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“I’m Alex Winters.” He has a deep, slightly husky voice. He holds out his hand. I slide my hand into it, and his fingers close around mine.
He’s tall, maybe six-two, but slimmer and not as big as Henry. He’s wearing a dark-navy suit that’s so smart and well-fitting it looks as if he’s in uniform, a white shirt, and a navy tie with small white polka dots. His dark hair is cut in a low fade that’s longer on top with the sort of volume Finn would kill for. He looks very sophisticated and well-groomed.
When I get back to school, the first thing I’m going to do is sneak into my best friend Carly’s classroom and tell her how all the guys who work here are super-gorgeous. Maybe I should take a photo of them all to show her…
“Are you okay?” he asks as I continue to stare. “You don’t have a concussion or anything?”
“Your windows are very clean,” I say, deciding offense is the best form of defense. “At home I’ve got Transformers stickers in the middle of my sliding doors.”
“What a great idea,” he says. “James, make a note.”
James just laughs, so I’m guessing it’s not a serious recommendation. “Can I get you a drink?” James asks me. “Tea, coffee, a cold drink?”
“Coffee would be lovely, thank you. White, no sugar.”
He nods and leaves.
I glance around the office. It’s large and spacious, with a big wooden desk at an angle, and a sofa and two chairs on the other side. It’s mostly glass, so you can see into the other offices, and it has a magnificent view out across the Avon. Today it’s filled with autumn sunshine.
His desk bears a laptop, a phone, and a closed notepad—nothing else, no empty mugs, folders, or pieces of paper. Two pens sit side by side, neatly lined up.
“Wow, you’re tidy,” I say.
“I… uh… have mild OCD.”
“Oh, shit, I’m sorry.” Jesus, how many times can I put my foot in it? Embarrassed, looking for something else to say, I sniff the air, enjoying the subtle scent. “Have you been eating custard?” I joke, looking across at him.
He undoes the buttons of his jacket, flicks back the sides, and slides his hands into the pockets of his trousers. “My cologne has a touch of vanilla.”
Fuck me. Apparently there’s no limit to the amount of times I can insult this man. “Oh. I didn’t mean to imply you smell like a trifle. It’s nice. Um… warm, you know, friendly.”
He gives me a look that suggests he’s thinkingJesus Christ, who is this woman?“Would you like to sit down?”
“Oh. Sure.” I walk over to the sofa and lower down as gracefully as I can. He sits in the armchair, leaning back and resting an ankle on the opposite knee.
His Apple Watch beeps, and he taps it lightly. “Just an alarm,” he explains, seeing me look at it.
“To remind you to keep taking the pills?” I joke.
He lifts an eyebrow. “To remind me of our meeting, in case I missed the first alarm.”
“So that was the second alarm?”
“I can sometimes miss appointments when I’m busy.” He shifts in his chair. “You found your way here okay?”
“I met Juliette, and she brought me in. It’s a beautiful building.”
“Yeah, I think so. It’s Henry’s baby. James introduced you to him, right?”
“Yes. Juliette said you’re all old friends.”
“We went to university together.”
“You’re all computer engineers?”
“Apart from Juliette, yes.”
“And you got into robotics and making the exoskeleton after one of your colleagues had an accident?”
