“Some day we shall return, to this place upon the meadow,” Eliza sang softly to herself as she walked to Grace and Teddy’s apartment, coffee carrier in hand. The lyrics to ‘A Lover’s Concerto’ continued to fall from her lips - a personal favourite of her father’s, who’d sung it sweetly and off-key at her mother’s hospital bedside. These days, it was encouraging for Eliza to listen to when a long work day stretched out in front of her. Winter was steadily approaching which meant the holiday shows would be in full swing, and Grace’s six daily coffees would soon be upped to a minimum of eight, which had the knock-on effect of making sure Eliza never slept in past five.
As she climbed the stairs to the walk-up where her boss lived, she balanced the coffee carrier in one hand while the other delved into her tote bag to fish out the key Teddy had made for her. She’d never had a key to an Olympian’s place before - but there was a first for everything!
Unlocking the door, she nearly got tangled up in her earphones, still stubbornly not wireless. Much to the abject horror of Grace’s receptionist, Tanvi, she might add.
Just as she went to set everything down in the kitchen - coffee, a pastry and the files Grace had requested she bring from the office, Teddy walked out of his bedroom dressed in his lifeguard gear.
“Hey, Eliza!” He greeted her as he headed for the door. Just as he went to close it behind him, he ducked his head back in and dropped his voice conspiratorially.
“The new boyfriend stayed over last night. And let me just say, wow.” He nodded exaggeratedly with bug-eyed approval and Eliza giggled, sending him off with a wiggle of her fingers.
Eliza had yet to meet Grace’s boyfriend, and could only wonder how different he was from Declan, who Eliza had always secretly liked. She’d been quietly sad for Grace when she announced their divorce, but knew the other woman certainly didn’t want her pity.
Turning back to the counter and resuming her soft humming, she was tugging Grace’s coffee cup out of the carrier when she heard someone clearing their throat behind her. It sounded far too deep to be Grace, which meant that now was the time to meet this elusive man her boss was dating.
Whirling around quickly, she laid eyes on the potential future Mr Grace Eckstein and the coffee cup slipped from her hand. Its contents splattered across the kitchen tiles as well as her white Keds, all while she stood staring at the man who’d just walked out of her employer’s bedroom.
“Morgan…”
