Choosing Her Lover

“Us?”

“Charlotte, myself and Michael.”

“Right, so….?

“I’ve been quite impressed with your performance….”

Really?

“Really?”

“Yes, really. I liked the way you dealt the situation out on the street the other day, and Ben in the downstairs lobby; even, dare I say it, the situation when Ben dragged you to our home, although I’ll admit, that’s with the benefit of hindsight.”

I flush. “You didn’t seem very impressed at the time.”

He rolls his eyes ceiling-ward. “Yes, I’ve never apologised for that, have I….”

“I don’t think you have a lot to apologise for, Sir. I feel terrible about it….”

“Well, get over it. It’s in the past. I want to talk about where we go from here. It seems to me that you handle yourself rather well in awkward situations and that being the case, I have a favour to ask of you.”

What’s he talking about?

“Right…. what is this favour?”

Perhaps I look suspicious. For a moment, he meets my eyes, his gaze level, expressionless; then he says, “Don’t misunderstand my motives, Kirstie. I’m not about to go dipping my nib in the office ink. It would be horribly unprofessional of me, and also, regardless of what Ben might think, I’m a married man.”

I flush. “I didn’t mean that at all.”

“Good. But for the avoidance of doubt….”

change

is this

the room. “Kirstie, you man the lobby desk right through the day. You are in a key position. You see everyone who comes in or out of the building; workers, visitors, delivery men, couriers.… everyone. They all must go by you. You also see a lot

Choosing his words?

part of your job, but do it deliberately and report back

“To you?”

my eyes and ears down

“So, you

or illegal and that’s not it at all. Really, all I’m asking you to do is something which comes easily to you, which is to watch the people around us for any kind of threat. I think you are a ‘people-person’, good at assessing them, weighing them up, gauging their intent. That’s perfect in any case in the work you are doing. But now, it will be part

stomach. “Is this just about Ben

kind of thing myself rather easily, even when I have to take Michael’s feelings into consideration. Despite Marcie’s remarks to the contrary, I am not so far over the hill that I can’t handle a lightweight like

expression must speak volumes. He sucks in a smile. “Yes, Michael did tell me what Marcie said, and it doesn’t faze me. That female has been trying to get her claws into Michael for years. It

laugh. “A

flashes his brows, laughter dancing

I watching

threats to Charlotte,

that leaves me thinking of the proverbial swan; all calm grace above water, frenzied activity down below,

“James….”

I think you have to tell me more than that. It sounds

not asking that of you. Other people, myself included, will deal with any threat

What sort of

for anything that….” He holds up both hands in a gesture of helplessness, “…. anything that doesn’t

me to report what I

all I’m

do I make these

your desktop, you will find a second panic button has been installed. If you hit that alarm, Kirstie, it will come directly to my phone, and those of

“Which other people?

“Michael for one….”