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“You need to get out more.”
“I know. That’s why I’m here.”
Paige was missing barroom gossip and had clearly resorted to manufacturing her own. Normally, Lauren would have laughed it off, but the joke sat wrong. This wasn’t about attraction.
“Drop it,” she said, sharper than she meant to. “Sex is the last thing on my mind.”
Chief among her worries was that Paige had just walked past reception. Carly probably thought Lauren was a dosser who used her clinic for social calls instead of treating clients.
“You can’t stay long,” Lauren added, tidying the pens on her desk for no reason.
“Why not? I thought you could drive me home. Walking into town seemed like a great idea until I remembered I’m carrying a whole extra person.”
“We’re nowhere near town. You’re only here because you’re bored and nosy.”
Paige shrugged. “Can you blame me? You made such a fuss about this woman. I wanted to check her out. Besides, Becky’s working late tonight. I thought I could cook us dinner. Lasagne?”
“I’d be all over that, but Carly agreed to trial my idea. We’re meeting in five minutes to discuss the first shoot.”
“Oh, brilliant. Do you want me to stay? We can talk about filming.”
Lauren glanced at the door. “That’s thoughtful, but maybe not a good idea.”
“Is this because of the leg-over joke?”
“Yes. And because I don’t want to make this a big production.” Lauren leaned against the desk, arms folded to keep herself steady. “This is just a trial. A few short reels to see if we work well together. I appreciate the offer, but if I bring my best friend in, it risks looking amateur.”
Paige clasped her hands together. “Please. I really need something to do. I’m going stir-crazy.”
Lauren caved. “I guess—”
A rhythmic tap-tap echoed from the wood.
Lauren flinched. “Oh, shit.” She straightened her T-shirt, kicked the Tesco bag under the desk, and took a breath before opening the door.
Carly stood there, a leather notebook tucked under her arm. Polished, focused, and entirely out of place in the scruffy corridor. Her gaze flicked past Lauren, settling on Paige.
“Am I interrupting?” Carly asked.
Lauren weighed the situation. Sending Paige away made it look like a social visit. Keeping her here made it look intentional.
“No, of course not.” Lauren stepped aside. “This is Paige. I thought it would be helpful to include her, since she’s offered to film for us.”
It was a gamble.
Paige leaned forward, all charm, and shook Carly’s hand. “Nice to meet you.”
Carly’s smile was professional, but warmer than Lauren expected. “And you. Thanks for stepping in. It’ll be good to have someone who knows what they’re doing. I’m terrible with technology.”
“You’re doing me a favour. I’m trying not to think about childbirth. This helps.”
Carly laughed, the tension easing from her shoulders as she sat. “That’s filming covered, then. What else?”
Lauren perched on the edge of her desk. This was it. The moment to lead.
“I think it’s important that we agree on a theme,” she said, one hand popping up and apparently deciding to gesture along with every word. “Make sure the videos work as a set. Three to five movements people commonly get wrong—squats, deadlifts, that sort of thing. Like I said the other day, we should focus on proper form and practical advice.”
“Makes sense.” Carly jotted something down. “Themed batches work.”
