‘Your usual, sir?’
Annie blinked across at Theo, surprised by the waiter’s question. Evidently, Theo came here often enough to have a ‘usual’. With a date?
Of coursewith a date. She knew he’d hardly been a monk since they parted ways.
‘Would you like a cocktail?’ Theo asked Annie.
She glanced at the waiter, and nodded. ‘An Aperol, thanks.’
The waiter nodded once then left.
‘You come here often?’
‘It is close to the office.’
She frowned. ‘So you come for…work lunches?’
His smile was tight. ‘Something like that.’
Annie suppressed a sigh. That hardly told her anything. Five years ago, Theo had been reluctant to share anything too personal, but he had at least made conversation. Now it was like getting blood from a stone. But she’d expected that. She just had to warm him up a little.
‘How are things going with the company?’
His frown was reflexive. ‘It’s a mess.’
Her brows shot up. ‘That bad, huh?’
‘I’m still trying to work out if it’s a case of incompetence or—’
‘Or?’ she asked when he broke off mid-sentence.
The waiter returned with a tray and two drinks, placing them down. Both Theo and Annie waited until they were alone again.
‘Or something more serious.’
‘You’re talking embezzlement?’
‘Possibly. Fraud. I’m not sure. I have a team of forensic accountants going through your books now.’
Annie squeezed her eyes shut on a wave of nausea. ‘Oh, God.’
‘You didn’t suspect?’
‘I didn’t know how everything got so bad, so quickly, but my involvement is peripheral at best—I hired someone who came very highly recommended to run the company. By the time I realised we were over-leveraged, it was too late.’
‘What about your father?’ he asked with obvious contempt.
Annie bit into her lip, hating how much Theo despised the older man, even when she understood his reasoning. ‘He hasn’t been the same, since Mum…’
Theo’s eyes rested on Annie’s face a long time, before he glanced towards the view. ‘That was a long time ago.’
‘There’s no statute of limitations on grief, apparently.’
Theo turned back to Annie. ‘And you, Annie?’
‘What about me?’
‘I imagine you were also grieving.’