Page 23 of Heart of The Night

John was calling.

‘I should take this,’ William said, his steadiness in stark contrast to the storm of emotions within me. Accepting the call, he raised the phone to his ear and answered in a measured tone, ‘Hi, Dad.’

I froze, my breath hitching in my throat, fearing that even the faintest sound of my breathing might carry over to John. Yet, William remained calm, his hand tracing soothing patterns on my back as if he hadn’t a concern in the world.

‘No, I gave it a miss today,’ he said to John, his tone casual. Missed what? ‘Just didn’t fancy a drink, that’s all.’ The penny dropped – it was Friday. Post-work drinks. ‘Cara and I popped over to Fusion instead,’ he added nonchalantly.

My heart leaped to my mouth. Why the hell did he divulge that? I sat upright in alarm, sending him a sharp glare, my eyes wordlessly demanding, ‘Why did you tell him that?’

William held my gaze, mouthing a silent, ‘Calm down.’ Returning his attention to John, he said, ‘Yes, Jian was there. Actually, there’s something you ought to know. It seems a corporate food conglomerate has been pushing rather aggressively for some kind of “takeover” – as Jian called it – of Fusion. He’s quite concerned.’

It was a struggle to keep my panic at bay. Should John, the Managing Partner of Day & Night, discover my budding relationship with William, the potential ramifications could be grave. At best, I might be reallocated to shadow another solicitor. At worst, I could face the sack, with future employment prospects likely to be dim.

But, judging by William’s composed demeanour, it didn’t seem like John had twigged to anything amiss regarding our dinner. A small solace amidst my whirlpool of worry.

‘Yeah, I’m not entirely sure what Jian’s getting at with “takeover”. Could be he’s using the term a bit liberally. My guess is that the conglomerate is flexing their muscles, trying to strong-arm Fusion into a sale or something along those lines. Regardless, I assured him that I’ll lend him my expertise in any way I can,’ William said, giving my bare thigh a reassuring squeeze. It helped, but barely.

‘I haven’t got all the details yet, not even the name of the conglomerate,’ he went on. ‘It didn’t feel appropriate to discuss it with Cara there, and Jian was on shift. He said he’ll ring me on Sunday with more information. Obviously, I’ll keep you informed.’

A few moments later, he groaned. ‘Must I really? Can’t Jason take the reins? The sod’s on summer holiday, for heaven’s sake. He hasn’t got anything but time.’

I couldn’t help but smile at the sight of his disgruntled pout, my anxiety temporarily quelled by the endearing show. It was somewhat comical seeing him like this – playing the part of someone’s son, his usual composure momentarily forgotten.

‘Fine, I’ll go,’ he said, releasing a sigh that betrayed his annoyance. ‘Jason’s a tit for this.’

I suppressed a chuckle threatening to break free.

‘At least Alex and Andy will be there,’ William continued, rubbing his forehead as if warding off a headache. ‘Yes, I’ll be the picture of politeness, don’t fret… Yes. Tell Mum I love her too… Bye.’

With a stretch, he left his phone on the table and let out a resigned huff.

‘Why the hell did you tell him I was with you?’ I asked immediately, anxiety tingeing my voice.

‘Because there was a chance he could hear it from Jian. We told him we were there on a date, remember? It just seemed prudent that Dad should hear it from me first.’

My heart raced, my whole body taut with stress. ‘William, oh my God. What if Jian—’

‘I’ll have a word with him on Sunday, tell him not to share our secret with Dad. And Jian’s a good friend – he’ll understand that I’d prefer to keep things under wraps for now.’ He reached out, tugging me back down into his embrace. His arms enfolded me, offering a sense of safety, as he peppered my forehead with soft kisses. ‘Don’t worry, love,’ he said. ‘Dad won’t be any wiser until we’re ready.’

I fixed my gaze on his. ‘My concern, William, is that if John is anything like you – which he really seems to be – he’s more perceptive than most.’

‘What a lovely compliment,’ he teased.

‘William,’ I warned, not in the mood for his jesting.

He chuckled. ‘Cara, we work together. It’s normal for colleagues to share a meal outside of work. Besides, you live with Jason, and Dad’s aware we’ve spent quite a bit of time together outside the office. He didn’t sound remotely suspicious. Trust me. I know what Dad sounds like when he’s got his suspicions, and that was not it.’

I decided to change the subject; the damage might already be done, and fretting about it would do no good. ‘What did he say that got you acting like a sulky teenager?’

He sighed. ‘He wants me to attend a charity event in a few weeks.’

‘And that’s a bother?’

‘Yes. I can’t stand events like that. They’re swarming with self-important people, and small talk is all you do the entire evening. Drives me mad.’

‘Why won’t Jason attend?’

‘Because the prick told Dad he’s already made plans that day, and that I’m better suited since it’s a chance to network. Plus, Andy and Alex will be there. Stephen and Jon aren’t invited.’ He rolled his eyes. ‘He’s got plans, my fucking arse. The man can barely plan a week ahead.’

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