Page 8 of Love Spell

“Your team is great,” Noah said.“Everyone’s been really great.”

“I’m glad.”Move over, Cheshire Cat.“And how’s London?Been to any live shows?Music?Good meals?What do you do when you’re not at work?”

Half crouching away from him, oozing off the stool, beer pushed back on the bar, Noah weighed his options.It was clear now: Timo had changed his meds, maybe a new prescription, or maybe stopped taking whatever it was that he was supposed to be on.Obviously, there was nothing Noah could do about that.He couldn’t even ask Timo about it because they weren’t friends or in any possible way the kind of people on prescription-regulation-discussing terms.Whatever was happening, with him launching into a kind of manic phase, for example, Noah just had to be compassionate of his struggles and understanding of his challenges — and very far away.

“Excuse me.I … uh… bathroom.”They said toilet here, not bathroom or restroom, but Noah could never get used to that.A toilet was a toilet.A bathroom was a room that housed a toilet.Although that wasn’t as confusing as torches being flashlights.

Noah all but ran for the back hallway, mind spinning with possible escapes.He couldn’t literally climb out a window, could he?Calm down, Cerveny, enough melodrama.No, he’d already set the scene, hadn’t he?Stay out of sight for several minutes, then return to the bar and say he was feeling ill and was going home.Simple as that.Then Timo could switch his charm on some other victim.

He washed the stinking beer off his hand, then leaned against the wall behind the door, scrolling on his phone yet again in case he’s missed any cheap Airbnb rooms or flats not too far from work that just happened to be available for the next two months straight.

The door opened, prompting Noah to spring back in horror at sight of the suited figure.What the —?

No, it wasn’t Timo.Only Arthur, ambling casually to a urinal.

“Hiya.”

Great.Now he was going to stand here with Arthur?

Noah pocketed his phone and slowly moved for the door handle.

“Not so temporary after all, eh?”Arthur said to the ceiling.

Noah never understood some men’s propensity for conversation while taking a piss.It had taken him years just to be able to force himself to pee while sharing a space like this with anyone else.Air travel was hell when you had to hold it from door to door.He still hated airport bathrooms more than anywhere else on Earth, those long rows, rush and stress and stink, possibly adding unfamiliar customs to the mix.

He’d rather have walked away, but, considering what waited on the other side of that door, chatting with a coworker who was currently holding his own dick … sure.No big deal.

“What do you mean?”Noah asked.

“You know.”Arthur, who usually played straight man to Dave’s joker, actually cracked a smile.“Timo taking an interest in you all of a sudden.Think no one else noticed?”

“Wait, you know what that’s about?”Noah turned back to him.

“Sure I do.He’s impressed with the work you’ve been doing fresh out of uni.Your visa’s up in a few months, right?”

“Less than two, actually.”

Arthur zipped his fly.“Well, there you go.Running out of time and he’s suddenly taking an interest?Classic Timo.He wants to get to know you better, see if he thinks you’re worth keeping around and sponsoring for a proper work visa.”

“Does he?”Noah stared while Arthur washed his hands.So it was genuine?Timo wasn’t altered but interested?Would he really sponsor Noah?Could he?Could it be possible that Noah wouldn’t have to make that flight choice and pound the pavement for interviews and start all over again?It didn’t have to be forever.Even an extra year in London would be incredible.

And Timo really thought his work was good?The man with standards so high the moon must be scraping the bottom?Noah hadn’t even known Timo noticed him around the office beyond the occasional reprimand or order.So all this time — “Wait a minute …” Noah folded his arms in front of his chest, facing Arthur while he yanked off a paper towel.“Dave put you up to this.Very funny.”

“Eh?”

“Please.”Noah snorted.“He must think I’m as dumb as a box of rocks.”

Arthur frowned at him.“What are you on about?”

“Telling me Timo thinks I’m great so I make a fool of myself and you all have a good laugh?”Noah jerked open the door with unnecessary force.“I wish somebody would apprise Dave of the fact that he’snotactually funny.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, mate.”Arthur shook his head sadly as he followed Noah out into the dimly lit hall.“But it’d be a shame to waste the chance to get on Timo’s good side when you can just because you think … what?That Dave wants you to get along with the boss?Is that a crime?”

Noah wanted to grab his head in both hands but resisted.Someone, somewhere, was playing him.He just knew it.But that didn’t mean it was Arthur.It might very well be Timo.

No matter who or what, Arthur had a point.When one paused to consider what were the best and worst things that could happen when someone like Timo abruptly decided you were a person of interest, best-case scenarios must wildly outweigh worst-case ones.

Arthur walked away.Noah followed as if through tar pits.

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