The Holly Man

The Project

Sitting in his office which was bathed in the late spring sunshine, Will watched with interest as she stood with Richard and Jon holding her pad across her chest. A smile broke out and spread across her features at something that was said, and he narrowed his eyes. He'd noticed her hair had grown longer, but now had lighter tones and was shaped around her face. What hadn't come into clear view until now was how she'd emerged from her original winter wardrobe of ill fitting, unflattering oversized clothes and was now wearing a skirt, which even though it fell modestly to her calves accentuated her small waist and clung to her soft curves. He smiled inadvertently and lost in thought didn't see the group arriving at his office door until Raj joined them with his usual ebullient greetings. Beckoning them in he came to join them around the table and the meeting got underway.

Richard laid out the background to the client and passed over to Raj to run through the plan they needed to agree. As usual his confidence left little room for challenge, but Will watched with curiosity as Amy's eyebrows moved closer together and her head tipped to one side. When Raj had finished, she inhaled, "The majority of their revenue is in their top two products, so is it worth spending so much time looking at the processes on the other stuff?" The confident grin faded for a fleeting moment before Raj recovered himself, but Will had seen it and he noticed how his lips pulled into a tight straight line.

"Yeah Amy," Raj said, "Planning the client work isn't your thing. We gotta cover the whole business, not just cherry pick. How about you stick to the documentation yeah." Will sat forward just as Richard went to speak.

"Actually," Will said, "I'd like to hear what Amy has to say." Raj dropped his pen,

"Yeah, yeah, sure" he said bending to retrieve it. Will nodded to Amy, noting the flush that had appeared on her cheeks,

"I'm just thinking back to the pitch we did to get this job. The client said they chose us because he thinks we can deliver some value add." she paused trying to steady the wobble in her voice, "Even if we find improvements in the processes for the smaller products it won't make much difference because the revenue is so small. But if we focus work on the two main product areas, we should be able to really move the dial for them." Richard raised an eyebrow at his boss who gave a rare smile as Raj tried to salvage the situation by agreeing violently. They moved on to Amy's data analysis plan which she presented after Liz outlined the purpose and methodology.

When the meeting concluded, Raj bolted, Richard lingered and Will placed a hand on Amy shoulder before she could reach the door, "That was excellent work. Thank you." He felt a glow of satisfaction to receive a smile in response and she left.

"Oh dear," Richard chuckled, "Raj won't be happy."

"It's about time someone gave him a run for his money." Will retorted. "He's good but not as good as he thinks he is." He moved back to the meeting table and took a seat, "Amy has the opposite problem." Richard sank onto the chair opposite his boss,

"Yeah, she surprised me today. That was real commercial insight, and she's spot on about how we should position it to the Aerotech guys." Will nodded and glanced through the glass doors to where the others had taken their seats,

"Swap them around Richard. It's time Raj got some back office under his belt and Amy's ready for some client exposure."

"Raj'll see his backside," Richard groaned.

"I'm sure he will" Will grinned, "but you can handle him, and it'll do him good." Richard rolled his eyes and changed tack as he got up,

"Are you coming to Mike's leaving do tonight?" It was Will's turn to moan,

"I suppose so. I'll come for one and put some cash behind the bar."

When he was alone again Will turned to his screen, but his mind was elsewhere. Whilst a trip to the pub with his staff wasn't the retreat to the tranquillity and peace of his home he craved, he was tired, and he knew he needed to feed. A trip out in the bustle of a Friday night would likely provide an easy opportunity to replenish himself.

                               ***

Amy took the glass and sat down between Fern and Jon. She was surprised to see Will since he'd never been to work drinks in all the months she'd worked at the firm. Raj had plonked himself next to Will and Richard and was monopolising the conversation at that end of the table. Jon was entertaining Amy with stories of Mike's best angry IT man moments, but she periodically stole a look to the other side of the group, getting a small burst of satisfaction when she caught Will watching them. He was drinking from a bottle, and having dispensed with his jacket his powerful arms were on balanced on the table.

Amy got up to visit the bathroom and when she was making her way back to the table she stopped dead in surprise. "Mark!" she said, "Hi, what are you doing here?" Her former boyfriend leaned forward to kiss her,

"Hello Ames," he laughed, "I'm out with Neil and Jason. What the hell are you doing here?"

"I moved here for work. We're having leaving drinks." As she turned to indicate her colleagues, she saw both Jon and Will watching her with interest. When she turned back Mark had given the table nothing more than a cursory glance but was looking her up and down,

"Jesus Ames. What's with the new look?" he laughed again, "You might want to tone it down, not everyone can carry off the sexy secretary look." Amy felt the once familiar stab of criticism diminishing her almost physically.

"I should get back to the guys" Mark said. Amy looked around him and spotted his friends clearly watching the interaction. She raised a hand in greeting and nodded,

"Yes, of course. See you soon."

When she re-took her seat, Jon frowned having heard the comment about her appearance. "You okay? Who was that?" She shook her head,

"It's my ex-boyfriend." Fern grabbed another drink,

"Oooo, spill!"

"He dumped me a few months before I started here. No much more to say really, but I never in a million years thought I'd bump into him here. I mean he lives back in Evesham."

"Ummm," Fern mused, "Looks like he might be regretting the dumping."

"Doubt it." Amy shook her head, grateful to see Richard approaching putting an end to the conversation. "Are you off?" she said.

"Yeah," Richard nodded, "Duty calls, Jenny's on her own with the kiddies and I've promised her takeaway. Have a good weekend." Shortly afterwards Will got up to leave having extracted himself from Raj and a group of the IT staff, and shaking hands with newly retired Mike. He paused briefly at Amy's end of the table.

"Have a good night and I'll see you all on Monday." They all responded with good nights, and he paused before adding, "Are you all okay for getting home?" Fern pointed at Jon,

"I'm getting the train with him." Seeing Will look at her Amy added quickly,

"I'm going soon, I've got an early start in the morning. It's only a few minutes' walk, and it's not late." Will nodded and left.

***

Will left the pub, into the bustle of a busy Friday evening. The weather was warm, and it was still light. He turned off into one of the side streets thinking about the stocky man with the thickset neck who'd approached Amy. Thanks to his acutely sharp hearing, he'd caught every word of their exchange, and his hands clenched into fists as he recalled the way she seemed to shrink in response to his words. He spotted the two women, arm in arm, clearly worse for drink. They veered off into a back alleyway that provided a shortcut to the station, and Will followed them, looking up in satisfaction to see no visible cameras attached to any of the buildings. He quickened his pace to catch them up and cleared his voice, "Evening ladies," he said, "you couldn't show me the way to the station, could you?" The women turned, and the one in an ill-fitting dress giggled,

"What's it worth?" Will grinned and walked close enough to lock eyes, lifting her chin while her companion staggered on her heels without support from her friend. He pushed her against the wall and allowed his teeth to come down as he pierced her neck, quickly drinking. Feeling her bulky form slump slightly in his arms, he drew back, licking the blood to stop it trickling. He regained eye contact and said calmly and quietly, "You will go home and rest. You had a good night, which has left you tired. You did not meet anyone on the way home." As the nourishment coursed through his whole body, he moved swiftly to deal with the sidekick, although her level of intoxication made him wonder if it was even required. Leaving with inhuman speed into the shadows, he watched them stagger off in their original direction. They were obliviously shrieking with laughter about events earlier in the evening, and satisfied he headed off back the way he came.