‘I do believe I’m your boss,’ he said firmly. ‘And as I’m responsible for your health and welfare at work, I’m insisting you take a lunch break. Just an hour, that’s all, then you’ll feel energised and refreshed and you’ll work twice as fast this afternoon.’ He stood up, checked his watch. ‘Come on. We’re going. We’ll get served quicker if we’re there early.’
Sara looked at her desk – the mass of papers strewn across the surface – and a flare of panic burned through her chest. Her stomach gurgled. I can’t, though, can I?
James turned at the door and beckoned to her, eyebrows raised when she didn’t move.
She gave a tentative smile. Why not? she thought. I’m supposed to get a lunch hour and never take it. Maybe I will feel better afterwards. It was starting to sound like a good idea, and anyway, James wasn’t going to take no for an answer.
She followed him outside, where his racing-green Audi TT was parked, gleaming in the sunshine. It was another warm May day, and the cherry trees that surrounded the car park were in full bloom, their pink petals coating the ground around them like confetti. He opened the door for her and waited for her to get settled in the seat before he closed it and went round to the driver’s side.
An unexpected thrill of excitement fizzled through her. She’d never been in such a posh car before. Leather seats. No empty crisp packets or sweet wrappers or drinks cartons stuffed in the pockets of the doors or littering the floor. The whole interior was immaculate and smelt clean and fresh, a hint of sandalwood in the air. She buckled herself in, even the silky feel of the seat belt shouting quality. The engine thrummed to life, settling to a soft purr. He turned to her and grinned, his delight infectious, and she felt like she was doing something she shouldn’t. Being a little bit bad.
He’s my boss, she told herself. He insisted.
It was a rock-solid justification, and she sat back, telling herself she had no choice in the matter. He’ll be able to insist until the debt’s repaid, a little voice in her head reminded her. She shifted in her seat, not sure she was entirely comfortable with that thought.
James’s arm draped over the back of her seat as he turned to reverse, and his proximity made something stir inside her. She tensed and inched away from him, looking out of the window as they drove along the high street until he spoke, pulling her attention back inside the car.
‘I thought we could go to the pub up on the moors. It’ll look fabulous today. How about it?
It was a popular place to eat and the food was always good, but there was a chance she’d see someone she knew, and that could make her life difficult. Sara squirmed.
‘Could we go a bit further afield?’ She cringed, feeling awkward about asking. ‘It’s just Matt has a bit of a jealous streak. He wouldn’t understand about business lunches. He’d jump to the wrong conclusion and I honestly haven’t the energy.’
She listened to her own words and realised it was exactly how she’d reacted to Matt and the mystery woman in his office. Perhaps it was a work thing? She turned her attention to the countryside again, wondering if she had a jealous streak too. He denied there was anyone there, though. Why would he do that if it was all above board?
‘Okay, I hadn’t thought about that,’ James said, and turned towards Skipton instead.
They went to a country pub in a little village on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales, the drive taking fifteen minutes where it would have taken Sara half an hour. James was showing off, she thought, throwing the car round bends like a rally driver, and the machine stuck to the road on its big fat tyres. Surprisingly, she found it exhilarating, rather than scary, a hidden part of her thrilled at the excitement and danger of driving so fast. Her life had been so safe since she’d had the children, their limitations becoming her boundaries, and when she thought about it, she’d rarely done anything just for her since they’d come into her life. Now she was ready to broaden her horizons, do more to meet her own needs before she disappeared as a person completely.
The pub was quiet, and they sat in the garden at the back, where wicker seats with comfy cushions surrounded the tables. Large pots had been planted with colourful flowers and high walls sheltered the area from any breeze, making it a pleasant suntrap. Sara sat back in her chair while James went to place their order at the bar, enjoying the warmth of the sun on her skin. She tipped her head back and closed her eyes, letting out a contented sigh.
This wasn’t such a bad way to repay a debt, was it? If that was in fact what she was doing. She had no idea, and that bothered her. Even if it didn’t count – and this was just James being nice to her – it was good to have a bit of time outside the workplace to get to know him better, and maybe get a firmer grasp on the limitations of their deal. Is there a timescale? she wondered. And how will I know when the debt is paid in full?
It was all a bit vague for her liking, and she knew she’d feel more comfortable if she could tick off progress, like a loan repayment scheme, so she knew how much further she had to go. The longer it went on, the more chance there was of Matt finding out, and that would be a disaster. She shuddered at the very thought.
James came back with a couple of halves of beer and two glasses of sparkling water.
‘I know you said water, but I thought a half wouldn’t do any harm.’ He put the glasses on the table. ‘Your choice.’ He smiled. ‘I’ll drink it if you don’t want it.’
Sara looked at the beer, a sheen of condensation on the side of the glass, so cool and inviting. What the hell, she thought. Live a little. And before she could think about it any more, she’d picked up the glass and taken a sip. ‘Nice,’ she said, savouring the taste of hops as it rolled around her tongue. ‘Thank you.’
‘They said the food should only be fifteen minutes, so you don’t have to worry about us being out for too long. And I can stay and help this afternoon for an hour to make up for lost time.’ He took a sip of his own beer, eyes twinkling at her over the rim of his glass. ‘Can’t have my staff worrying.’
She laughed, and they slipped into easy conversation, discussing the community centre and how it worked. A bit of gossip about board members, which made her giggle.
‘Fiona is a little scary, don’t you think?’ she said after she’d finished her beer, feeling tipsy. She didn’t really drink these days, and on an empty stomach, her inhibitions had definitely been lifted. In fact, she was so relaxed she’d practically melted into her chair, and James looked equally chilled sitting opposite. He really was easy company outside the office. Quite charming, and full of anecdotes.
He laughed. ‘I’m glad you said it, not me. I’d be way too frightened to voice an opinion like that.’ He looked around, lowered his voice to a whisper. ‘Walls have ears, you know. Better be careful. Do not diss the all-powerful one.’
‘Don’t get me wrong,’ Sara whispered back, joining in the charade. ‘I really admire her. I’ve no idea how she fits everything into her life and still seems so bloody relaxed. Just like Julia. The two of them are awesome.’
James nodded. ‘Awesome they might be. Doesn’t stop them being scary, though,’ and something in his voice made her wonder if he was joking or being deadly serious.