Page 36 of The Surrender

“Lovely, I can’t wait to pop round and see it.”

“You’ll be sitting on the floor.” Jesus, that’s something else I need to do. Furniture. “I’ll see you after work.” I hang up and head for Sue’s office.

“Amelia.” She sets her pen down.

“Has Gary calmed down yet?” I ask, shutting the door.

She laughs. “He’s stable. What can I do for you?” She motions to the chair, and I lower to it.

“I wondered if there’s anything I need to know about Leo Lombardy. We have a dinner meeting this evening.”

“Oh, well, first of all, he’s super casual.”

“In attire or personality?”

“Both. You wouldn’t look at him and think he’s a multimillionaire, anyway. He’s also casual with his money. To be honest, he’s got so much it’s neither here nor there to him if he loses some, so he’ll be happy with high risk. Will probably push for it, actually, but keep your head on straight. That’s why I put him your way, Amelia, and not Leighton’s. Steers would undoubtedly take that as a green light to get silly. You are not a maverick, and Lombardy does not need one.”

I nod, understanding. “Thank you for the insight.” I stand. “I’ll let you know how it goes.”

“You’ll get on like a house on fire, I’m sure. He’s chilled, and you’re just the right amount of cautious that he needs.”

“Thanks, Sue.”

“And Amelia?”

I look back as I pull the door open.

“You’re doing everything right, okay?”

My heavy body lifts, and I nod, thankful for the pep talk when I’m uncertain about so much of my life. “Thanks, Sue.” I leave and take a few breaths, but still when I hear Leighton in the distance. I can’t promise I won’t launch him into outer space with my good hand if he spews any of his smarminess all over me, so I hotfoot it back to my office and grab my things, before exiting the office swiftly.

I walk through the front door and drop my bags, calling out a hello.

“Grand Girl!”

Poking my head around the lounge door, I find Grandma and Grandpa in their obligatory spots on either side of the fireplace. “Hey, you two.”

Grandma beckons me, so I perch on the arm of her armchair as she sets her knitting needles down. Her grey eyebrows lift. “How are you?”

Since I last saw her? Well, I got back together with the man who gave me fanny flutters, and we’ve split up again. Things are peachy. “I get the keys to my new place Friday.”

Grandma rolls her eyes. “Boring.”

“I’m fine, Grandma,” I assure her.You silly, silly girl.She wasn’t wrong.The best kind of love hurts the most.I don’t want to love him! “Have you spoken to Clark and Rachel?”

“Yes,” Grandpa chirps up, snapping hisFinancial Timesshut. “Video call, Amelia. It was like I was in Greece with them!”

I laugh, looking back to the kitchen. It’s quiet. “Where’s Mum and Dad?”

“Having a discussion in the garden,” Grandma says, craning her head to look back too. “Your mother wants to do more shifts at the florist and your father would rather she didn’t.”

“Oh God,” I breathe, getting up and heading out the back, ready to split them up. I see them out the window on the patio, Mum with a gardening fork in her hand, Dad with a watering can and a scowl on his face. It looks like it’s getting heated, so I hurry to the back door.

“You’re not even retired!” Mum hisses. “You’ve been in the office every day this week!”

“Every day?” Dad laughs. “It’s Tuesday, for Christ’s sake.”

“And will you go in tomorrow?”