Page 83 of One Night Only
“I can?”
“Yes,” I say, a slight edge to my smile. “You can.”
He turns without another word and disappears down the corridor.
“After you,” I say to Mika.
The meeting room is small, laid out with the usual water jug and some added cookies Matthias brought in this morning (because of course, he had). Everything is as expected. Except for the giant elephant that is Declan in the room.
Mika takes a seat as he grabs one of the cookies.
“So, you’re the one behind the TradCo offices,” Mika begins.
I drag my attention to her, trying to focus. “Yes.”
“We’re thinking of leasing out the floor below them.”
I nod. Declan is still concentrating on the cookie. “Your email said the team was expanding?”
“That’s the plan. Our last bit of funding has just been approved. When it will land in our bank account is a different matter.”
“Congratulations,” I say as Will brings in a chair, banging it awkwardly off the doorframe. Declan drags it over to him and I wince as it squeaks on the hardwood floors.
Men.
“Does anyone want coffee before we start?” I ask as he brings in another.
“I’ll take one,” Mika says as Declan shakes his head.
There’s a beat when no one moves and I twist to look at Will, who’s just sat down.
What, he mouths before realizing what I want. “Right. That’s me. One second.”
He disappears back out. Mika looks concerned.
“Is he new?” she asks.
“Just started this morning actually.” My eyes slide to Declan, who’s now staring at me hard, clearly wanting to communicate something but hell if I know what it is.
Don’t look at him. Look at Mika. Look at the work. Look at anything but him.
“So,” I say brightly, opening my notepad. “Why don’t you tell me what you’re thinking of and we’ll start from there.”
* * *
I tell myself it could have gone a lot worse. So much worse because for the next forty minutes I remain so incredibly aware of Declan you’d swear I had a tracking device implanted into my brain. Every time he reaches for the water, every time he shifts in the chair, I know he’s doing it. I don’t know whether I’m looking at him too much or ignoring him, so I start timing my glances every few seconds.
I can’t tell what he wants from me.
But I can’t concentrate either.
But somehow, with Will a surprisingly calming and steady presence beside me, I get through the business side of things, the design process, our expectations. I get through it all and thankfully Mika doesn’t seem to notice and she’s the one who seems to be in charge, asking all the right questions while making copious amounts of notes.
Eventually, there’s nothing more to say and we do the handshakes and goodbyes and take a cookie for the road as I open the door. My heart sinks as soon as I do.
Harvey and Matthias stand just beside reception, deep in conversation but both look up when they see me.
“Will,” Harvey asks with a frown. “Shouldn’t you be on the McManus call?”
