May Again
Subject: RE: Explain yourselves
Okay, I have gone through everything you’ve sent me, and I think we’re back on track. Thank you for being patient and please do not let things slip through the gaps like this again.
You all have individual schedules. Stick to them. If you can’t, communicate that. I will keep the company schedule updated and will adjust when needed.
Justin, that means you too. No more casual Fridays. Get your arse in gear and work.
2 May | From: Justin Carter | To: Darrell, Brian, Jesy
Subject: RE: Explain yourselves
I don’t know what an arse is, but if you mean get my ass into gear, I’m afraid I have to insist on casual Fridays. It gets my creative juices flowing.
2 May | From: Jesy Mason | To: Darrell, Brian, Justin
Subject: RE: Explain yourselves
I think you’ve misunderstood what casual Fridays mean.
Lemme break it down for you.
If you come to the office wearing jeans and a t-shirt rather than a shirt and tie, you’re partaking in casual Fridays.
If you skip work to ‘method research productivity’ or ‘rent a go-kart to see if it’s faster than walking’, that’s not casual Fridays. That is just not coming to work.
You will clock in on Friday, and you will do the tasks I’ve assigned. After that you can do whatever your heart desires. Just don’t mess with the system.
2 May | From: Justin Carter | To: Darrell, Brian, Jesy
Subject: RE: Explain yourselves
Man, the new girl is bossy.
I like her.
Jesy
I sit back in my chair and feel a rush of warmth spread through my body at Justin’s compliment.
I have busted my backside the past three days, trying to whip the chaos they sent me into place. The system was a mess when I started with files everywhere and absolutely no structure.
The guys thought they were working together towards the same goal, but the reality was three separate projects and no clear outline for any of them.
Honestly, I haven’t understood half of what I’ve read. It’s all Unity engine this and debugging that. Sometimes they just update the logs with endless strings of code that I have to sift through, trying to figure out where one thing ends and another begins.
It’s been a nightmare.
But it means I’ve earned every damn penny they’re paying me, and no one can say I’m freeloading off of Brian.
I stretch in my seat and close the laptop.
It’s already inching closer to midnight and if I was any kind of sensible, I’d be heading to bed. Instead, I pull my stack of research closer and grab my highlighter.
Progress on the book has been slow but fantastic.
Being back home in Meadowcraig is doing wonders for my motivation. Everything I could possibly need to write this book is right here on my doorstep and there’s plenty of people willing to tell me their stories, excited at the prospect of there being a book about our little town.
I feel like a new woman, honestly.
Which is ridiculous, really, considering how quickly everything changed.
One minute I’m an unhappily married woman convincing myself I’m in love with my husband. The next I’m happily single trying to pretend I’m not in love with my best friend.
I’m so glad he never received that letter. Not because I didn’t mean every word, but because I don’t think either of us were ready to deal with the fallout of those three little words.
I know Brian.
I know that my letter would have rocketed him towards forgiving me. That our issues would be swept under the rug and gone ignored.
And he never would have left for Detroit.
I understand now why that’s important. Why we need this space to relearn each other on equal footing. Both of us are single. Both of us are willing.
We just need to be patient.
Surely, we can be patient.
You have received an instant message from:
brIAN
Brian: Good morning, employee of mine.
Jesy: Good afternoon, Boss Man. Forget the time difference?
Brian: I did.
Brian: Does that mean you are hard at work and crunching those numbers?
Jesy: Well, since I don’t keep the books for you… no. But I am hard at work.
Brian: Sucks to be you.
Brian: I am still in bed.
Brian: Naked as the day I was born.
Jesy: Do I need to get in touch with HR?
Brian: Sure. File a complaint with them.
Jesy: Who is your HR Rep?
Brian: Me. Come here. Right now. Tell me all your grievances.
Jesy: You’re in a playful mood this morning. What’s gotten into you?
Brian: Is your passport up to date?
Jesy: Abrupt change in conversation.
Jesy: But yes.
Brian: Excellent.
Brian: Justin has demanded to meet the owner of the whip.
Jesy: Am I the owner of the whip? I’m not sure what’s going on right now.
Brian: You are. Because you force him to do his job instead of going to talk to Gerald.
Jesy: Is Gerald a new employee?
Brian: Gerald is a Venus Fly Trap at the Botanical gardens.
Jesy: Of course it is.
Jesy: So he wants to meet me?
Brian: Yes. Soon.
Brian: Can you drag yourself away from your research and hop on a plane?
Jesy: To Detroit?
Brian: Actually, no. Your first plane would be to Amsterdam and then to Detroit. But that’s just semantics.
Jesy: You want me to come to Detroit?
Brian: Justin does.
Jesy: Oh, okay.
