Chapter Twelve
"I need to discuss it with Will," she said to the man on the other end of the line before saying goodbye.
As she put down the phone her eyes were already on her business partner in the office on the other side of the corridor. She hadn't spoken to him since the morning when they had parted again in her house like the day before. Then her gaze fell on the box on the side of her desk. She took a piece of paper and wrote a few words on it, before throwing it into the box that was already containing several similar pieces of paper.
Maybe it was not a very smart plan, but she decided to survive the day like this, making notes on things she would need to discuss with Will later, postponing to meet him as long as possible. And in fact he hadn't suggested a meeting himself either in any way, even though he'd passed by her office a few times when she had been sitting there, he hadn't even so much as look at her all day, like he had promised and she hadn't really thought he would be able to keep that. Both of them were trying hard, maybe even too hard to keep their personal relationship out of the workplace that day.
o-o-o
It was already quite late, but Will was still in his office, she was watching him from her seat again. She checked her watch and decided that it was time to call it a day. She started organizing her things on the table, putting some files into her briefcase, but her eyes got back to him from time to time. Finally her gaze fell on the box with the notes again and she decided that it was time to put an end to this ridiculous game. She took the box into her hands and headed to his office.
The smile on his face as she entered made up for the hours that they had spent apart.
"What's that?" he asked, meaning the box in her hand.
"Some things we should talk about once we get the chance," she said, stepping close to his desk and taking a seat, placing the box in front of her on the table.
"We can do it now," he suggested and she thought that might be the best solution. She had considered taking the box home and discussing the content with him there, but it didn't seem like such a wise idea to take work home, not yet.
o-o-o
An hour later she not only saw how wise she'd been not to take the box home with her, but she wasn't even sure she wanted to take him home with her anymore. Their discussion turned into an argument after the third note and they hadn't been able to stop ever since. He seemed to have a completely different opinion on everything and even though she had been used to fighting with him in the past, that night, after what they had been through together in the last days, it just felt so wrong.
"Looks like we really need a third partner," she stated calmly after placing the last note back to the box.
"Just because we don't agree on everything, it doesn't mean we need a referee."
"But you basically disagree on everything I proposed tonight," she claimed and she tried her best not to sound too hurt. It was nothing new after all, fighting had always been a part of their relationship.
"Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to do this now, why don't we start over again tomorrow?"
"You want to fight with me again tomorrow?" she said in a slightly teasing manner to ease the tension.
"Fight? We just had a few arguments, let's not exaggerate," he smiled at her and she knew right away that everything was fine between them.
"All right, I guess I'll see you tonight?" she asked as she stood up from her seat.
"Diane?"
"Yes?"
"I guess I just love fighting with you," he replied, instead of answering her question, but she didn't mind. She appreciated his confession.
"You do?"
"As long as it's nothing serious and these are only small matters, I'm sure we can come up with a solution to each of them if we try a little harder. But today's been a challenge on its own, we really should call it a day."
She nodded and smiled at him, "Nine o'clock?"
"I'll be there."