Page 33 of Best Man
“Done with what?”
“My degree.”
“Yourdegree?” I hear the note of complete astonishment in my voice and try to dial it back. “I mean, sorry, I didn’t know you were at university.”
His lip twitches. “It’s not a secret.”
“Yes, but surely I should have known.” I’m as shocked as if he’d suddenly declared he was running off with Camilla Parker Bowles.
He looks down at the computer as if avoiding my eyes. “I think it might have interfered with the box you put me in,” he says, looking up abruptly and spearing me with the sudden clear and direct challenge in his eyes.
“I didn’t put you–” I start to say and slump. “Okay, I might have put you in a small one.”
“More like a packing crate,” he says almost sympathetically.
“I’m sorry.” I lean forwards. “I’ve known you for all these years and I never realised. I’m your boss.”
He shrugs. “Would it have made a difference to your opinion of me?”
“Of course,” I say and hesitate. I can’t for the life of me think of what to say next. It’s a novel situation.
He takes pity on me. “Well, never mind. Now you know.”
“So, what are you studying?”
“Social care. I’m going to be a social worker.”
I stare at him. “Well, of course you are.” I smile. “How absolutely perfect.”
He looks startled. “Why?”
“Because you’re kind and interested in people but don’t take any shit. You really care and you’re prepared to go to great lengths to help them.” I sit back and look at him. “You’ll be wonderful.”
A faint flush hits his high cheekbones, and he fiddles with his pencil before shooting me a quick, almost furtive look. “Do you really think so?”
I nod emphatically. “I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it. You know me.” I shrug. “Probably better than I know you.” I think back to Felix’s smug smile in the office before we left, and I know if he was here he’d be laughing at me. Of course he’d known about the degree and I would never have listened until now. This is somehow the perfect moment to peel another layer off Jesse.
A slow, glorious smile fills his face. “Thank you,” he says. He sniffs. “Just so you know, you’re excused for the packing crate.”
I smile. “Well, that’s a relief.” My smile drops away as the ramifications suddenly hit me. “You’re going to have to leave the agency, aren’t you?”
He sighs, and there’s a wistful look on his face. “Yes. I have a jobthat starts next month.” I sit back in a stunned silence, and he smiles coaxingly. “Look at it this way, at least there’ll be no more fights at funerals and bad gardening decisions.”
“No,” I say slowly. As it occurs to me what life will be like without him, suddenly the time ahead looks dull and dreary, as if the sun’s going in on a wonderful day. Without the merry smile, the sassiness, the kindness of him. It’s only as I face the prospect of him not being around anymore that I realise just how much I’ve treasured the time he has been. The emptiness inside me is sufficiently alarming to straighten my back.
“Well, I’m sure we’ll all miss you,” I say briskly, and I’m saddened to see the smile fade slowly from those full lips.
“I’ll miss you too,” he says, and it’s not until I’m in the shower that I realise he mentioned only me.
SIX
ZEB
An hour later finds me on the field next to the hotel. I look around to see Max sauntering towards me. “You shouldn’t have dressed up,” I say wryly, looking at his jeans and red T-shirt.
“I didn’t.” He looks me up and down. “Although why would I when you look so spiffy?”
I shake my head. “It’s navy chinos and a shirt. Frances wanted everyone to dress up for this in historic costume, but this is as far as I can go without getting heatstroke.”
