Gentleman Sinner

A minute later, I’m still trying to find that strength. ‘Izzy?’ Judy’s voice is a welcome distraction from my annoying battle to open the door, and I turn to find her watching me from across the hall. ‘You okay?’ she asks, smiling as she takes in the dressing gown I’m wrapped in. Theo’s dressing gown.

‘Yes.’ I smile, thumbing over my shoulder. ‘Theo is having breakfast.’ Memories of last night, of her constant reassurance that he will solve the problem he’s created, all come trickling back. How? How will he solve it?

‘Are you going to join him or stand there all day staring at the door?’

‘I’m—’ I’m cut off when a door slams across the way, and we both look to see Penny leaving Theo’s office. She looks as sexy as ever, despite being quite formally dressed.

‘Oh, hi,’ she says, frowning at my attire. I feel my cheeks heating, my hands pulling at the sides of the robe. I might be embarrassed, but I can still sense the change in atmosphere. Judy’s shoulders visibly rise.

‘Made yourself at home, I see,’ Theo’s mother snipes, tossing Penny a filthy look.

I recoil on Penny’s behalf, but Penny just rolls her eyes and gets on her way. ‘See you, Izzy,’ she calls, disappearing through the door to the Playground.

Judy scoffs and returns her attention to me, practically spitting nails. ‘Tart,’ she mutters.

Ouch. ‘You don’t like her?’

‘Not particularly, and I dislike the fact that Theo has given her somewhere to live even more.’

‘She’s living here?’ I ask, surprised.

‘Hopefully not for long.’ Judy approaches me and faffs with my robe, forcing a smile on to her face. ‘Have you and Theo made up?’

‘I was just—’

‘Have patience,’ she says, reaching for the door and pushing it open, encouraging me in. ‘He’s trying so hard, Izzy.’

I deflate, thinking it a waste of time to argue with his mother, and enter the dining room to face Theo. I look down the length of the long table, finding him at the end, a newspaper in one hand, a cup of coffee in the other. I can only see his top half, but I note he’s casual today, wearing a simple black crew-neck T-shirt. His hair is a damp mess, his stubble bristlier than usual.

He looks . . . completely and utterly breathtaking.

I stand awkwardly at the entrance, fiddling with the tie of the robe while he slowly places his cup down blindly, watching me.

‘Morning.’ He eventually breaks the silence with his rough but soft greeting.

‘Morning,’ I parrot, my mouth beginning to water when I catch a whiff of freshly brewed coffee. The atmosphere is difficult, neither of us forthcoming with conversation, and I think about Theo’s mother telling me to be patient. Easier said than done when you’re dealing with such complexity.

A loud sigh travels down the table towards me and Theo drops his paper. ‘Please, Izzy, come and sit with me.’ He pulls out the chair next to him.

It’s not only Theo’s request that kicks my legs into action, it’s the aroma of that coffee. I settle on the chair and nod when he holds up the coffee pot. ‘Where did you sleep last night?’ I ask while he pours. There were no signs that he’d joined me in bed. The covers on the other side were untouched, and I couldn’t smell him on the sheets. The thought of the state of me and Theo looking at my drunken, unconscious being in his bed makes me shrink in my chair as I bring my coffee cup to my lips.

‘I didn’t sleep.’ He sits back, one hand resting lightly on the edge of the table.

‘At all?’

‘At all,’ he confirms, and we fall silent again, the tension building between us. There’s obviously lots both of us want to say, but neither he nor I seems willing to lead.

So I natter pointlessly some more, just to fill the uncomfortable silence. ‘You must be tired.’

‘I was thinking,’ he says, ignoring my statement.

I nibble at the inside of my mouth as Theo regards me closely. ‘Do I want to know what about?’ I ask, my apprehension obvious.

He smiles a little, turning his hand over on the table. Naturally, I place mine in his, and he brings my knuckles to his mouth and rests his lips there. ‘I’ve been thinking about how I can make it up to you.’

‘By getting me my job back,’ I say, though my statement is lacking the curtness I intended. Probably a result of my tiredness and rotten hangover. ‘But I can’t see that happening after you caused anarchy. The police were already involved. Now I imagine the NHS will be pressing charges, as well as Sugden.’

He rests his elbows on the table, now holding my hand in both of his. ‘There are many things I can influence, Izzy.’

My mind goes off on a tangent, trying to decipher what he means by influence. It takes only a few seconds of considering, even with a fuzzy head. I reflect back to last night – to Judy telling me that Theo would fix things. Theo was with Andy, Judy’s husband. He works for the police. He knew about my predicament, and I’m guessing he knows every other detail of the whole horrid situation. The light bulb in my head pings on. ‘The police won’t be contacting me for a statement, will they?’