dedication to the job.’
‘First in? Really?’ Lou faked a smile. ‘Wow. Looks like you beat me to it this morning because I’m usually the first in.’ Lou turned to Mr Patterson and offered his big white smile. ‘But you already knew that, didn’t you, Gabe?’
Gabe returned the smile with an equal sincerity. ‘You know what they say, the early bird catches the worm.’
‘Yes it does. It catches it indeed.’ Lou glared at him with a grin. A glare and a grin. Both at the same time.
Mr Patterson watched the exchange with growing discomfort. ‘Well, it’s just after eight, I should leave.’
‘After eight, you say. That’s funny,’ Lou perked up. ‘The mail hasn’t even arrived yet. What, em, what exactly are you doing in my office, Gabe?’ His voice had an edge to it that was clearly recognisable, as Mr Patterson looked uncomfortable and Gabe took on a peculiar smile.
‘Well, I came in early to familiarise myself with the building. There are so many floors for me to get through in such a short period of time, I wanted to figure out who was where.’
‘Isn’t that wonderful?’ Mr Patterson said, breaking the silence.
‘Yes, it is, but you already knew where my office was,’ Lou said tightly. ‘You had familiarised yourself with it yesterday … so what, may I ask, are you doing inside my office?’
‘Now, now, Lou, I fear I must jump in here,’ Mr Patterson said awkwardly. ‘I met young Gabe in the hallway and we got talking. As a favour for me, I’d asked him to bring some files to your office. He was delivering them to the desk when I realised I’d left one in my briefcase. Though he moved very quickly, I have to say that I’d just turned around when he was gone. Poof! Just like that!’ Mr Patterson chuckled.
‘Poof!’ Gabe grinned at Lou. ‘That’s me all right.’
‘I like fast workers, I must say, but I prefer fast and efficient, and my goodness you certainly are that.’
Lou almost said thank you, but Gabe jumped in.
‘Thank you, Mr Patterson, and if there’s anything else at all you’d like me to do for you, please let me know. I finish my shift at lunchtime and would be only too happy to help out around here for the rest of the afternoon. I’m keen to work.’
Lou’s stomach tightened.
‘That’s wonderful, Gabe, thank you, I’ll keep that in mind. Right Lou,’ Mr Patterson turned to face him and Lou expected Gabe, no longer a part of this conversation, to leave. But he didn’t. ‘I wonder if you’d be able to meet with Bruce Archer this evening, you remember him.’
Lou nodded, his heart sinking.
‘I was supposed to meet him, but I was reminded this morning of something else I have to attend.’
‘This evening?’ Lou asked, his mind racing.
While thinking about the offer he was picturing Lucy twirling around the gym in her sleeping suit and Ruth’s face when he’d opened his eyes prematurely from that kiss and caught her looking as beautiful and serene as he’d ever remembered her.
He realised they were both staring at him, Gabe’s eyes in particular searing into him.
‘Yes, this evening. Only if you’re free. I can ask Alfred to do it otherwise, so please don’t worry.’ Mr Patterson waved his hand dismissively.
‘No, no,’ Lou jumped in quickly. ‘This evening is no problem. That’s no problem.’
In his mind, Lucy, dizzy from the twirling, fell to the ground, and Ruth opened her eyes and pulled away from their kiss, his promise of less than an hour ago having broken the spell.
‘Great. Great. Well, Melissa can fill you in on the details, time and venue, etc. I have a big night tonight,’ he winked at Gabe. ‘It’s my little one’s Christmas play, I’d forgotten about it until he came running to me dressed as star, would you believe. But I wouldn’t miss it for the world,’ Mr Patterson smiled.
‘Right, yeah.’ Lou felt a lump in his throat. ‘That’s important, all right.’
‘Right, so, enjoy tonight and well done for finding this lad.’ Mr Patterson patted Gabe on the back.
While Lou turned to glare at Gabe, he heard a familiar cheery call behind him.
‘Morning, Laurence.’
‘Ah, Alfred,’ Mr Patterson said.
Alfred was a tall man, six foot with white-blond hair, kind of like an oversized Milky Bar kid who had melted and been moulded back together by the hands of a child. He always spoke with a smirk on his face and in the kind of accent that came with being privately schooled in England, despite spending the summers in Ireland, where he was from. His nose was disjointed from his rugby days and he swanned around the office, as Gabe had observed the previous day, kicking the tassels of his boat shoes in the air, one hand in his pocket, with the air of someone – a naughty schoolboy – who was up to tricks.
Alfred’s eyes fell upon Gabe, then quite obviously looked him up and down in silence and waited to be introduced. Gabe imitated him, confidently giving Alfred the once-over.
‘Nice shoes,’ Gabe finally said, and Lou looked down at the brown loafers Gabe had described yesterday.
‘Thank you.’ Alfred was a little put out.
‘I also like your shoes, Mr Patterson,’ Gabe commented, looking across.
In a slightly awkward moment, all eyes looked down at the men’s feet. A peculiar thing for most, apart from Lou, whose heart was pumping at a ridiculous rate at the sight of the black slip-ons and the brown loafers. The exact shoes Gabe had described to Lou the previous morning. So Alfred was meeting with Mr Patterson. Lou looked from Alfred to Mr Patterson, feeling a sense of betrayal. It wasn’t official that Cliff ’s job was up for grabs, but if it was, Lou was hellbent on making sure it would be his, not Alfred’s.
Mr Patterson bid farewell and took off down the corridor, swinging his briefcase jollily in his hand.
‘Who are you?’ Alfred asked Gabe, bringing Lou back into the room.
‘I’m Gabriel.’ Gabe held out his hand. ‘Friends call me Gabe, but you can call me Gabriel,’ he smiled.
‘Charming. Alfred.’ Alfred reached out his hand.
Their shake was cold and limp and their hands quickly fell by their sides. Alfred even wiped his on his trouser leg, whether it was consciously done or not.
‘Do I know you?’ Alfred narrowed his eyes.
‘No, we’ve never actually met, but you may recognise me.’
‘Why’s that, were you in a reality show or something?’ Alfred studied him again, with a smirk but a less confident one.
‘You used to pass by me every day, just outside
