She wasn’t convinced by that and called after me that she would make some minestrone soup and drop it round later. Then she ordered me to pace myself.

I pulled up at the rear of the Goddess offices and marched in, my chest fizzing with temper and frustration at what Kerry had done. The hurt and disappointment were crumbling, making way for something far bigger and more ferocious.

I wanted to get to the bottom of this mess.

I managed to make some polite conversation with Cole and Orion about the weekend, before Athena popped her smug face out of her glass cage. “Leonie? A moment please?”

Orion frowned over at me with concern as I thumped my bag down on top of my desk and threw my coat over my chair. I picked up my notebook, pen, and phone and strode over to Athena’s office.

Kerry was already seated at the new age table with a giant Minnie Mouse style red bow in her hair. I resisted the urge to wrap it around her neck and throttle her with it.

She struggled to look up at me from her notebook. He freckles were buried under scarlet cheeks.

Athena clattered her office door closed and primped to her chair at the top of the table. She clapped her hands together in delight. “So, you’ve been fraternising with Chandler?”

“I haven’t been fraternising with anyone.” I struggled to keep my voice calm.

I sat up straighter in my chair, squaring all my attention on Kerry opposite me. How could she do this? She didn’t even speak to me about it first. “How did you find out?” I managed to ask her through gritted teeth.

Kerry shrivelled before my eyes. “I overheard you talking to someone in the breakout area.”

That was how she found out. Flynn.

I pushed my pen around on the top of the glass table, fighting to keep calm. “Well done you. You must be very proud.”

Kerry fidgeted in her seat.

“I’d like the exclusive written up and on my desk ASAP,” chirruped Athena, oblivious to the Artic atmosphere. “If you take the lead, Leonie, and perhaps Kerry can assist? It would be good experience for her.”

I bit back frissons of fury. I had done all I could to help her. Build her confidence. Yet she does this?

My head blundered around, desperate for something to use as an excuse or at least a delaying tactic. If I could stall this piece for publishing just now, at least it would give Flynn senior and Lily some breathing space until I decided what to do.

They were just getting to know each other again after all these years. This would be the last thing they needed in the glare of publicity.