Page 26 of Just Like That

‘Seriously?’ Nick growls, giving me a stern look, which reminds me that we’re no more than reluctant co-workers. ‘I’m trying to earn her trust here. This isn’t a petting zoo.’

Hot faced and feeling stupid, I hover for a while longer, then excuse myself to the ladies. Nick seems almost relieved to be rid of me, so I make sure I take my time by buying a bottle of mineral water from the cafe, checking my work emails, and phoning home to see how Jackson and Seth are getting on. They’re not long home from a walk-slash-wheel in Montgomery Street Park across the road from my flat, which pleases me. I’m keen for Seth to get as much outdoor time as possible before the colder weather of autumn and winter is upon us.

After about half an hour, I make my way back to Rana’s enclosure filled with dread. I feel like a naughty school child returning to class after behaving in a way that should leave me ‘well and truly ashamed of myself’. I can’t seem to figure Nick out. At times he seems warm and friendly, then things shift and I’m left in no doubt that he’d prefer I disappear. He’s like a slightly toned-down version of Jekyll and Hyde. OK, massively toned down, but it’s a similar principle.

Though I know I shouldn’t make assumptions, I wonder if this behaviour had anything to do with why his wife left him. It would certainly be very tiring living with someone who would lovingly snuggle up to you one minute and criticise or reprimand you the next. That is, if he’s ever the snuggling kind. I can’t really see it at all.

‘You took your time,’ is how I’m greeted on my return.

My irrational mind instantly flits to how I’d quite like to launch my half empty bottle of water at his head, but then his next statement surprises me.

‘Come in here. She’s warming to me quickly, so I think she’ll do the same with you – as long as you’re quiet and gentle.’

I’m about to politely decline this request on the basis that I’m unfit for the job (as Nick himself pointed out), but when I reach their side of the enclosure, I swiftly change my mind. Little Rana, who appears to have been climbing on the branch next to Nick, reaches out and latches on to his shoulder, then leaps across and onto his back before tumbling off and doing the same thing all over again. It’s like watching a toddler playfully tussling with their mum or dad, but with turbo-boosted energy and dexterity.

With Nick seemingly already over our spat, I decide I may as well join them. No point in missing out because I’m feeling wounded, and I’m not the kind to hold a grudge for something like this. On entering the enclosure, Rana doesn’t spot me at first, and continues to play with Nick, but then I trip over a tree branch and that sends her scarpering to the opposite corner.

‘Shit, I’m so sorry.’ I keep my voice to almost a whisper.

I’m expecting another bollocking from Nick, but his focus seems to be on getting Rana to come back to him. He reaches into the container beside him and grabs another handful of berries. Sniffing at the air hungrily, she seems to smell them straight away and cautiously creeps back towards us.

‘Stay perfectly still,’ Nick whispers, and I instantly feel the urge to move, but I fight against it.

We remain like statues while Rana gingerly approaches, and as that insane tongue flicks out of her mouth, grabbing at the berries, scattering most of them onto the ground, I have to make a concerted effort not to get excited again. I watch, mesmerised, as she hoovers them up and then sniffs around for more.

‘Here.’ Nick holds out a handful to me. ‘Take them and extend your hand out flat to her.’

As our eyes lock and he places the berries in the palm of my hand, I feel that same jolt of chemistry between us. This simultaneously makes my stomach flutter and my brain cry out in frustration, because it’s so confused by reacting this way to someone who seems to tolerate me one minute, then wish I would spontaneously combust the next.

Shifting my focus to Rana, I reach out and offer her the fruity bounty. She seems nervous at first, but then she steps forward and delves into the feast with her tongue. It takes everything I’ve got not to freak out and cause another scene, but knowing how important this is to Nick, and how seriously he takes his work – and also that I’ll get another dressing down if I do – I manage to keep my composure and enjoy the moment.

