Because it was not, in fact, Clara who could not find her booking; it was Patrick who had not looked properly, who had decided within seconds of seeing her that she was not worth the effort, and who now compounded that laziness with the refusal to let anyone more competent intervene.

He was not merely failing to help her.

He was actively barring the path to the person who could, guarding his own contempt against correction, so certain of his read on this shabby, tired woman that he would not even risk his manager’s time to be sure.

It was the arrogance of a man who has never once been made to pay for misjudging someone.

He was about to be made to pay for it.