‘Yeah. I was going to.’ Laurie flipped the kettle on.
‘So...’ Sam puffed out a breath. ‘You haven’t had an argument with Ross, have you?’
‘Has he said anything?’ Laurie shouldn’t ask, but her curiosity got the better of her.
‘No. He actually hasn’t said anything to anyone all morning. Something’s bugging him.’
‘He wrote me a letter.’
Sam stared at her. ‘A letter?’
She should just tell Sam she had to go. Hand over her notes on Adam and Tamara and leave it at that. But the nagging hope that somehow there was a way that she could stop what was happening wouldn’t let her.
‘Help yourself.’ Laurie pushed the salad bowl towards Sam. ‘I’ll show you.’
She fetched the letter, laying it on the counter. Sam took a sip of her tea and picked it up.
‘Has this been through the washing machine or something?’
‘No, I...um... I screwed it into a ball and threw it.’
‘Oh. Feelings running high, then.’ Sam smiled, as if that wasn’t such a bad thing at all. Then she focussed on the letter, reading it through as she ate.
‘I’ll agree this sounds like something you’d write
when someone’s leaving. But isn’t this what you wanted, Laurie? Ross has given you what you need to square things with your consultant.’
‘He said it meant I was free to go. I’m assuming that’s what he wants.’
Sam narrowed her eyes. ‘You’re sure about that? Let me read the letter again.’
There was no point in trying to eat. Laurie watched miserably while Sam re-read the letter.
‘Well, I can’t get inside his head.’ Sam laid the paper back down and took a swig of her tea. ‘But I’ve known Ross for a while, and...when he decides that something’s wrong he just can’t let it go. It’s admirable actually, but it can be annoying.’
‘So...what do you think?’
‘Ross didn’t want to box you into a corner the way he did. If it’s anyone’s fault it’s mine, because I told him that you weren’t following my advice...’ Sam turned the corners of her mouth down.
‘You were right. I would have done the same. I was being unreasonable and I’m really sorry—’
‘That’s water under the bridge.’ Sam grabbed Laurie’s hand, squeezing it. ‘I’m only bringing it up because I know that Ross wasn’t happy about not giving you the choice, it’s against everything he believes in. I don’t know, but I think this may be all about that and nothing to do with wanting you to leave.’
‘Too much of a gentleman, you mean?’
Sam snorted with laughter. ‘Yes. It’s not a bad thing, I suppose.’
‘No. It’s quite a nice thing really.’
There was a lot of sense in what Sam said, but Laurie had been too upset and disappointed to see it before. So afraid of rejection that she’d jumped to that conclusion far too quickly and not looked behind Ross’s words.
‘What are you going to do?’ Sam was looking at her thoughtfully.
‘I’m going to make it clear to him that I want to stay. I want to finish what I’ve started with Adam and Tamara, and I want to continue on here with my own exercise regime. This place gives me the framework that I need to get better.’
Sam nodded. ‘Sounds good to me. If Ross has a problem with that, he’ll say so.’
There was a problem, one that Laurie hadn’t told Sam about. Ross had said he cared for her, and that he’d take things further if only he could. But maybe she could find a way for them both to do that as well.