Page 74 of Love Spell

“Everything’s so fucking difficult to get right these days,” Dave huffed.“It’s like having a bloody muzzle on.Can’t open your mouth without someone taking offence and calling you racist or homophobic or … or …”

“Womanising?”Arthur suggested.

“You got it.Can’t even give a lady a compliment without ‘crossing a line.’It’s fucked up is what it is.”

“Where’s Spencer?”Timo burst into the kitchen, his tone making it unclear if he was angry or only excited.

“Front desk?”Arthur said.

“I checked.Did anyone send him out for anything?”

“He’s around,” Chandler said coolly.“Check the terminals.”

“What the fuck are you eating?”Timo demanded.

“They were on sale, two for one deal.”Dave was defensive.“And the sprinkles are the best ones.Makes a crispy —”

“Are you five years old?”But Timo again shifted attention.“Chandler, why the hell are you backing out of the conference?It’s too late for that.”

“I explained in my note, something came up —”

“You will be at that fucking conference like everyone else.We’ve known about this for months.It’s paid for.”

“I told you, I can’t —”

Timo was already gone, steps gliding down the hall to find the PA.

“Back to work,” Arthur muttered and Dave followed, sounding like he snatched up the paper doughnut box to take with him.

Noah waited a minute, only to find Chandler still there when he stole a glance out.Chandler’s back was to Noah, rolling his neck on his shoulders and flexing his bony fingers.It took him another minute before he strode out.

* * *

Hands shaking, abandoning his coffee cup, Noah stalked to Timo’s office while Timo was down the hall talking to Spencer in someone else’s office.

The UK market was opening.Timo should be at his trading terminal.So should Noah.Obviously, whatever Timo had to discuss with Spencer was important.What Noah had to discuss with Timo was more important.

Those extra minutes gave Noah a chance to see through the anger haze to what he was going to say.

The market was already open, Noah sitting in the office chair below a dozen glowing screens of rapidly shifting numbers and flickering red and green lights, when Timo burst in.His rush to get to his terminal collapsed into smiles on sight of his visitor.

“Noah, I’m glad you’re —”

“We’re calling it off,” Noah said calmly and clearly, fighting with his own tongue while his heart pounded as if he’d run across London.

“ — here.”Talking through him, Timo crossed the office.“No question of our authenticity now.”

“Timo, listen to me.”His voice quavered and Noah had to bite down on his tongue after catching at the S and T sounds, trying to trip him up.He was handling this very well.He wasn’t yelling.He wasn’t making a scene.He would clearly state his position and that would be that.

“I thought after hours, but she said she can come right now.”Timo rested his hands momentarily on Noah’s shoulders before being distracted by one of his screens and glancing up.“Spencer will look after her and we just need to put in a quick word.It won’t take long.Did you see that?”He pointed out something on the screen.

Noah didn’t shift his gaze from Timo’s eyes.“I’m getting a hotel room.”

“Where?”Timo grinned, attention darting to another screen.“We’ve the conference this weekend.Can Rome wait until November?”He turned his glowing expression on Noah.“Ever been to European Christmas markets?Austria, Germany, France, Belgium, Netherlands — you’ll love them.”

Noah tried again but this time the S and T for astopchoked him, the sound coming out as “Sssst” risking a lock, which hadn’t happened to him since his teen years, Noah clamped his teeth before the stutter took over.

“Shouldn’t you be working?”He looked past Noah to his main screen.“Let me get in a few numbers before Spencer needs us.”

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