6PM

Bernie had left for the roof. Cam was left when Serena came back. Sitting in her chair and mulling it over. He had decided to tell her everything. Bernie could be furious at him but he couldn't stand to see her happiness just out of reach because she wasn't brave enough to go for it. His mother was a risk taker in her work life; stubborn but not hard headed, firm but not harsh. She'd never shown her terror before, but this was intensely personal. She was frightened and hesitant about this, she didn't want to mess it up. She'd rather not risk it, a move so unlike her.

He looked up to see Serena hovering, uncertain to the situation.

'This thing with Alex. As long as it doesn't affect work, it's not anyone's business.'

He willed her to understand.

'She's out of the picture. I wasn't talking about her. I was talking about you.'

Serena frowned.

'What do you mean?'

'The argument was about you.'

She spooled her mind back to the previous hours. Something about Bernie looking at her in a different way, like she never had with Marcus. She'd just assumed it had been about Alex, the woman who had come between them in their marriage.

'She brings you breakfast. You go out to dinner together. She stays over at your place. The way you reserve drinks for each other. The way you buy little presents for each other. It all adds up.'

He could see her mind whirring and analysing this behaviour. They did all of these things and more. Like a couple.

He waited patiently for the moment where she realised that all of it meant something.

'She's frightened to approach you. She's more frightened than she's ever been in her life. But she likes you. She more than likes you. And I think that if she asked you if you wanted more than that, you wouldn't say no.'

She stared at him, not objecting to his assessment. Wondering how he knew her so well. The pull she had towards Bernie, the desire to be around her was both fierce and familiar. One of the best people in her life, one she would do so much for. It had never occurred to her that it might be reciprocated on an even higher level. Cam had got the measure of their relationship better than they had. It wouldn't be the first time that someone would want to kiss their best friend. She made up her mind.

'I've got to go.'