Chapter 9

After wolfing down the rest of his sandwich, Jameson stood, tucked his binder under his arm, and tossed out his garbage. Then he headed for the line so he could retrieve that dessert and hopefully use it as a peace offering. He took several deep breaths, centered himself as they’d been taught, and then crossed the floor and wove around tables until he got to Avery’s.

Avery didn’t look up. Jameson waited for a moment, hoping the man would acknowledge his presence. But after a few beats, he realized Avery was lost in thought and probably didn’t even know Jameson was standing there like an eager puppy.

He set the dessert down gently. Avery’s whole body gave a tiny jerk as the interruption intruded on his musings. He looked up, and Jameson gave a small smile.

“Please. Allow me to make amends. I was thoughtless and…” He tried to think of what else to say and finally settled on “I’m sorry.”