Chapter 13
Chapter
Thirteen
TIA
I walk back to my tiny office like I’m floating on air. If it wasn’t for the fact that I just know someone would appear from somewhere and catch me, I would be doing a happy dance right about now. As it is, I can’t keep the smile off my face as I squeeze around my desk and tell myself I won’t have to do that anymore after today. I can’t believe Luke is giving me this chance. I know I asked him to consider something more challenging, but even in my wildest dreams, where I thought he might agree to it, I didn’t think he would give me an opportunity like this. I am so excited, and I almost wish it was Monday now. It’s strange to think that I will be wishing the weekend away so I can get back to work rather than it being the other way around.
I take my cell phone out of my pocket and send both Louisa and Justin text messages with my news. Louisa texts back instantly. She sends a heart emoji and says congratulations, but then she also says that she has to go out of state this weekend, because her and her new boyfriend have a trip planned already, but that we’ll do something to celebrate when she’s back. I reply telling her to have a good time, even though I am secretly a bit gutted that I won’t be able to celebrate with her over the weekend.
Justin’s reply comes in just as I’m about to put my cell phone back away. He too congratulates me, and he invites me for drinks tonight to celebrate. I hesitate for a moment before I reply to him. I want to say yes, but I keep thinking about what Louisa said about him wanting to get back with me. I don’t think it’s true though and I ignore her warning voice in my head and text Justin back saying I’d love to. I tell him to meet me at Ray’s, a bar not far from my apartment, at seven. That will give me time to finish work, get home, eat and change. His reply comes in quickly and it’s simply a thumbs up emoji.
I put my cell phone back away and concentrate on getting the last of the filing and typing done. I don’t want to make Luke regret his choice before Monday even comes around by starting to slack off now.
I finished work pretty much on time and went home. I put a pizza in the oven and while it was cooking, I jumped in the shower and washed and dried my hair. I paused in my getting ready routine to eat, and then put some fresh makeup on and got dressed in a pink body con dress that sits just above my knee along with silver heels, purse and jewelery. I walked to the bar and made it in plenty of time although Justin was still there before me. He stood up when he saw me coming and after greeting me, he went to the bar without asking what I wanted and came back with an expensive bottle of champagne in an ice bucket and two flutes. I objected to the amount he must have spent on the bottle, but he insisted he wanted to treat me because I deserved it, and I didn’t want to make a scene, so I accepted the drink graciously.
That bottle is gone now and we’re onto our second one. I’m more than a little bit tipsy, but I’m far from being really drunk. I’m at that nice level of almost drunk where I feel all warm and cosy inside. Justin has just finished telling me about how he is almost finished renovating a house he bought here on the cheap and how he is debating between staying living there or selling it, at a profit and doing the same thing on another house.
“I’ve just realized something,” Justin says, reaching for the champagne bottle and topping both of our glasses up. “I asked you out tonight to celebrate your good news and all I’ve done is go on and on about the house.”
“It’s ok,” I said. “I asked you about it.”
“And now I’m asking you about your news. Tell me all about your job,” he says.
“Well so far, I haven’t really done anything worth reporting. This first week has been about me proving that I am not work shy or spoiled, and now I think I’ve done that, and that’s why I’m getting a chance to join the web development team on Monday,” I say.
“That’s perfect for you,” Justin says, and I nod.
“I know. I can’t wait to get started,” I tell him.
“I get that as an intern you might have to start at the bottom, but did your boss seriously tell you he wanted to make sure you weren’t work shy and spoiled? That seems a bit rude and rather presumptuous don’t you think?” Justin says.
“He didn’t actually say that. I said that’s what I figured he was doing, and he agreed. I don’t think he would have said anything if I hadn’t said it first. And honestly, I don’t think he does that to every intern. I think it’s just because of what my dad said to him,” I say.
Justin frowns for a moment and looks at me.
“What?” I say.
“You’re in touch with your dad?” he asks. “Why didn’t you tell me that sooner?”
I shake my head.
“No. Of course I’m not in touch with my dad. If I was, I would have told you sooner, but I’m most definitely not. What even made you think that?” I say, confused.
“You just said you thought your boss was treating you worse than other interns because of what your dad said to him,” Justin points out.
Did I say that? No, I wouldn’t have done. But why the hell would he make that up? I realize what I’ve done, and I giggle. I think the champagne has gone to my head a little bit more than I first thought.
“I meant Louisa’s dad,” I say.
“Why would Louisa’s dad say those things about you?” Justin says. “I assume you asked him for a reference. And he did that to you?”
“No, nothing like that,” I say.
“Then what is it like?” Justin asks.
