Page 54 of Things We Do for Love and Science
“Ha, ha, shut up.” Sandra pretended to bash Delia over the head with her tray.
Delia neatly sidestepped her.
Sandra pulled at Delia’s sleeve. “Promise you’ll come visit me if I get the job.”
Delia gripped her friend’s shoulder. “I will, with bells on.”
“I’ll hold you too it.” Sandra’s eyes glittered faintly. “We’ll explore the city together, do a bit of climbing in the Alps, drink some good beer.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Delia agreed.
After lunch, she shuffled back to the lab with leaden limbs. Losing her only true friend at work was a horrible prospect. She’d always been so career-focused, people were either in awe of her or jealous, neither sentiment a particularly fertile breeding ground for friendship. There was her brother and his family, of course. But as far as friends went, well, she had Gabriel now.
Her spine straightened, and she pressed her palms together. If their co-parenting worked out the way she intended, he would be a friend for life.
She swiped her badge to open the door to the lab and went into work mode. There was plenty to do: research proposals of her PhD students to review, grants to apply for, slides to prepare for her talk at an upcoming conference.
“Cordelia?”
She flinched and looked up. Professor Winter stood in the doorframe of his office, beckoning to her before retreating inside. A resigned sigh escaped her. He was poised to add to her already towering workload, no doubt.
“Now, Cordelia, is there anything you would like to tell me?” John Winter swung twice to the left and right in his swivel chair, then steepled his fingers and examined Delia through the lenses of his spectacles.
What was this all about? Good grief, that man and his whims were getting on her nerves.
The office door was closed, and he looked like he was settling in for a long chat. An annoyed spark flared up in her chest.I have no time for chit chat with the boss.
“I’m not sure I know what you’re talking about.” She placed herself opposite his desk and fixed him with a stare of her own.
“Let me jog your memory.” He planted his hands on the white surface of his desk.
“Recently I met my old friend, Alistair Brady-Greene, at the golf course.”
Shock covered her from head to toe in a sudden frost. Fate was unfair. Of all the old men in Renwood these two had to be friends. Who would have thought John Winter even had friends, the way he used people.
“And I was surprised to hear, that you and the young earl are married.” John was crouching over the edge of his desk, ready to pounce. He wouldn’t stop prying until his curiosity was satisfied. So much was certain.
“John, please.” She stepped closer to his desk. “Please keep this quiet.”
He arched an eyebrow at her. “Why would you like your marital status to remain a secret now that you have tenure?”
“It’s got nothing to do with the university. It’s only...ah...” Her head was spinning, but she fought to regain composure.
“Yes?” he asked.
“Gabriel, my...uh...husband, wants to launch Renwood Hall as a wedding venue once it’s fully restored, and our church wedding in the Renwood family chapel is supposed to be the showcase, you know, for the whole enterprise. To demonstrate what can be done with the function room, how the catering works, the flowers.” She paused. Enough with the embellishments. Liars always gave too many details. “If it became public knowledge that we’re already married, we...uh...would steal our thunder and, in people’s eyes, diminish the significance of the occasion.”
“Good, good.” He leaned back in his chair. “I understand. But if you’re planning a church wedding anyway, why get married at the registry office in the first place?”
Heat washed through her. How would she explain this?Think!“We...er...couldn’t wait to be husband and wife.”
He grinned, and the urge to slap him had never been so strong.
She ground her teeth, then forced her jaw to relax. “Do I have your word?” she asked. “You won’t tell anyone?”
“Of course, Cordelia, of course. You will forgive my initial outburst, but I would have expected...”
Now she needed to appease his bruised ego. “Would you and your wife like to join us for the official celebration?” She rushed out the invitation in one breath.
