“You’re going to get a lot out of working for his charity.”
“I feel the same way. I’m going to have to learn the basics of hockey, but I’m looking forward to the challenge.”
“Look at you, hockey girlie.”
“If it weren’t for this job, my education about hockey would remain wedged between the pages of a smutty hockey romance, but now, I get to expand my horizons.”
“So, after a busy week, you get to chill tomorrow.”
I shake my head. “I want to capture the highlights of Saturday brunch. At the burger joints, it’s business as usual, but Number 22 offers weekend brunch menus people line up for hours to devour. And parents come in with their kids for cones and pints at the ice cream shop. The store goes all out to keep tiny humans entertained.”
“Sounds like you have no intention of slowing down for the weekend.”
“I don’t want to let Kaz down”
“That’ll never happen. You’re a hard worker and you see every project through.”
“Thanks for saying that.”
“We’ve been best friends for a while. I know your work ethic. Where is this insecurity coming from?” Concern etches her features.
I’ve lost a lot of confidence in myself. In my abilities. In the decisions I make.“I’m proud of what I accomplished for my floral business. But this is next level. It’s one thing doing social media for your own company, it’s another when you’re carrying the responsibility of four successful brands on your shoulders.”
She brings the phone close to her face. “You got this, bitch.”
I laugh. “If that’s your idea of a pep talk, personal coaching isn’t for you. You better keep your day job.”
“Made you laugh. My work here is done.” She does a mic drop gesture with her hand.
I miss this. Us hanging out and being silly.
I miss so many things about my old life.
Ciara puckers her lips, mirth glinting from her light brown eyes.
“What is it?”
“How’s thebitchy colleague? Did she finally get that personality transplant?”
Theoverdramatization and mockery in her voice catches me off guard.
I laugh. “That’s hilarious.”
“When you sent me those texts about how rude that office barracuda was on your first day, I wanted to hop on my husband’s private jet and come bitch slap her. How dare she talk to my bestie that way? She’s lucky I’m too pregnant to fly.”
God, I love this woman.
“I still can’t get over that sordid phone business on Wednesday,” Ciara says.
“Same.” I roll my eyes. “I leave my office to go to the kitchen for a coffee, spend a few minutes chatting with coworkers, and when I return to my office, both phones are gone. Disappeared into thin air. There’s only one person who would be responsible for stooping that low. Kaz gave Cressida the green light to overnight two phones. Then out of the blue, I find my phones swimming at the bottom of a toilet bowl.”
Ciara shakes her head. “She needs to get over herself. It’s an office. As for her unrequited obsession with Kaz, the Roy Kent of hockey is fake dating my bestie. Eat your heart out, barracuda.”
Fake dating.
That’s my status relationship.
How I long to remove the word fake from that equation.
