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“No idea. She was the cleaner here last night. She’s coming to pick up the item she left.”
“Are you sure you don’t just want me to drop it off to her?”
“No…”
She smiles.
“Don’t start,” I scold.
“I didn’t say a word.”
I roll my eyes. She’s always telling me I need to find a nice girl and settle down. She was very disappointed when I said Felicity wouldn’t be calling in anymore—until Felicity threw her coffee machine through her window, and then I think she was rather relieved.
“Can you collect her from reception when she arrives at one?” I ask.
“Of course.” She’s still smiling. “Was she pretty?”
I think about the brief glimpse I had of Dodie’s assistant. She’d been dressed in thick green coveralls and flat boots—hardly the sexiest of clothing. Her curly hair had been crazy wild. She hadn’t been wearing makeup, from what I could see from across the room. She was totally the opposite of all the women I meet every day in the city, with their groomed, sophisticated appearance, designer clothes, and expensive accessories.
“Stunning,” I say.
Nadine’s smile widens. Then she says, “I got a morning snack for you.” She opens her drawer and retrieves a single chocolate cupcake with a swirl of rich frosting, the nearest thing she can risk to a birthday cake. “And this is for you,” she says to Gus, who’s come to see what all the fuss is about, and presents him with a chew.
“Thank you,” I say wryly. I take it back to my office, sit back, and bite into the sweet cake.
Your lips claiming mine the way you like to do,
Demanding, taking, sugar-sweet.
I sigh. The next four hours are going to feel like a fortnight.
*
It turns out to be a hectic, somewhat stressful morning, and in the end I don’t have much time to think about my lunch appointment. I have back-to-back meetings with each of my senior management teams to discuss the progression of our latest research, and by the time one o’clock comes, I’m relieved to leave the board room and return to my office.
“Rachel just called from reception,” Nadine says, popping her head in. “Sidnie’s here. I’m off to get her.”
“Okay, thanks.”
She leaves, and I walk over to the glass table near the window. Two platters sit on the table containing small sandwiches, tiny quiches and other savory pastries, carrot sticks with hummus, sushi, fruit, and tiny cakes, all bite-sized, along with cold bottles of water and two glasses.
I look out at the garden, wondering whether I’ll have time to take a quick walk before my two-p.m. appointment. I’ve been sitting down for most of the morning, and I could do with stretching my legs. I guess it depends how it goes with Sidnie.
It’s an unusual name for a girl, but oddly I quite like it.
There’s a knock on the door, and I turn to see Nadine in the doorway. “Dr. Hart? Sidnie’s here to see you.”
She appears behind Nadine, glances at the PA, then sidles into my office. Nadine smiles, then closes the door behind her.
Gus trots across to discover this new visitor, but I don’t think she even sees him as we study each other across the room. Jesus, the poor girl looks absolutely terrified. Her face is white as a sheet, and she’s clutching her purse with both hands before her as if she’s ready to wield it as a weapon.
“Come in,” I say.
She takes a few steps forward, then stops. She’s wearing a white shirt and gray pants, traditional office wear, apart from her Converses. It’s not a bad look. She’s had a bit more success with her hair today, most of which is pulled back into a ponytail, leaving only half a dozen strands bouncing around her face. She has a touch of gray eyeshadow and mascara, and a slick of lip gloss. The look is simple and understated. Once again, she looks stunning.
“I know this is your lunch hour,” I say, “so Nadine got us a light lunch, if you’d like to join me.” I gesture at the table.
She stares at it. Then she stares at me.
