Page 17 of (Not So) Mad About You

This was all new. She was probably just getting the wrong end of the stick. She was here to teach yoga. She just needed to buckle down and do her job, that was all.

Lex led them all into what looked like some kind of assembly hall. Five people were sitting in seats right at the front.

“We seem to be missing one,” she said.

“Yeah, um, there’s one kicking up a fuss with Luke,” said Josh. He leaned closer to Bea. “Probably why he was looking so cross earlier. For someone who runs an anger management program, he does get pissed off quite a lot.”

Bea bit back a smile.

“Well, we’re not starting until we’re all here,” snapped Lex, looking like she might cry at the disruption to her plans. “You,” she said, pointing at a tall, sad looking man. “Run and find our straggler, please.”

“I’ll go,” Josh said.

“No, I need you here,” said Lex.

And for the first time, Bea realized that Lex was afraid. Afraid of the clients, afraid of what might happen if they turned all that anger on her.

She kept a close eye on Lex as the tall client slipped out of the room to find whoever was missing.

Chapter Eight

There were two options here. Throw something or walk away. Alli was veering very strongly toward the throwing option. In fact, she was already eyeing a bronze paperweight as Luke tried to calm her down.

“It’s all out of my hands,” he was saying.

“Like it’s in mine?” she snapped back.

“Alli, please.”

“Please what? This place is a cut-rate, disgusting excuse for a retreat. There are no amenities, the bathrooms look like Churchill himself has showered in them, and there’s no excuse for a bed that small outside of a child’s nursery.”

Luke sighed and rubbed his temples. “Listen, Alli—”

“I’m neither your friend nor your equal. I am a client and you will address me as Ms. Williams.”

“Ms. Williams,” Luke said, looking like he’d rather be anywhere than right here in his office. “Look at things sensibly.”

“And now you’re implying that I’m not sensible. Excellent customer service as well.”

He took a deep breath and Alli could see that she was getting to him. Perhaps this was all she’d needed to do, get him angry, be angry herself. The irony of that was not lost on her.

“Ms. Williams,” he tried again. “I’m sure there are many reasons that you’re here—”

“Not particularly valid ones,” she interrupted. She did not likethis man. Obviously, she was currently arguing with him. But there was more than that. There was an undercurrent to him that she just plain disliked.

“I’ll admit that this is not quite the luxury retreat that we have envisaged for the future. But that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t thrive under our guidance.”

“If you do not stop speaking like a tourist brochure, I’m actually going to vomit on your desk.”

He breathed in deeply again. “Ms. Williams.”

“You’re using my name like you’re going to wear it out. There’s no reason for me to be here, there’s no reason you should be keeping me prisoner, and I demand my personal effects back.” His head cocked slightly as though he’d just thought of something and Alli internally cursed herself. She’d been on a winning streak there, what had she said wrong?

“Ms. Williams, you did not make your own reservation.”

She shrugged, no point in denying that.

“So whilst there may be no reason for you being here that you can see…” He coughed. “No reason that youand Ican see, there may be an underlying reason that you’re not considering?”

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