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Dawson
I’dcalledFoxandinstructed him to pick up a shitload of Chinese food and bring it into the office. With the Mercury Awards just days away, Lea and her team were in full meltdown mode and she was refusing to leave until everything was ticked off her to do list.
I met him in reception, accompanied by a grinning Marshall.
“You alright there, Muscles? You look like you won the lottery.”
“Fox took me sightseeing,” he told me as he handed me the bag of food he was carrying so he could concentrate on the box he was balancing.
“Sightseeing, eh?”
“Yeap, we took a boat down the river, went on the London Eye, and even went to the Painted Hall. Have you been? It’s stunning. It’s an old naval college, and some dude painted the place by hand… well, he might have had help, I guess, but anyway, it’s stunning. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“You went just the two of you?” My expression hardened.
Fox walked to the elevator, nodding at the night security staff as we passed them before he spoke, “No, I spoke to Matt, and he sorted it for me. Don’t panic.”
I let out a breath. “Good. You had me worried then, but I’m glad you had a good day.”
“How’s Le?” he asked as we stepped inside and I pressed the button for the 7th floor.
“Stressed. She doesn’t need to be. She has everything under control, but she’s panicking. You being here and the food will help. Archer, Charlie and Nee are here too. ”
“What does she need us to do?” Marshall asked.
“Rub her back, make her eat, tell her how amazing she’s doing and remind her that she’s got this. Don’t be a wanker.”
“Understood.”
“Hey, Sunshine, I brought reinforcements and food.”
“Dawson, I don’t have time to eat. I’ve still got so much to do.” Lea looked stunning, despite how frazzled she obviously was. Hair piled up on top of her head, glasses on, wearing a simple black fitted dress that finished just above her knees and she was barefoot.
Putting down the bag of food, I took her hands in mine and leaned in closer, my lips ghosting her ear. “There are twenty-seven people in this room ready to stay all night if you need us, but you need to eat, Lea, please. For Daddy.” That word made her eyes flutter closed, as if it was the permission she needed.
“Okay. But then straight back to it?”
“Promise.”
She called everyone to come and eat and we laid the food out on the conference room table. The mood in the place shifted almost instantly; people relaxed, laughter and conversation filling the air instead of stressed muttering and frantic phone calls. Fox laughed with Archer and Charlie, Ionee, and Fern close by. The only person who didn’t look relaxed was Marshall, appearing more like he was there working rather than enjoying a meal with friends and colleagues.
Sidling up next to him, I pressed my hand to the small of his back. “You could go join in,” I whispered.
He looked over at me and stepped forward slightly, breaking our connection, but I didn’t let up, resting my hand back in the same place.
“I’m the bodyguard.”
“You’re her partner… boyfriend… cursed, reluctant wanker… whatever you want to call yourself, you mean something to her and it wouldn’t be the same if you weren’t here. Now stop standing on the sidelines of your life and go, make some new friends.”
He didn’t move, and he didn’t say anything, so I took control for a while.
“Trust me?”
“I…”
“Do you trust me, Marshall?”
“Yes.”
