“No, I’m fine thanks, I just need a chat.”
“Is everything ok?”
Lilly looked over her shoulder again at Jenny, she jumped when she saw Jenny was directly behind her. Frowning, she stared at Jenny until she backed off and went back to her desk with a scowl. Lilly walked behind Harry and closed the door once they were both in the room. Harry invited her to sit on the sofa and sat opposite. His face was showing concern about what she was about to discuss. Harry’s office had always been a comfort to her, even as a child when she used to come and visit Elizabeth. Old-fashioned seats and wood panelling, it was more of a study than an office.
“I’m leaving the firm Harry. Here is my letter of resignation,” Lilly said and handed over the envelope she took out of her inside pocket.
Harry stood up, took the letter from her and dropped it onto the glass table. He circled round to her side and grabbed her into a second hug.
“Well done sweetheart, I never thought you would have the courage.” He whispered into her shoulder. “I’m so glad you’ve come to this decision. I thought I was going to have to start an intervention.” Harry chuckled as he said the words.
Harry released her, and they both sat down next to each other. Lilly had known Harry since she was a child. He, along with Elizabeth had mentored her throughout her career. Lilly was shocked at his response to her leaving. She thought he would be angry or try to talk her out of it. Lilly hoped her parents were just as understanding. What she didn’t understand was his comment an intervention.
“Why would you have to stage an intervention?”
“I can see that you have become steadily disillusioned with your job here. You’ve done a stellar job, and I have nocomplaints, but you’re not happy. If you hadn’t had come to me in the next month, I would have given you a sabbatical so you could find a new direction for your life. You should be loved and taken care of while you find your new path,” Harry declared.
Harry took her other hand in his and squeezed it lightly. “If your parents give you any hassle over this decision, you send them my way and I’ll put them straight, Lilly. I mean it. I’ve known them a long time but you need to remain focused. I am officially accepting this resignation and am sending you home. You can come back tomorrow and clear your office out. I’ll take over the cases you have. I know you don’t have any cases you’re in the middle of. Now go, get drunk, have some fun,” Harry said.
Lilly was shell-shocked at his reaction, and what he was saying, he knew the hassle she would get from her parents and had pre-empted that they would make her take back her resignation. It had been accepted now, so there was no going back. She had no idea what she would do next but had a bubbling of excitement in her belly. She was going to go straight to Elijah and tell him what she had done. Kissing Harry’s cheek, she stood and spun in a circle and grinned at the thought of a blank page of her future. She never had, in her thirty-two years not had a plan of action. It was scary as hell.
“I’ll see you tomorrow Harry and thank you for being my biggest champion. I’m going to miss working with you,” Lilly said, holding back her sudden wave of emotion.
“You won’t get rid of me that easily, I will be following what you do closely. I can’t wait to see what you do next. Whatever it is, it is going to be great. Now get out of my office,” Harry said and kissed her cheek while pointing to the door.
Grinning, Lilly headed for the door, she opened it wide and looked out to find the sour-faced Jenny scowling at her. Lilly had half a mind to drop her grin and remain stoic as she left, but the rebellious side of her thought better of it. She grinned wider, skipped out of the office and passed Jenny’s desk wishing her a good day.
Jenny frowned as she watched Lilly jauntily walk down the carpeted corridor and immediately messaged her friend in accounts to find out what was going on. Susan, who kept a record of all monies going in and out of the company, also kept a record of its employees’ gossip. She knew everything that went on in the company. Jenny would get Susan to find out soon why Lilly had found her smile again.
She didn’t want Lilly to be happy.
Lilly walked briskly to her office to collect her handbag and left her office to the elevator and out of the building. As she stood at the elevator doors, Lilly tapped her foot waiting patiently for her escape. As she stood there, she heard the clicking of heels coming closer to her.
“Hi Lilly, where are you off to so early in the day, I hope you’re not sick?” Susan asked with concern a mother would use on her child.
“No, not sick, just heading home for the day,” Lilly said.
She didn’t trust Susan, she was the most indiscrete person in the company. She wanted to tell Elijah first and then her parents and brother. Blue’s was her first port of call.
Chapter Five
Elijah fingered the card in his hand, turning it over and over. It was a wedding invitation from Jack and Olivia. He was happy for his brother finding love again with such an incredible person. He thought the world of Olivia and already considered her as his sister. His dilemma was that he had no one to take to the wedding. Ever since he met Olivia and saw the relationship she had with Jack, he wanted the same with Lilly. He had dated many women over the last few years, but they all ended up saying the same thing. He was married to his job. They didn’t want a relationship where he got home at two or three in the morning.
He wanted a relationship with a woman who understood he had a business to run and being present in his business. The customers were part of the deal. If they knew he’d never had a one-night stand, perhaps they would trust him more. Elijah wanted a fulfilling relationship, settle down and have a family.
When Olivia entered his bar, he knew he wanted a woman like her. He had no one to take to the wedding, andhe didn’t relish the thought of going on his own. Being stuck on the top table with his single great aunt was going to be tedious. He needed to find a date.
Sliding the invitation into the inside pocket of his suit jacket, Elijah looked around the bar. He was proud of his success, but it was hard work, putting in long hours and being the perfect host. He loved it most of the time.
Looking towards the door, he watched as Lilly walked in, smiling widely at him. She was early, hours earlier than she usually came in. He had never seen her smile that wide.
Striding down the length of the bar and rounding the corner he stood in front of her matching her grin. Lilly raised her shoulders and grinned wider.
“I did it,” Lilly declared and let out a nervous laugh.
He couldn’t help himself he picked her up in a hug and swung her around in a circle and put her back down. Elijah didn’t know what possessed him, but he cupped both of her cheeks in his hands and planted a chaste kiss on her soft lips. He left them there for a few heartbeats and pulled away.
Elijah watched as her cheeks flushed pink and her eyes sparkled, he felt his lips tingle at her touch and stared at Lilly for a few more seconds. He couldn’t believe he had just kissed her.
