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direction.
Addie sat down, but as she reached for her phone, he hooked her chair with his foot
and pulled her round to face him. Hey, be nice, we re going to be spending time
together.
I m leaving at Christmas, Addie said.
I m not sitting with you that long.
She refused to smile.
Not that I wouldn t want to, he added. Anyway, didn t Will rip up your
resignation?
Addie tensed her shoulders. He d better not have.
Ed softened his voice. You don t need to leave. We ll be gone in a couple of weeks.
You ll never see us again.
Why should I quit because of you? I m going to New Zealand to crew on a yacht.
Ed s eyes opened wide. Addie was beginning to believe it herself now. If Ed hadn t
been there, she d Google to see what she could find, ignoring the fact that she couldn t
afford the airfare to New Zealand, had never been on a yacht and would probably be as
much use as a flat battery.
Before Ed could say anything else to piss her off, Addie reached for her phone and
the Lincoln file.
Hello, Mr. Prentiss?& Good morning. This is Addie Winter from Magelan s& Yes,
formerly Booth s& yes. She glanced at Ed. It is a shame the way smaller independent
companies are consumed by the large ones. Now, I m ringing in connection with your
trip to Lincoln tomorrow& No, no. It s fine& No, Mr. Prentiss, it s not being cancelled&
Yes, I know you re looking forward to it. The coach will be there at eight. It s just that I
won t be accompanying you.
Addie paused while he raged. She held the phone a little way away from her ear.
I m sorry, Mr. Prentiss. I know the price included a guide, but it s no longer
company policy for our tours to take a member of staff in addition to the driver& yes, of
course you can speak to a manager. I ll hand you to Mr. Mansell. She gave the phone
to Ed.
Several minutes later, he put it down again.
You ll be going to Lincoln tomorrow, he said.
It s no longer part of my job. Addie handed him Will s memo.
Change of plan. Ed ripped the sheet of paper in half.
Addie, I need a hand, came a plaintive voice.
Addie looked up to see Charlotte the Harlot waving her arms by the photocopier.
Addie got up and Ed followed. She stared at him. I ll only be a minute.
He smiled. We ll get a cup of coffee on the way back.
Charlotte draped herself over the machine as Ed and Addie approached.
The copier resisting your charms again? Addie asked.
Charlotte nodded and fluttered her eyelashes at Ed.
Addie banged the metal casing hard on the left side, kneed a point on the lower
right and pressed the copier on the upper left at the same time. The machine purred and
disgorged a copy.
Wow, impressive. Ed raised his eyebrows. A woman with the magic touch.
Would you like a coffee, Ed? Charlotte asked.
You re an angel. Get Addie one too, would you?
As the Harlot walked past with a fixed smile on her face, Addie sighed. I m not
going to be able to drink it. She has a store of cyanide for rivals.
Are you a rival?
Addie blushed. You made her think I was. She hurried back to her desk, grabbed
the phone again and pressed in a number she knew by heart.
Mrs. Wilberforce? It s Addie Winter from Magelan s. Sorry I didn t get back to you
yesterday. I rang several times, but didn t manage to catch you in& Oh, were you? I m
sorry to hear that. Addie winced. She didn t need those sort of medical details. Yes,
that s why I m ringing. Addie glanced at Ed, who stared at her intently. I m sorry you
feel we spoilt your trip& I can assure you we were discussing important company
business.
She tried hard not to blush again, but could feel the heat creeping onto her face.
No, I m sorry, Mrs. Wilberforce, I don t feel a refund is in order. We can t leave
coaches unlocked in case people wish to return early. You d have been very upset if
your belongings had been stolen. Her shoulders slumped. Yes, of course you can
speak to someone more senior than me. Addie saw Ed glaring. Offer her a half-price
seat on the trip to Lincoln tomorrow, she whispered.
When Ed banged the phone down, he kept his hand on the receiver. No more of
those, please.
Charlotte put two coffees on the desk.
You re a lifesaver. Ed smiled at her.
As Charlotte walked away, she wiggled her bottom. Addie couldn t believe it, but
when she looked at Ed, he was looking at her and not Charlotte. He rolled his chair a
little nearer.
So, what s your favorite food? Ed asked.
And this is relevant, how?
Humor me.
Bread.
I was thinking in terms of Chinese, Thai, Italian&
Patagonian.
He laughed. Most annoying habit?
Saying sorry. Damn, that slipped out.
Maybe it s better than not saying sorry at all. He paused. What were you and
Will doing on the coach?
Addie s stomach flipped. Talking.
He s an idiot, Ed said.
A married idiot, Addie whispered.
I bet he didn t tell you everything.
I don t want to know. Yes, she did.
Vee tried to kill herself on Saturday night. Overdose. She s done it before.
Addie gasped. Is she all right?
Yes, but Will s not.
He bent his head to her ear. I can t prove it, but it s likely Vee did nothing more
than drink a glass of salt water. She s a fucking vampire and she ll suck on Will until
there s nothing left. He needs help to get away from her. I need help to get away from
her. Give Will another chance, please. He s been a wreck for the last couple of years. He
doesn t know what he s doing anymore, not with women.
Why would she try to kill herself? Addie asked.
She doesn t want him to leave her.
How can I compete with that?
If you care about Will, you ll try.
Addie sighed. What do you want me to do, Ed? Hang around fluttering my
eyelashes, wiggling my backside like the Harlot? He has to sort himself out. I can t do
that for him.
I just want you to give him a chance, Addie. Please.
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