during the tour.
Taken aback, Dominic said, ‘Partner?’
Nicolas tapped his nose. ‘The guys at Peterbizop made me aware of the situation and I’ve already taken steps. Things are a bit rocky with one of the therapists, so I’ve given her notice that she has to relocate her practice .’ He beamed at Miranda. ‘The treatment room right across the hall, the one we looked at, would be yours. What are your therapies? Something that isn’t already offered by the others would be best, of course.’
‘What?’ In her shock, Miranda found her voice.
Nicolas began to repeat himself, but Dominic cut across him. ‘Wait. I had a treatment with a therapist in that room, yesterday – Liza.’
Nicolas, nodding, ‘That’s ri—’
‘And you’ve sacked her?’
‘Well, no.’ Nicolas laughed. ‘I can’t sack somebody that I don’t employ. I’ve just given her notice to relocate her practice .’
‘Why?’ Dominic and Miranda demanded, in unison.
Nicolas’s brow creased uncertainly. ‘I don’t wish to be unsympathetic because Liza has had some difficulties in her personal life. But something happened, yesterday, that gave me the opportunity to give her notice.’ He picked up a copy of the details emblazoned with the red logo of Peterbizop Agency. ‘I have explained, and it does say in here, that all the therapists are self-employed.’ He glanced apologetically at Miranda. ‘The only person I directly employ is young Pippa. Each therapist pays a premium on her rent to cover Pippa’s wages—’
‘Why?’ Dominic repeated.
Nicolas looked up questioningly.
‘Why did you give Liza Reece notice?’
‘Well.’ Nicolas folded his hands. ‘Let’s just say … it was a straw that broke the camel’s back situation.’
‘Did it involve a client?’
Nicolas’s brow lifted, as if grateful for Dominic’s understanding. ‘I’m afraid so, yes.’
Oh crap. Dominic rose, glad to leave the unpleasant vinyl chair. The furniture seemed to have its own sweat glands; no wonder Nicolas looked as if he’d just left a sauna. ‘OK,’ he said. ‘Let’s move on to why you think my cousin is my “partner” and that she wants to come here as a therapist? Or even that she is a therapist?’
‘Cousin? The guy at Peterbizop called her your partner.’ Nicolas blinked.
Dominic turned to Miranda. Eyes wide, she shrugged. ‘When he rang when you were asleep, I did tell him what I’ve told you – that I’d love to train in a couple of years, when Ethan’s at school. I suppose he could have assumed that because we’re living in the same house, we’re in a relationship.’
Nicolas cleared his throat. ‘Peterbizop rang to run through the possibilities. You know, they,’ he cleared his throat again, ‘help you to prepare. To explore scenarios and have answers ready to likely questions. He said it was in the notes he’d been given by his colleague that Miranda wanted into the business, as a therapist,’ he added, with an air of injury. ‘He encouraged me to have a solution ready, because that kind of thing could be a deal breaker.’
Dominic snorted. ‘Sounds as if the staff at Peterbizop make up what they forget to put in their notes. I can’t believe you gave Liza Reece notice on such a bogus pretext.’ He jammed his hands in his pockets and, feeling less need to be careful of Nicolas’s sensitivities, continued, ‘I’m afraid we’re wasting each other’s time. I can’t see that there’s an income to be made, here. I’m sorry.’
Bewildered, Nicolas clambered to his feet. ‘I’ve obviously been fed duff information and if I’ve done the wrong thing about Liza, we could always tell her she can stay—’
‘You have done the wrong thing and you should tell her that she can stay, but it doesn’t make any difference. I’m not able to invest in your business. Coming, Miranda?’
Outside, Dominic breathed in deeply of the fresh air. He checked that Nicolas hadn’t followed them into the
Taken aback, Dominic said, ‘Partner?’
Nicolas tapped his nose. ‘The guys at Peterbizop made me aware of the situation and I’ve already taken steps. Things are a bit rocky with one of the therapists, so I’ve given her notice that she has to relocate her practice .’ He beamed at Miranda. ‘The treatment room right across the hall, the one we looked at, would be yours. What are your therapies? Something that isn’t already offered by the others would be best, of course.’
‘What?’ In her shock, Miranda found her voice.
Nicolas began to repeat himself, but Dominic cut across him. ‘Wait. I had a treatment with a therapist in that room, yesterday – Liza.’
Nicolas, nodding, ‘That’s ri—’
‘And you’ve sacked her?’
‘Well, no.’ Nicolas laughed. ‘I can’t sack somebody that I don’t employ. I’ve just given her notice to relocate her practice .’
‘Why?’ Dominic and Miranda demanded, in unison.
Nicolas’s brow creased uncertainly. ‘I don’t wish to be unsympathetic because Liza has had some difficulties in her personal life. But something happened, yesterday, that gave me the opportunity to give her notice.’ He picked up a copy of the details emblazoned with the red logo of Peterbizop Agency. ‘I have explained, and it does say in here, that all the therapists are self-employed.’ He glanced apologetically at Miranda. ‘The only person I directly employ is young Pippa. Each therapist pays a premium on her rent to cover Pippa’s wages—’
‘Why?’ Dominic repeated.
Nicolas looked up questioningly.
‘Why did you give Liza Reece notice?’
‘Well.’ Nicolas folded his hands. ‘Let’s just say … it was a straw that broke the camel’s back situation.’
‘Did it involve a client?’
Nicolas’s brow lifted, as if grateful for Dominic’s understanding. ‘I’m afraid so, yes.’
Oh crap. Dominic rose, glad to leave the unpleasant vinyl chair. The furniture seemed to have its own sweat glands; no wonder Nicolas looked as if he’d just left a sauna. ‘OK,’ he said. ‘Let’s move on to why you think my cousin is my “partner” and that she wants to come here as a therapist? Or even that she is a therapist?’
‘Cousin? The guy at Peterbizop called her your partner.’ Nicolas blinked.
Dominic turned to Miranda. Eyes wide, she shrugged. ‘When he rang when you were asleep, I did tell him what I’ve told you – that I’d love to train in a couple of years, when Ethan’s at school. I suppose he could have assumed that because we’re living in the same house, we’re in a relationship.’
Nicolas cleared his throat. ‘Peterbizop rang to run through the possibilities. You know, they,’ he cleared his throat again, ‘help you to prepare. To explore scenarios and have answers ready to likely questions. He said it was in the notes he’d been given by his colleague that Miranda wanted into the business, as a therapist,’ he added, with an air of injury. ‘He encouraged me to have a solution ready, because that kind of thing could be a deal breaker.’
Dominic snorted. ‘Sounds as if the staff at Peterbizop make up what they forget to put in their notes. I can’t believe you gave Liza Reece notice on such a bogus pretext.’ He jammed his hands in his pockets and, feeling less need to be careful of Nicolas’s sensitivities, continued, ‘I’m afraid we’re wasting each other’s time. I can’t see that there’s an income to be made, here. I’m sorry.’
Bewildered, Nicolas clambered to his feet. ‘I’ve obviously been fed duff information and if I’ve done the wrong thing about Liza, we could always tell her she can stay—’
‘You have done the wrong thing and you should tell her that she can stay, but it doesn’t make any difference. I’m not able to invest in your business. Coming, Miranda?’
Outside, Dominic breathed in deeply of the fresh air. He checked that Nicolas hadn’t followed them into the
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