I know I’ve said too much, but I also feel like I have to explain it all now or have Justin think I’ve gone a bit mental. It won’t hurt anything. It’s not like he knows Luke or Enrique or works in the same field or anything. And besides, he is my friend. Even if he did know them, he wouldn’t get me into trouble with with them.
“You can’t tell anyone I’ve told you this,” I say. “Promise.”
“Scout’s honor,” Justin says, doing a salute.
“Where you even in the scouts?” I say.
“Well, no, but you get the sentiment. I promise I won’t say anything to anyone about what you’re going to tell me,” he says.
That will have to do.
“So, Louisa’s dad is on the board of directors at the company I am interning at. He got the internship for Louisa because she needs so much experience as a condition of a job offer she has. She didn’t want to do the internship, and I was desperate for a job in my field. This is a paid internship, and they are so rare you wouldn’t believe it. So, we decided I would do the internship. We will make a copy of the reference, and both use it. I get paid and Louisa gets her dad off her case, and we all win,” I say. “So, yeah, I just have to pretend I’m Louisa. When her dad told Luke I’m lazy and spoiled he thought he was talking about Louisa.”
Justin is quiet for a moment and then he shakes his head.
“That bloody girl will get you shot one of these days and you’ll just blindly follow her to the end of the gun barrel,” he says.
It’s not the reaction I’m expecting at all. I thought he might be a bit shocked, but honestly, I thought he would laugh.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I say.
“Oh, come on Tia. Don’t tell me you don’t see that she’s using you,” he says. “You do the work, and she gets a reference.”
“True. But I also get a reference, and I would never have gotten an opportunity like this without Louisa. It was getting to the point where I was considering taking on a full time unpaid internship and then waiting on tables or tending bar on an evening and weekend just to make my rent. Louisa saved me from that fate, and I am grateful to her for that, whether you like her or not,” I say.
“Ok, I’m sorry,” Justin says, holding his hands up in mock surrender. “I didn’t know it had gotten that bad for you. And I don’t not like Louisa. I just think she has too much influence over you.”
“Why? Because she presented an idea that I agreed to because it benefited me too?” I say.
“Not just that. You moved to Chicago because she wanted you to,” he points out.
“I moved to Chicago because the thought of staying alone in New York was killing me, and when I finally confessed how I felt to Louisa, she told me to come here so I would never have to be alone,” I say.
“Ok. Again, I didn’t know that” Justin says. “But there’s still the major thing.” He looks down into his lap for a moment. “She is still the one who split us up.” He looks up again and I shake my head gently.
“Don’t do this,” I say.
“I’m not doing anything. I’m not saying the breakup wasn’t for the best, because we both know it was. I’m just saying that Louisa kind of pushed you into ending things before you and I really saw the truth,” he says.
“She didn’t push me. She just voiced an opinion that she didn’t think we were good together and that I no longer seemed happy. She was right on both counts, but it took someone from the outside looking in to see it clearly like that,” I say.
“Ok, you win. Louisa is a great friend and I’m just bitter,” Justin says. I start to speak but he laughs. “No really. She is obviously a good friend to you. But just promise me you won’t do anything you don’t want to do just because she asks it of you.”
“She wouldn’t do that,” I say.
“So, there’s no reason you can’t promise me then,” he says and logically, I can’t argue with that one and so I find myself nodding my head.
“I promise,” I say.
“Good enough for me,” Justin says. He stands up. “Let me go and get us some shots. It’s not a celebration without a tequila shot or two, is it?”
I laugh and shake my head. I would normally say no to a shot when I’m already feeling quite drunk, but after the conversation about Louisa, it’s nice to be back laughing and joking and I don’t want to say no and start another awkward moment between us.
While it’s annoyed me a bit that Justin can’t see the good in Louisa and what a good friend she has been to me, I must admit I also think it’s kind of sweet that Justin has my back like that and tries to look out for me if he thinks someone is using me. He really is a good friend to me too, just in a different way. Still though, I look at him now and I really can’t see what I found attractive about him before.
Don’t get me wrong, he’s far from ugly or anything like that. He’s tall and he has a nice physique and a tan. He has jet black hair which he wears longish, gelled back off his face. He is always dressed in the latest fashion, most often designers I could only dream of wearing, and I think maybe that’s the problem. He’s kind of showy and that’s really not me. I also think now that he’s a bit too pretty for my tastes. That’s the difference between him and Luke. Justin is pretty in an almost feminine way, but Luke is handsome in like a rugged, manly way.
I tell myself to stop thinking about Luke. Nothing can ever happen and now I won’t even be working directly beneath him so I will likely not even see him around much, and I can let my crush on him go. It feels like more than a crush though. When I think of myself not seeing him around much, it feels like there’s a hole in me that only he can fill. I tell myself I’m being melodramatic, that I’m only thinking this way because I have been drinking, but I really don’t believe that’s the case for a second.