He shrugged. “I just wanted you to be comfortable,” he muttered.
“That was really sweet,” I said, and hope lit his expression. My chest squeezed, and all I wanted to do was run to him and fall into his arms. But then an unbidden image of Felix’s furious face when he berated me before throwing me out of his office popped into my brain. I’d let my guard down with him before and look where that got me.
Plus it was obvious that he was only here because Mike had guilted him into it. My family were worried. I didn’t want to worry them, but I really couldn’t help it. The compulsion to sink into the other world, the fantasy world I’d created was too strong, and just then that shed was the only place I could do it. The only place I could forget everything and feel fully immersed in the writing. I cleared my throat. “I hope you’re not still boiling them alive.”
“No,” Felix said, looking sheepish, “But I have made some other changes. The office is way more open now. No more old boys’ club mentality. More collaboration. Less emphasis on being a dick to get ahead. I even allowed some colour on the walls, personal effects on the desks. We have Cake Monday, Taco Tuesday. You were right – it does make a difference. And you were right about how short-sighted I am. It’s not just the sharks that I need to contribute. The best ideas often come from the minnows – they just have to have a forum to speak. It’shelped the company immeasurably. I don’t know why I’ve been such a prick for so long. And Will, of course he’s been sacked. Tabitha and a few others came forward as well. I’m sure you already know that. He’ll have a criminal record.”
Yes, the police had told me all of that, not that I really made much time to take in it. Much easier to be stuck in my imagination most of the time.
“TBea feels really bad. She’d like to apologise to you in person. Vicky too.” He let out a brief chuckle. “I think Vicky’s taking it the worst. She’s not good at being wrong. I gather you’re not taking their calls?”
“I’m too busy,” I said, looking away from him and back at my map.
“Too busy even to speak to Lottie?” he asked gently. “She’s worried about you as well. And she misses you. They all do.”
I felt a brief twinge of guilt. I did feel bad about Lottie, but I still wasn’t ready to speak to or see anyone from my life in London.
“After I’ve finished this series. I’ll speak to them after.”
“But, you’ll see them next month, won’t you?” Felix asked. When I looked at him in confusion, his head was cocked to the side, his arms crossed again.
“Next month?”
“At the book signing.”
My stomach dropped and I gritted my teeth. There were ten missed calls on my phone from my agent. This was an international signing. Epic fantasy and sci-fi authors from all over the world would be there.
“I’m not doing it,” I said. There was no way in hell that I was, a) going back to London again, b) being put on display in front of thousands of people, or c) leaving this shed. The small event at Harry’s building was one thing. I’d actually enjoyed talking to the teenagers and I was glad I’d managed to work upthe courage to do it before leaving London. But this would be a totally different kettle of fish.
“You have to go up there to negotiate the Netflix deal as well,” Felix said. I jerked in my chair in surprise as my gaze flew to his.
“What do you know about that? Have you been speaking to Madeline?” I said, annoyance in my tone. First Mikey and now Madeline. Was everyone just going around talking about me behind my back?
“She’s worried about you too,” Felix said in that gentle tone again.
I rolled my eyes. Maddie was worried about her fifteen percent.
“Lucy, she says your output is insane at the moment. She thinks you need to slow down.”
I frowned at this. Okay, so if Maddie was only interested in making money from me then she’d only be happy that my output was crazy high.
“I’m not doing the signing, and I’m not making any deals with Netflix,” I said, turning my back on Felix again. “I just want to stay in my shed and work on my books.”
“Okay, love,” Felix said softly. I had to blink away tears that suddenly pricked my eyes, so by the time I managed to turn around to tell him to go away he was shutting the door to the shed behind him.
Finally, I thought. He’s given up.
Chapter 30
I was never the boss of you
Lucy
It was the vibrations that really tipped me off. Oh, and the bloody great hole where the window once was.
“What on earth?” I muttered as I pulled my noise-cancelling headphones down to my neck.
“Hi,” a man said from the other side of the hole. He smiled at me like he hadn’t just stolen my window. “You alright there?”
