Phoenix guided me away from the others and as we put enough distance between us and them I heard Charlie asking Lyra if she wanted to go halves on a meatball sub. I shook my head, smiling to myself. Charlie had an extraordinary ability to cut through tension without even trying, just by being exactly who he was. He made the weight of things smaller without diminishing what they were, and right now that felt like one of the most valuable things anyone could do.
We made our way to the kitchen and Phoenix collected the food from the chef with a word of thanks. Two covered bowls sat on a tray and he lifted it with one hand, the other settling at my back as he steered us out of the kitchen. He led me to his office, pushed the door open and gestured me inside with a nod of his head. I went in curious and settled onto the sofa and he placed the tray on the coffee table in front of me.
"Why are we eating in here?" I asked.
