“Look,” Alex said. “This is what we have to talk about. This tension between us and the hostility it’s generating. It’s affecting our work. At this rate the talks will take six months, not one. s**t, it’s too warm in here.” He slipped off his jacket and stood up to drape it over the back of a chair. He did look warm, his skin shining and sweat patches on his shirt.
“Yeah, pretty hot,” Sean said. He rubbed the back of his neck, felt the hair there was damp. “So what do you want to do about it?”
“I don’t think there’s much we can do about it,” Alex said. “We feel the way we feel. We just have to keep it under control and act like grown men. Like professionals.” He looked down at Sean. “Do you think you can control it?”
“Do you?” Sean scowled and stood up. “And are you assuming I’m less li
