Page 112 of Lie For Me

‘You and Jack off out somewhere?’

Lucy hesitated and contemplated the inside of her eyelids for a second.

‘Um, nope, just popped in to say hi.’

Jack looked tense and was gripping the desk with one hand.

Douglas smiled and nodded.

Leave, Lucy mentally willed him. Get out.

Douglas was oblivious to her silent pleas and continued with his polite small talk.

‘Am I right in thinking your brother got married recently?’

Oh, what fresh hell is this?

‘Yes,’ Lucy said, forcing a smile.

She felt like there was a vice around her chest, making it hard to breathe.

‘I thought so!’ Douglas was triumphant, pleased to have remembered correctly. ‘Jack mentioned he was going with you. How was the wedding? Did everyone have a lovely time?’

Jack was staring at his shoes. Lucy wasn’t sure she could trust herself to speak.

‘Umhmm,’ she managed. She gulped some water and tried again. ‘Lovely.’

Douglas looked a little confused by the scant conversation and turned his attention back to Jack and finances.

‘I’ve emailed the accounts to you, but I’ve also printed them off in case you want to look them over now.’

It was Jack’s turn to speak. Smooth as ever, he nodded and smiled at Douglas.

‘That’s great, thank you.’

Douglas stepped into the room, accounts in hand. He clearly had more business to go over with Jack. Lucy’s heart dropped to her belly. If Jack wanted to hear what she had to say, he would put Douglas off, tell him they’d pick this up in the morning. But his dark head was bent over the figures, and he nodded as Douglas spread the papers out on his desk and pointed out things of note. She felt ridiculous, standing there in the middle of the room clutching a glass of water while they talked about profit and loss. Lucy felt the lump in her throat bubble up, and tears prick at her eyes. All the words she had so carefully planned to say were still on the tip of her tongue, but now there was no chance to share them with Jack. They’d remain forever unspoken. She swallowed hard and blinked rapidly as she shuffled towards the doorway.

‘There’s a slight variance here…’ Douglas was saying, as Jack sat down at his desk to better examine the lines Douglas was pointing to.

As Lucy reached the door, Douglas glanced up.

‘Oh, sorry!’ he exclaimed. ‘I didn’t mean to interrupt, I’ll only be a moment.’

Jack’s dark eyes met Lucy’s as she hovered in the doorway. He didn’t move from behind his desk or drop the papers Douglas had handed to him. She paused for a moment, giving Jack time to say something, to tell Douglas that he’d get back to him later. But Jack stayed silent. It told her everything she needed to know.

‘No problem at all.’ She gave Douglas a watery smile as she slipped into the corridor. ‘Nothing to interrupt.’

37

Jack stared at the empty doorway where Lucy had stood just a moment before and struggled to take in what Douglas was saying.

‘So there is, if you’re looking for some more good news for Casston, a little more profit than we had originally thought,’ Douglas said, tapping the accounts.

‘I see,’ Jack said, not seeing anything at all. ‘Good news.’

Douglas was staring at him. ‘Are you all right?’

Jack gazed blankly at Douglas, his mind elsewhere.

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