Page 42 of Be More Octopus

Jack looked bemused. 'Is this some weird ritual?'

'Yes, I'm summoning the gods to bless your portrait,' she laughed. 'Or I could just be checking how the light is casting shadows so I can work out the best place for you to sit. It's more efficient than asking you to keep moving.'

He looked impressed.

'Let's try here.' Em moved his chair near to the window but far enough away to be out of the patch of direct sunlight. Jack sat down with the bookshelves behind him.

'No dodgy titles I need to move?' Em asked.

'No! Does that happen often?'

'You'd be surprised,' she said, remembering tidying her dad's bookshelves for the interview. 'If you could look outside.'

She took a couple of shots. 'Now look into the lens.'

He turned towards her again. Another click. She checked the photos she'd taken. Those intense blue eyes.

'Your collar's a bit wonky. I didn't notice until I saw it on the back of the camera.'

Jack attempted to correct it.

'No, still not quite right. I should've brought a mirror.'

'You better do it then,' he said.

Em put the camera down on the desk. Tidying his collar was going to bring her into the heart-stopping zone.

She leant in so she could reach. It would be so easy to move just a little closer and kiss him. Stop behaving like a heroine in a Victorian novel. You'll be fainting next. Perhaps it was the wine they'd had at lunchtime, but Jack seemed flustered by how close they were as well. She smoothed down the offending collar.

'Better?' he asked.

'Yes, perfect.'

They locked eyes just as the office door opened, breaking the spell. A petite, neat-looking woman with short grey hair marched in. She did an unconvincing double-take worthy of a local amateur dramatics production.

'Oh, Jack. I didn't know you were here. I would've knocked otherwise.'

'Hi, Audrey. I wasn't expecting you to be in today.' Jack smiled at her, but his voice didn't match his expression.

‘So I see.' Audrey looked like she was sucking a particularly sour lemon.

'Em, this is Audrey, our departmental administrator. Audrey, Em's painting my portrait.'

Audrey now looked as if she'd swallowed the lemon and was struggling not to regurgitate it.

'Of course she is.'

'Nice to meet you, Audrey.' Em gave the woman her best smile, realising too late that she still had her right hand on Jack's shoulder. She quickly offered it to Audrey. It seemed awkwardly formal. Audrey gave her the weakest handshake Em had ever experienced.

'I was returning this.' Audrey pulled a textbook from under her arm and squeezed it onto the nearest shelf. 'Have you been having a good summer break, Jack?'

'Yes, fine, thank you. I'm not back properly until September. How about you?'

'Good, thanks. We'll talk properly in September, then.' Audrey excused herself.

'Odd,' said Jack after Audrey closed the door behind herself.

'Is it?'