Page 52 of Total Creative Control
That was bollocks, but Lewis had a mulish look on his face now which was at least reassuringly familiar. Aaron didn’t argue, glancing past Lewis to where Hippolyta was crouching next to Geoff and Toni, encouraging them to perform something that looked likeRow, Row, Row Your Boat.
Sensing his look, Hippolyta glanced up. She was perceptive, he’d give her that much. Rising limberly to her feet, she said, “And now we’ll take a pause to reflect on what we’ve learned so far. I’d like you to step outside into the open air and move consciously within that external space. Be aware of what we’ve discussed—speed, direction, power of movement. Consider which you like best, which expresses you most deeply. Meditate on what that means.”
Charlie was on his feet immediately, prancing down the gallery like a wanker, with Milly skipping along in his wake. “Speed! Precision!” he was calling out. “Quick as a fox!”
Geoff made a sort of halting half gallop in the same direction, then gave up with a heavy sigh, shoulders slumping.
“Shall we get a coffee?” Toni suggested, kindly.
Geoff brightened, then threw an uncertain look at Hippolyta. “I think we’re still meant to be fasting…”
“That is entirely your choice,” Hippolyta said, frowning slightly. “I hope that was made clear.”
“Er…” Geoff scratched his jaw.
Toni took his arm. “Come on, Geoff, let’s find a coffee and a croissant. I’mdyingto hear more about your trip to Machu Picchu.”
And it wasn’t until she threw a concerned look over her shoulder at Lewis, slowly climbing to his feet, that Aaron realised she’d noticed his meltdown. Well, no surprise there; they’d been friends for years, and Toni was nothing if not observant.
Lewis didn’t look at any of them, though. He just crossed the floor, grabbed his trainers and, without pausing to put them on, stalked down the gallery on his own. Aaron was about to follow when Hippolyta touched his arm. “Wait,” she said.
Once Geoff and Toni were out of earshot, Hippolyta said, “That was very intense for Lewis.”
“Yes.”
“I’m glad you were there for him. I can see that you have a very intimate relationship, that he trusts you deeply. It was beautiful to watch your connection.”
Aaron laughed, but not in amusement. “We’re not—I’m just his PA.”
She looked doubtful. “However you define your relationship, Aaron, you are clearly not ‘just’ anything to Lewis. The body doesn’t lie. I saw how he responded to your presence today.” Frowning, she added, “But I gather he didn’t prepare fully for the workshop?”
“Given that Charlie only sprung it on us yesterday afternoon, no, he didn't.”
Her lips thinned in annoyance. “I’m very sorry to hear that. It’s not what I expected or asked for.” She tipped her head in the direction Lewis had taken. “You should be with him now; he’ll need your support. I believe he touched on something very profound this morning.”
Aaron only nodded, having no intention of saying anything about Lewis. Not that Aaron knew what had been going on inside his head, but his distress had been visceral. And painful to witness. Surprisingly so for Aaron. He’d never seen Lewis vulnerable like that, visibly upset, his usual arrogant façade all crumbled away. Aaron still felt shaken by it, his stomach hollow.
“Please tell him that if he chooses to continue with the workshop, we’ll be focusing only on healing relaxation for the rest of our time together. I’m not prepared to continue with the more intense work given the group’s”—she paused, then added tightly—“lack of appropriate time to prepare.”
Aaron nodded, reluctantly appreciating her obvious concern about Lewis. There was no doubt that the workshop had opened up something profoundly upsetting for him, but it wasn’t her fault Lewis had been pressganged into attending. That was on Charlie fucking Alexander.
After thanking her, Aaron headed out in search of Lewis. He finally found him sitting on a bench in the formal gardens at the back of the house.
Despite everything, he looked as spectacular as ever in his leave-nothing-to-the-imagination running gear, his thick, dark hair mussed from running his hands through it. Aaron halted a few yards away, and for several long moments, he just stood there, staring. Lewis really was a beautifully made man, but right now, he was all alone in his misery, sitting with his forearms resting on his knees, his broad shoulders hunched in angry defeat as he stared moodily at the ground between his feet.
He looked utterly miserable, and Aaron’s heart couldn’t stand it.
Trotting down the three steps into the sunken garden, Aaron made his way over to the bench, crunching across the gravel in his sliders.
“If you want to be left alone,” he said gently, drawing to a halt near the bench, “I’ll go.”
Lewis didn’t look up. “I feel like a fucking idiot,” he said, directing the words at the ground, his expression hidden by the fall of his tousled dark hair. “I don’t even know what the fuck happened.”
“I spoke to Hippolyta,” Aaron said, perching gingerly on the other end of the bench. “She was pissed off that Charlie sprang this on us at the last minute. We’re just doing relaxation for the rest of the workshop if—”
“I’m not going back in there.”
“Fair enough. I don’t blame you.”