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“So you actually do want to help then?”

“Listen, you don’t want to get fired but neither do I,” Jem said. “I need my car fixed.”

“And showing your father that you’re not quite the hopelesscase he thinks you are wouldn’t hurt either,” Ellie said, sure that she’d read the situation right.

“Fair point,” said Jem. “And since I go to every party that’s worth it, there’s no one better to come up with a location.”

Ellie nodded. “Alright.” She was going to take a risk on this, but not a huge one. “Come into the office in the morning and give me a list of places you’ve come up with, we’ll talk about it.”

“Deal,” Jem said, holding out her hand.

Ellie took it and again felt that strange breathless feeling. She started to count in her head, hoping to hell that she wasn’t about to have a panic attack right here and now. But when Jem withdrew her hand, the feeling went.

“I’ll be off then,” Jem said. “Work to do and all that.”

Ellie let her go, thinking that maybe she’d misjudged her slightly. She had apologized, after all, and she’d done it quickly and genuinely. Maybe she’d just been anxious. Maybe they could work together.

Then she realized that Jem had left her with the bill.

Yeah, maybe she wasn’t quite as considerate as Ellie thought.

Chapter Fourteen

Carys planted three mugs on Ellie’s desk. “It’s like the queen’s coming to tea or something,” she said. “We’re getting all the fine china in.”

“No, I’m borrowing mugs from you because you dropped our last guest mug last week and broke it,” said Ellie. “And don’t you dare go calling Jem the queen. She’s bad enough as it is.”

“All plummy accent and dog hair?” Carys said.

Ellie laughed. “No dog hair as far as I could see. Definite plummy accent though. But apart from anything else, she’s Darlington’s daughter and she could make or break us, so behave yourself.”

“What about me?” Mo asked.

“What about you?” said Ellie. “You generally behave yourself better than Car, so I expect nothing but the best from you.” She took a beat. “She’s not that bad,” she added grudgingly.

“So your little talk went well then,” Carys said.

“I think… I think we just agreed to pretend we’d never met and be professional. That’s all,” said Ellie. Truth be told she was slightly worried about Jem coming to the office. She’d made the invitation without thinking and now she was wishing that she’d chosen somewhere less… personal perhaps.

But the woman had to come sometime and at least Carys and Mo were here for backup. Not that she needed backup.

She gritted her teeth. Somehow Jem always made her feel likeshe was on the back foot, that she had to be prepared for the worst. She didn’t like the feeling, but even she had to admit that it was better than the chest-compressing feeling of panic. Since she’d spoken to Jem, things seemed to have calmed down on that front.

“You should make a doctor’s appointment,” Mo said, concern in their voice.

Looking down, Ellie realized she had a hand on her chest. “No, no, I’m feeling fine.”

“Still,” Carys said. “You should make a doctor’s appointment.”

“I don’t like it when you two gang up on me,” grumbled Ellie, sitting down.

Carys and Mo exchanged a look that begged questioning, something secretive and stealthy in it. Ellie was about to ask what was going on when there was a knock at the door.

“Behave yourselves,” she hissed.

Carys and Mo both nodded.

“Come in, it’s open,” shouted Ellie.