Sounds like a plan. Have a good day.
I back out of the message and toss my phone onto my desk.
There. Another date on the books. A second date at that. It’s a step in the right direction.
Something about it still doesn’t sit right. It feels wrong even though I know it’s not. I’m not cheating on Max. We were never even dating. At least not anywhere outside of my own head.
It’s silly. Stupid even.
A knock on my door has me looking up.
“Hey Iris, a bunch of us are going to Wetherspoons after work. Do you want to join?” Beatrice asks, referring to one of Britain’s popular pub chains.
Beatrice is nice, she’s the head of accounting at this location.
I think about her offer for a moment. “Tempting, but I think I’m going to have to pass. I think the jet lag is getting to me.”
She looks at me sympathetically. “I don’t know how you travel so much.”
“Me neither,” I joke, making her laugh.
“Well, the offer stands. You know where to find us,” she says before walking away.
Sighing, I look down at my desk and start to second-guess my choice.
Should I go out with them and build those relationships? It would probably be smart if I end up moving here. Then again, I would be working for the competitor. Would they still want to talk to me when I jump ship? Would I need to make new friends?
Groaning, I tip my head back.
God, I don’t even want to think about it.
The phone on my desk rings, reminding me that it’s time to get back to work.
I need to concentrate on the here and now. Not on what might or might not happen.
MAX
As soon as we get off the Tube, Iris links her arm through mine.
“I know where we’re going,” she says with a skip in her step.
“Do you?”
I can’t help but smirk when she bumps her shoulder into mine.
“Of course I do.”
The Parakeet Pub is one of our favorite places. We’ve tried other restaurants for Sunday roast, but there’s something about this one that keeps drawing us back. Honestly, my only complaint about it is the fact that it’s in a busy area.
Then again, everywhere is busy when you’re in a city.
I told her it was a surprise where we were eating, but I knew she would catch on. This place has become so special to us that at this point, I can’t even imagine going anywhere else.
This is our place.
We push our way through the crowd and down the street. When we slip into the restaurant, the noise dies down instantly.
“I’ll go tell them we are here,” Iris says, squeezing my arm.
