He answered on the fourth ring.
He got up and walked a few steps towards the window, phone in hand, and when he spoke, his voice was really warm and friendly, which caught me off guard, even though I'd heard him talk like that before. "Hey Richard, great to hear from you," he said with a smile.
I sat by the fire and didn't move, trying very hard not to listen, but I listened anyway.
"We're doing okay, just got stuck at a retreat in the Lake District, the road is flooded, but it's not a big deal. There was a pause, then "No, she's right here with me, and she's fine."
He caught my eye for a moment when he spoke, a quick, instinctive glance that suggested he was always vaguely aware of me, even when his focus was on someone else. It was the kind of look that's hard to notice, but impossib
