Page 7 of Hooked On The One That Got Away
Her bluff was called. The guard pulled out her phone. The conversation was brief, and though Willow triedveryhard, she couldn’t hear what was being said on the other end.
‘Sign in at reception and get your security pass,’ said the guard. ‘Mr McKay will meet you there.’
Willow’s heart gave a traitorous leap. Stop it, she scolded. This is the real Charlie, not the one you thought you knew. This is Bad Charlie.
She’d just hung her security lanyard around her neck when Bad Charlie walked out of the lift. This time, her whole body responded. Charlie was in a suit, the perfectly tailored kind that enhances a man’s physique instead of hanging like a sack. His shoulders were broad and his legs muscular. His hair was tamed and groomed, and his jawline set firm. He looked like a goddamn male model. Whereas Willow had on her usual sweatshirt and jeans combo.Shelooked like a baggy, shabby frump. Oh well, too late now.
‘Willow. What brings you here?’
Charlie’s tone was coolly professional, but Willow detected a hint of wariness. And heshouldbe afraid. He should be very,veryafraid.
‘I want to talk to you,’ she said.
‘Okay …’ Charlie did something on his phone. ‘Meeting rooms are full. Want to go to the cafeteria? I’ll buy you a sandwich?’
What was that phrase about supping with the devil?
‘Sure,’ she said.
The cafeteria wasn’t the old-school kind Willow had envisaged, with grumpy servers dumping unidentifiable fried items on your plate. This looked like an upmarket Pret a Manger. Being after midday, the place was filled with various executive-looking types engaged in earnest conversation. Probablyconvincing each other that human waste was organic thereforefineto dump in the river, Willow decided, glaring at them.
‘Um, chicken or ham?’ Charlie asked. ‘Or there’s egg salad or rather soggy tomato?’
You shouldknowwhat I’d choose, was Willow’s first thought.Or have you forgotten everything about me already?
She must have scowled because Charlie looked startled.
‘I just wanted to check whether you’ve – you know – become vegetarian or vegan or something,’ he said. ‘Although I think the tomato sandwiches are still made with butter …’
‘Chicken,’ said Willow, pointedly. ‘And a peach kombucha.’
It was the most expensive drink on the menu, Willow had noted. If Charlie was paying, then she’d make him do it through the nose.
‘Can’t handle kombucha,’ said Charlie. ‘The floaty bits look like someone gobbed in it.’
Willow only just managed to turn her snort of laughter into a cough. Seemed like the old Charlie wasn’t entirely gone. But that couldnotsway her. She had to stand firm. She might not actually drink the peach kombucha, though. Those floaty bitsdidlook a lot like a spit ball.
Charlie carried their tray to a seat by the windows. The view was of the green belt land that bordered the industrial park. It was made up mainly of untamed meadow and woodland, and Willow recalled that there’d been passionate protests about how far the business park should encroach upon it. She also recalled that Charlie had encouraged her to sign the petition that was successful in limiting the business park development to its current size. How ironic.
‘Um …’ Charlie began. ‘I don’t have much time, I’m afraid. Meeting in twenty minutes. What – er – what did you want to talk about?’
There was a note of hope in his voice that caught Willow off guard. She realised Charlie thought there might be a chance she’d changed her mind about talking to him about – them. And for a moment, Willow’s heart pleaded with her to do just that. To get it all out in the open so they could find a way through all the hurt and pain and – what? Make new start?
Impossible, Willow reminded herself. Her life with the old Charlie had been a lie. There was no going back to it.
‘Sewage,’ Willow told him, bluntly. ‘In the river.’
Charlie glanced anxiously around. ‘Ah …’ he said. ‘That.’
‘Youknow?’ Willow’s rage came flooding back.
‘Shhh!’ Charlie gestured urgently at her to keep her voice down.
It was true, people were staring. And Willow was in enemy territory now, so she’d better play it cool.
‘Youknowyour company is dumping shit in the waterways?’ she repeated, more quietly.
‘We’ve had issues with process,’ said Charlie.
