Best of Bosses 2008(146)

She told him briefly about Tarra-Binya and even more briefly about Chloe. She said, ‘I know you like football. What’s your favourite?’

At first he looked upset and Sally wondered if she’d broken an unspoken rule. Were they really supposed to pretend that the interlude in the park had never happened?

After a bit, he said simply, ‘I really like Rugby League.’ And then, ‘What about you? What sports do you play?’

‘I’ve given most of them a go,’ she told him. ‘But I guess I was best at tennis and horse riding.’ She watched him thoughtfully. ‘So you were good at school, good at sport and you’re successful in your career. Is there anything you’re not good at?’

He laughed and had the grace to look embarrassed. ‘Oh, yes. I’m absolutely hopeless at dancing.’

‘Really?’ Sally gasped—not because Logan’s answer was so surprising, but because her heart began to race and a wave of fear rose through her as she remembered that horrifying night at the country dance. She saw again Kyle Francis’s handsome face, his beguiling smile as he’d coaxed her outside.

It’s OK. I can do this. She was not going to panic simply because a man mentioned the word dancing.

Logan was looking puzzled and he sounded defensive. ‘Most guys are hopeless at dancing, aren’t they?’

OK…she could either dissolve into a nervous heap or she could rise above this moment. Knowing she’d rather not dissolve, Sally held her head high. ‘Where I come from, everyone goes to bush dances and Outback balls. My big brothers taught me how to dance. The waltz, the samba, the foxtrot. I love to dance!’

Wow, she’d said it. On a wave of euphoria, she added gleefully, ‘Dancing’s not that hard.’

‘I don’t believe you.’

‘Even I could teach someone like you.’

Oh, cringe. Now she was getting carried away. In the awkward pause that followed, she half-expected the boss to retaliate by asking her what she was bad at, but he was obviously too polite.

‘Here’s an everyday, non-invasive question,’ she said, hurrying, before the silence became too much. ‘What kind of music do you like?’

She was surprised by the evident pleasure in his face. ‘That’s easy. I like all sorts of music. My grandmother was a classical pianist and I guess I’ve inherited her love of music but, unfortunately, none of her talent.’

This was a layer to the boss Sally hadn’t anticipated, but at least they’d stopped talking about dancing.

‘I don’t know much at all about classical music,’ she admitted. ‘Chloe used to take me to concerts though, and since I’ve been living in her house I’ve been listening to her CDs. They’re mostly classical or jazz and some of them are just gorgeous.’

‘Is there any one piece you particularly like?’

‘Well…’ She paused. She’d never had a serious discussion about music and she felt a tad pretentious. ‘I’ve discovered an amazing violin concerto. It’s kind of uplifting and sad and joyful all at once.’

‘Which composer?’ Logan was suddenly alert, leaning forward, his dark eyes keenly focused on her.

‘Brahms.’

‘Ah, yes,’ he said softly, almost reverently, and, for no reason that she could explain, fine hairs lifted on Sally’s arms. ‘The Brahms violin concerto is one of my favourites too.’

‘The music’s so powerful,’ she said. ‘And there’s a passage towards the end of the first movement.’

‘Where the music suddenly slows down?’

‘Yes, it’s so beautiful. There’s such a depth of feeling.’

Logan nodded. ‘You have to stop everything and just listen.’

‘And it touches you deep inside in a way that’s impossible to put into words.’

Her boss was looking at her now with an expression of such intense fascination that Sally, without warning, felt as if she wanted to cry.

‘Goodness,’ she said, blinking quickly and trying to make light of the moment. ‘We almost got deep and meaningful there. And you said that’s against the rules.’

He smiled slowly, almost sadly.

‘We’d better think of another question,’ she said. ‘What about travel?’

For a moment, Sally had the distinct impression that he would have preferred to continue talking about music, but then, with a little shrug, he asked, ‘Have you travelled?’

‘Not outside Australia. But I’m very keen to go overseas.’

Logan had relaxed again, sitting with an elbow hooked over the back of his chair. ‘If you only had the opportunity to travel to one place overseas, where would it be?’