Chapter 6
ALEX
Imake my way across the restaurant to where my friends are gathered. Part of me wants to call this evening off, but going home and dwelling on the shitshow my life is about to become is not overly productive.
“Here he is,” Dante says, standing up and slapping me on the back as I move to the free seat next to him. “Bad day at the office, I hear?”
“Fuck off,” I say, although there’s not much sting in my words.
Callie had obviously called David after our conversation, and he had then relayed the whole thing to our group chat.
“The man needs a drink,” Dante says, motioning to our waitress, Trina.
She nods and heads towards the bar.
“So, Callie’s finally leaving you,” Orlando says, his lips twitching.
“Haha,” I say, picking up the glass of Scotch Trina has placed in front of me, enjoying the burn as it hits my throat.
“David not coming? Scared to face you?” Leo asks, waggling his eyebrows.
“Always the comedian,” I say, shaking my head. “I saw him when he came to collect Callie. It’s why I’m late.”
“I take it you have interviews set?” Orlando asks.
“Does everyone know my business? You guys are worse than a bunch of old, gossipy women.”
“Well, it beats listening to Orlando bitch and moan about Kirsten. That poor woman can’t seem to do anything right,” Leo says.
“That’s because the woman is completely incompetent,” Orlando says.
“She cleans your house,” Leo says. “You should be thanking her.”
“Thanking her? The woman doesn’t know one end of a duster from the other.”
“So, fire her?” Dante chips in.
Orlando drops his chin. “I can’t. I promised my mother and hers.”
The others laugh. Orlando’s mother is a force of nature, and Kirsten is the daughter of an old friend.
“How about you, Leo? Have things improved with Sadie?” I ask, earning a grateful look from Orlando.
“Still threatening to leave,” he says. “Not sure if it would be a blessing or a tragedy. Let me know how your interviews go on Monday, and I’ll decide.”
Sadie is Leo’s PA, and they butt heads from time to time. She’s also his ex-sister-in-law.
“Dante, you got anything to add?” I ask.
“Nope, my life is pretty uneventful alongside you clowns,” he says.
It hasn’t always been that way. Like David, he was in a long-term relationship until his girlfriend left him.
“What are you going to do?” Dante asks, turning to me.
“Bet you’re cursing the day you introduced them,” Orlando says.
“That’s one thing I can’t regret,” I say, earning a sarcastic chorus of Awws from the others.
My friends are important to me. All of them, even when they’re being dicks.
I’d do anything for these guys. They’re family.
We met at boarding school in England and had each other’s backs when our families were too far away, or simply didn’t give a shit.
They were there for me during my divorce, picking me up, and helping me through it.
When Callie and David met, he’d been struggling. She pulled him out of a dark place.
It was love at first sight, at least for him. She gave him shit because his reputation preceded him. I smile at the memory.
“What will be, will be,” I say, downplaying my apprehension.
Am I concerned? Hell yes. My logical, strategic mind is floundering, because it can’t predict what’s coming.
I rub my forehead. I need to be patient. Trust the process.
Callie doesn’t put up with any of my shit either. But it works because she’s not constantly trying to change me. She has a way of knowing what I need, even before I do. She runs interference when it’s needed and handles our very important clients-VICs-with class. No one and nothing gets past her.
Double fuck!
When did I become so reliant on one person? When did I relinquish that much control?
In the office, I’m meticulous, disciplined, and industrious. There’s no room for error when you run one of the world’s top luxury brands. It’s true, I like to run a tight ship. But at nearly forty, I’m too old to apologise or change who I am.
Callie leaving could be a disaster. If my system breaks, my world is likely to come crashing down, taking everything, I’ve worked so hard to build with it. The number of plates I’m spinning is ridiculous.
“Let’s get drunk,” Orlando says. “It’s the weekend.”
Dante sticks up his hand and calls over our waitress, ordering another round of drinks.
My phone pings, and I pull it out. Shit, it’s gone nine.
Callie has sent over her shortlist of interviewees for Monday.
I fire off a quick message.
ME:
Thank you, but you should be putting your feet up.
CALLIE:
I am, I promise. David is even giving me a foot massage.
ME:
TMI. I don’t need to know my best friend’s kinks.
CALLIE:
Transparency. Letting you know he knows what I’m up to.
Any questions on the list, let me know.
I’ve freed up your schedule for Monday morning. And Alex, I refuse to leave until we find the right replacement.
No pressure! Sadly, that’s never going to happen, but I don’t tell her that.
ME:
Thank you. Now rest! I’ll take a look and see you on Monday.
I stand up, throwing some money on the table.
“Calling it a night already?” Dante asks.
“I need to go. Callie just sent over the list of applicants for me to check. I have interviews to prepare for.”
“Probably best done without a hangover,” Leo says. “Enjoy, and remember, they’re only human,” he adds, making me grimace.
“I’m not that bad,” I say, causing my best friends to slap the table and laugh.
“Keep telling yourself that when you’re growling at them on Monday morning,” Dante says.
“I’m not sure why I expected any sympathy from you.”
“Oh, you have our sympathy,” Orlando says, chuckling. “Actually, scrub that. The poor individuals you’ll be interviewing have it. Want to meet for drinks on Monday evening? Drown your sorrows?”
“He may need it,” Dante says. “Keep your calendars free, gents.”
I roll my eyes.
“Good luck,” they chime after me. “Don’t work too late.”
I throw a hand in the air in acknowledgement, their laughter following me to the door.
Maybe they’re right. Am I looking at this all wrong? Do I need to lower my expectations? Maybe it’s about finding the right fit. Can Callie help me with that?
I hail a cab, wanting to get home as quickly as possible. Settling into the backseat, I pull up one of the CVs from Callie’s list. I groan almost immediately, knowing Monday is going to be a nightmare.
ME:
Can you interview the candidates first? See who you feel has potential?
CALLIE:
Thought you’d never ask.
Stop worrying, we’ve got this. By the time I’ve handed over, you won’t even know I’ve gone.
Somehow, I find that almost impossible to believe.