Lately there had been those moments when she’d started to wonder the same. Was that only the power of suggestion, because her family had placed these niggling doubts inside? Or was it because she was finally starting to see what everyone else had noticed and commented on for years?
The discontent from before rose again. She liked Jordan—okay, loved him, butonlyas a brother. It would be one hundred percent weird to think of him in any other way. He was already too far entwined in her life, in her home life, her thoughts, her work …
Clarity rose. There was one way she could finally do something about that and put some distance between this weirdness that was developing between them. She didn’t want to lose her friend, but he was making things weird, and even though this seemed drastic, it was what he’d advised many times.
“Actually, come to think of it, I do have an announcement,” EJ said.
“You do?” Katie clapped her hands. “Has Jordan finally asked you out?” Katie’s eyes might as well be heart shaped.
“No! Don’t be so ridiculous,” she said firmly, even as a tug within wondered if that would be so ridiculous, after all. She blinked. Nowthatthought truly was ridiculous, and the fact her sister’s romance-riddled brain was starting to affect her meant it was high time to put an end to this unnecessary speculation.
EJ straightened, resuming the sharp-eyed poise that intimidated Lionel and made colleagues like Dallas flinch. “My announcement has nothing to do with Jordan.” Although a tiny part of her protested, as technically that was a lie since heworked with her and had encouraged her to take this step many times.
She shook her head. He really needed to be shaken out of it. “Actually, work hasn’t been so great lately, so I feel like I should let you all know”—here went nothing, then—“I’ve decided to quit my job.”
There. The words were out and could never be stuffed back in.
Her mother’s eyes widened to the size of the saucers she used at the family café. “Tell me you are joking, Emma-Jane.”
“Sorry, Mum. Can’t.”
“But … but you can’t just quit!”
“I’m handing in my resignation as soon as the latest round of staff bonuses come through.”
“When is that?” Elinor asked.
“They’ve said it should be by the end of this week.”In Jesus’ name.
“But … but what are you going to do?” Mum asked anxiously.
Great question. With an even better answer. “You know I’ve been working on Dream Match, and it’s finally at a position where I can really monetise it.” She explained about some of the you-beaut new functions and in-app features she’d been working on. Jordan had been encouraging, agreeing that these features would level up the app and draw in a new realm of clients who could afford to pay. “And I think it’s now at a point where I really need to add these features, which takes a lot of work I just can’t manage if I’m still at Donwell.”
“But you’ll lose all your employee benefits,” Mum protested.
Hmm. How to tell her mother that if the app developed the way EJ hoped, then she could well and truly afford all the kinds of employee perks Donwell offered and more. Much, much more. Especially if, as she hoped, she could finally get some more investors and one day take Dream Match to list on the stock exchange, something guaranteed to make her very,very rich. She gulped. Certainly huge dreams for a girl from Wattle Vale. Huge dreams for a girl who’d worn an op-shop find to a party as a teen, only to be laughed at by Alissa, her schoolmate and the party’s host, because she’d recognised the dress as one she used to own. In that moment of excruciating embarrassment, which she’d never told a soul, she’d determined never to be treated as a second-class person again. And now, with the way things were tracking for Dream Match, she might finally be able to lay those demons to rest once and for all.
She lifted her chin. “I think I’ll be fine, Mum.” Despite the number of times EJ had tried to explain, Mum had never really understood the scale of Dream Match, often dismissing it as a hobby. Therefore, telling her mother just how much she was potentially worth was probably not worthwhile right now. Nor wise, either, as she shouldn’t count unhatched chickens. “But I’d appreciate your prayers, because there is a lot to deal with right now.”
“Of course we’re praying for you,” Liv said, as Elinor nodded.
“Thanks,” she muttered. Mum still looked aghast. She might’ve risked all she’d known moving out to Australia to follow her heart, but heaven forbid that EJ follow hers.
“We’ll pray for Jordan too. He won’t like you moving on,” Katie said.
Irritation rose. Why did her decision have to affect him? “Actually, he’s the one who has encouraged me to leave.”
“What? I thought …”
Her sister’s stunned look was almost enough to make her smile. Almost.
“So, like I said, this is a big step for me and for the business, so I’d appreciate your support.”
“Of course!” Liv said. “That’s so exciting for you.”
That was more like it. Almost as exciting—and daunting—as the day she and Jordan had launched the privately held company of Woodhouse-Knightley five years ago.
Elinor nodded. “You won’t be moving from Aunty Marion’s flat, will you?”