‘There you go. Well done.’ Nick acknowledges my success and I’m way more pleased by his praise than I should be. ‘She’ll warm to you quickly now.’

He’s right. Within fifteen or twenty minutes of feeding Rana and gaining her trust, she’s leaping from branch to branch, and occasionally attempting a climb of either Nick or myself, while I giggle with sheer unadulterated joy. It’s probably one of the most incredible moments of my life.

I also can’t help noticing that Nick’s a natural with Rana. He has a real sense of her capabilities, pushing her to explore her natural behaviours while at the same time being well tuned into what she can and can’t cope with. Watching him tussle with her, I’m left in no doubt that he has a soft and caring side, and before I can catch myself, I’m wondering what it would be like to be on the receiving end of it, and I’m feeling a little envious of the bear cub. Maybe I’d like those strong arms to be tossing me around, perhaps even pinning me down as he explores every part of me…

Or maybe that’s a really,reallybad idea.

Especially with our hot and cold working relationship and the fact that I have real stuff I need to focus on – like Seth and rescuing my career. Oh, and there’s also the small issue of Nick having made it clear I wasn’t his type. Seth may have called ‘bullshit’ on that one, but he hasn’t met Nick. It’s very possible the chemistry I’m feeling is completely one-sided, and attempting to tame this particular wild beast would only end in disaster and heartbreak.

Chapter 12

On Thursday morning, I bring the park’s management team back together for a further discussion and brainstorm about the events they could put on. In a way, it’s a moot exercise, because I’ve already come up with a number of ideas I think will boost their profits – none of which are on their existing sorry-looking list, apart from ‘something Christmassy’, which I can give far more meat to. But having learned the basic principles of managing change through a training course I once went on, I know that inflicting my proposals on them, and expecting them to just go along with them, is not the way forward. They’ll see them as being imposed, which could lead to anything from unconscious sabotage to open resistance. I don’t want to manipulate them either. That would be unethical. I therefore need to steer them in the right direction so they do genuinely come up with these ideas themselves, and perhaps even some better ones.

Rather than using the office meeting room, which is about as inspiring as a multi-storey car park, I arrange for us to have the session in the spacious partially covered outdoor seating area. That way, if it starts to rain, we can move under cover and continue working. It’s a grey but humid day, warm enough to be outdoors, and my weather app is only showing a twenty-three per cent chance of rain, so I’m confident we’ll be OK. Gwen has also taken the opportunity to arrange a barbeque for all the park staff afterwards, to keep spirits up, and hopefully build on the motivation to make this whole thing a success.

‘Hi everyone, grab a seat,’ I greet the management team as they wander into the space at 3:30 p.m., looking less than enthusiastic at the prospect of spending two hours with me. ‘How has your day been so far?’

‘Good, thanks.’ Lauren is the only person to answer me, which is probably because she does similar work with the group with her HR hat on, and she knows how it feels to be ignored by people who don’t want to be there.

There’s a low-level murmuring as the rest of the group continue the conversations they were having on their way here, so I allow them to finish these off naturally before starting the session. To my disappointment, I note that Nick is looking particularly disinterested, but in a way, I can’t blame him, given there’s an adorable sun bear cub just yards away that he’d rather be attending to. However, I do have hope, now that we’ve got some level of rapport going, that he’ll play ball and maybe even offer some support to rally the troops.

Eventually the chat peters out and the eight faces round the outdoor table turn towards me expectantly, so I take that as my cue to start.

‘Hi… again.’ I give them a little wave paired with a bright smile. ‘Good to see you all again. Gwen, before we get started, I wondered if there’s anything you want to say to your team?’

Gwen looks like she’s been nudged out of a deep sleep. Her blank and somewhat bleary eyes meet mine and I nod encouragingly at her, while wondering if this is, in fact, a good idea. Perhaps I should have briefed her on the need to show her leadership and set some direction this afternoon, but I’m not her HR person. That’s supposed to be Lauren’s job.

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