Chapter 32

How long I remained unseeing, unmoving and unthinking, with all the remaining fight or flight capabilities of a washed-up jellyfish, I wasn’t sure. But when I opened my eyes a short time later, it was to the sight of a wine glass of being placed on the table in front of me.

‘For you, if you want it,’ said Cameron, indicating the glass of red. ‘And I’m happy either to stay and keep you company, or to go away and leave you in peace. It’s up to you.’

I stared at the glass, slowly dragging myself back to the moment. ‘Thank you,’ I murmured. ‘That’s really kind of you, and some company would be great.’ I gestured to the armchair opposite. ‘I expect that’s still warm – and possibly smelling of sulphur.’

He sat, placing a bottle of beer on the table as he did so.

‘Have you been here long?’ I asked, resting my head against the back of the chair and wondering how much of my encounter with Ruby he had witnessed, if any.

‘Only as long as it took to buy the drinks,’ he said. ‘I didn’t see her,’ he added, as if reading my mind.

‘Lucky you.’

‘You OK?’

I picked up the wine and took a large gulp. ‘It didn’t feel great but, you know, at least it’s done now. There’s some relief in that.’

He nodded. ‘I wanted to say thank you for this morning.’

‘For what?’

‘For taking the pressure off me,’ he replied, ‘and piling it onto yourself in the process.’

‘I didn’t do anything noble. If I’d confronted her about everything over summer – like I should have done – she wouldn’t have even turned up this morning.’

He raised an eyebrow and reached for his beer. ‘Wouldn’t she?’

I paused, considering the question. ‘You’re right, she’d probably have turned up anyway,’ I said wearily. ‘She’s not one for letting the dust settle.’

‘No.’

He smiled and I heaved a sigh, slumping again in the chair and rubbing my forehead. ‘I’m just so sorry about everything, Cameron,’ I said quietly.

‘There’s really nothing left to be sorry for.’

I laughed humourlessly. ‘Nothing except being unwelcoming, unco-operative, insensitive to your heritage, passively aggressive, actively aggressive and generally ruining your first seven months in a new job.’ I shook my head despairingly. ‘And now, in response to all that, you turn up with a glass of wine and the offer of your company, when most people in your position would think that sitting here miserable and alone is exactly what I deserve at this point.’ I blinked back a tear and quickly leaned forward, reaching for my bag with the dual purpose of hiding my face and locating a tissue, just in case.