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The softness of her voice was hypnotic It felt like bal smoothed over a wound which had never really healed And wasn’t this whatof time? Drunk a little too much whisky and then offloaded on soain?

‘It was a liberation,’ he said truthfully ‘To cut my ties with the past’

She nodded, as if she understood ‘And start over?’

‘Exactly that To know that every decision I make is one I can live with’

His cell phone chose precisely thatand auto at the small screen

Work, he mouthed as he took the call

He launched into a long torrent of Greek, before breaking into English—so that Ellie couldn’t help but sit there and listen Though if she was being honest, it was very interesting listening to a conversation, which see deal with the Chinese And then he said other stuff, too—which was even

‘I aht it wise to check with the New York office first’ He tapped his finger iainst the arm of the chair ‘Okay I take your point Okay’

He cut the connection and saw her staring at him ‘What is it?’ he demanded

She shrugged ‘It’s none of my business’

‘No, I’m interested’

She put her drink down ‘Don’t you ever stop working?’

His irritated look gave way to a faint s reluctantly at the corners of his lips ‘Ironically, that’s just whatother people to take holidays if I wasn’t prepared to do so es’

‘So how coht?’