Brian: I want you to come to my bed. It just so happens my bed is in Detroit.
Jesy: I thought we were taking things slow?
Brian: We are.
Brian: Ever so slow. Exploring every single inch…
Jesy: Focus, Brian.
Brian: Can’t.
Brian: Too hard.
Jesy: Literally or figuratively?
Brian: I’ll leave that to your imagination.
Jesy: Are you flirting with me Mr Boss Man?
Brian: I just might be.
Brian: I dreamt about you. And now I’m remembering how you felt in my arms. How good you smelled. The way you tasted. The way your cheeks flushed when you came for me.
Jesy: Brian!
Jesy: Focus!
Brian: Call me.
Jesy: What?
Brian: You heard me. Call me. I want to see you. Hear you.
Brian: I want you, Jesy.
Brian: Call me. Right now.
Brian: That’s an order.
Jesy: Well shit. Yes Sir.
JESY has left the conversation
12 May | From: Jesy Mason | To: Brian Trainer
Subject: Okay but seriously.
Okay, Stud.
Playtime is over. Hopefully you can find it easier to focus now that your dick isn’t leading the show.
When am I supposed to be flying over there? How long am I staying for? Where am I staying?
I have to organise things, Brian.
12 May | From: Brian Trainer | To: Jesy Mason
Subject: RE: Okay but seriously.
You don’t have to organise anything.
We were thinking the end of the month. For a week. Maybe two depending. You can stay with me, obviously. And the company will pay for everything.
Just say yes.
12 May | From: Jesy Mason | To: Brian Trainer
Subject: RE: Okay but seriously.
Staying with you?
Is this wise, Brian? I know I sound like a broken record, but I thought we were taking things slow. Getting to know each other again.
12 May | From: Brian Trainer | To: Jesy Mason
Subject: RE: Okay but seriously.
We are taking things slow.
I know I’ve probably confused you with my behaviour this morning. Call it post nut clarity. But I was telling the truth. I dreamt of you and I needed to feel close to you somehow.
But regardless of taking it slow, I’m not making you pay for a hotel when you can stay with me. I have the space. And we can still take it slow. Maybe I can take you out for a date. We can start over.
You coming over here doesn’t mean we pick up where we left off. But it is part of the healing process, I think. It gives us a new foundation.
And I’ll be honest, Jes. It’s all kind of hit me.
America is massive, did you know? I don’t mean the country, obviously that’s huge.
But the city! It’s on a different scale.
You think London or Manchester is big, or that the buildings are huge, but everything towers over you here.
I feel like an ant when I’m walking around, like anything could come down and squish me at a moment’s notice.
I’m sure I’ll get used to it, but right now it’s all daunting.
I’ve not really had a moment to myself to process the last couple of months, so it hasn’t hit me I’m not in England anymore. My mum isn’t just a drive away; I don’t have my garden to relax in and you’re not here.
It’s weird, Jesy.
So, say yes. Come be here with me and bring a bit of home with you.
Please, Jes.
15 May | From: Brian Trainer | To: Justin Carter
Subject: Reminders
Remember, if she asks, it’s on the company dime and it was your idea to bring her here.
I know you won’t understand why I’m doing it this way, and unless you want the full Jesy and Brian story, it’s probably not worth getting into. Just know that you’d be doing me a solid if you could just go along with it.
15 May | From: Justin Carter | To: Brian Trainer
Subject: RE: Reminders
But what is my character’s motivation to ‘go along with it’?
15 May | From: Brian Trainer | To: Justin Carter
Subject: RE: Reminders
Wh-what do you mean?
You’re not playing a character, Justin. You are being yourself and telling a small little white lie for the sake of protecting my sanity.
15 May | From: Justin Carter | To: Brian Trainer
Subject: RE: Reminders
Oh, don’t worry about it.
I’ll wing it on the day.
15 May | From: Justin Carter | To: Brian Trainer
Subject: RE: Reminders
…okay thanks?
You have received an instant message from:
PENNY
Penny: So, when do you fly out? I’m quite jealous you know.
Jesy: End of the month. I’ll be in Detroit for two weeks so back home in June.
Penny: Reunion sex!
Jesy: I’d protest, but after his… antics the other day, I don’t know where his head is with all that.
Penny: Where is your head?
Jesy: I think we both know where my head is at, Pen. I find the bloke wildly attractive and I am completely in love with him.
Jesy: I will jump his bones given half the chance.
Penny: Not sure you’ll be able to drive home the next morning.
Jesy: Hardi har har.
Penny: Too soon?
Penny: Jes?
Penny: Hellllooo?
Jesy: I’m here.
Jesy: Sorry, Hazel Fraser just showed up in a tither.
Penny: Oh.
Penny: What’s going on?