It would do him a lot of good, and I really appreciate your help. If you’re willing to take him on for a couple of weeks, that would be great.’
