Page 146 of Save You

“Some of them used to be in Cirque du Soleil.”Camille sounds very pleased with herself.I’m about to writeCirque du Soleilwhen I clock how silly I’m being.I can’t spend an hour and a half sitting around staring at my notebook just because James is here.I put my pen down again and look at Camille as she takes over.“They’re going for a mystic vibe.”

Next to me, Lin sighs.“But we still have the same old problem of finding sponsors who want to come to the gala and make a donation.We can’t just invite parents.And we need people to make speeches.It would be ideal if the Family Center had helped them in the past, because that would make it sound really authentic.”

“Last week, we said we’d keep asking around,” I say, finally able to speak.“Did anyone get anywhere?”

I just have to look at the discouraged faces of my team to know what they’re going to say.

“No one answers my emails, and if I phone, they either say maybe next year, or just come straight out and tell me to leave them alone,” says Kieran.“Nobody wants to talk about their past problems.Least of all at Maxton Hall.”

The others nod.

“Maybe we need to think outside the box a bit,” suggests Jessalyn.“Maybe we don’t need people to have usedthisFamily Center, just something similar.”

“Good idea,” I say.“We could also ask the local universities if anyone in their relevant departments would be prepared to speak.”My smile is more confident than I feel.“We’ll get there.We’ve got a while yet.”

Murmurs of agreement.

“Now that you’re back on the team, it would be great if you could take charge of décor, and arrange things with the company and Mr.Jones,” Lin suddenly says to James.“He can always use a hand getting the hall ready.”

I pluck up the courage to glance at James.

He blinks in mild confusion, but just says, “Sure.”

I’m trying really hard not to grin at that.Cleaning the hall with the caretaker is a nightmare job—no one wants to get stuck with that, so it makes me laugh that Lin has just delegated it to James.And it’s further proof of what a great person she is.

The rest of the meeting goes to plan, but I’m glad when the ninety minutes are up.Lin and I divide up the jobs we have to do, while everyone else says their goodbyes and leaves the room—except for James and Camille, who seem to be packing their stuff extra slowly.I try to pay them no attention but without much success.I hear every word of condolence that Camille is murmuring.My stomach clenches, but I remind myself that I’m not going to feel hurtbyJames anymore, and certainly notforJames.I don’t intend to feelanythingwhen it comes to James Beaufort from now on.

“See you later,” I mumble to Lin.

She nods and shoos me away.I pick up my backpack and head to the door, staring straight ahead.At the very moment I reach for the handle, a hand closes around it so that mine ends up on top.I look up into James’s face.We’re only inches apart.I take in his familiar smell, spicy and a bit like honey, and the warmth of him.

“Ruby,” he whispers.

I pull my hand away like I’ve burned it.Then I look at him withthe expectation of him either moving his own hand or opening the door.He hesitates a moment, then turns the handle.

I exhale.“Bye, Lin,” I say, hurrying out of the room.

I walk to the bus stop faster than ever as his voice echoes around my head and through my whole body.

13

Lydia

“I don’t believe it.”James sighs with frustration.He pushes his laptop away and turns on his chair to face me.“Another two have turned me down.”

I eye my brother from my spot on the sofa.When he first told me about his plan to rejoin the events committee, I was surprised.But the longer I think about it, the more I like his decision.

Ruby loves working on that team.Showing her that he doesn’t just get her passion, he shares it, is a good first step.Besides, last term, James discovered how much he enjoyed organizing those parties—even though he’d never admit it.

“You have to be persistent.Appeal to their consciences, not their wallets.Then they’ll turn up at the gala,” I say, sipping from the mug of fruit tea I’ve wrapped my cold fingers around.I think the housekeeper knows I’m pregnant.She brought up the teapot unasked and gave me a knowing look as she whispered that she was sure it would do me good.

James nods absentmindedly and pulls his laptop a bit closer again.At the same moment, there’s a quiet ping as a new emailpops in.James squints as he reads it, and I reach for a biscuit.A few crumbs drop onto the sofa as I nibble on it, but luckily, he’s too busy typing a reply to notice—he hates crumbs.

“Have you spoken to Ruby?”I ask after a while.

I hear the sound of an email being sent, then James turns back to me.“No.”He rubs his face with his hand.“At the moment, she can’t even bring herself to look at me.”

“You can’t force her, obviously.But sooner or later, you two will have to have a conversation,” I say gently.“The longer you leave it, the bigger the gap between you will grow.Believe me.”