CHAPTER SEVEN
Corey
I imagined Nora’s job wouldn’t be hard, but maintaining my balance in these bullshit heels might be the death of me.
‘One too many drinks last night?’ The lady at the desk next to Nora’s smirked.
‘I’m perfectly fine, thank you,’ I snapped.
Her eyes widened, and her mouth fell open from the surprise of the harsh tone of Nora’s voice.
‘Sorry, sorry,’ I muttered.
Adopting Nora’s cheerful work attitude required happy hour, every hour, on the hour. Especially considering I was yet to experience her cheer myself.
‘Are you all right?’ She didn’t quite turn to face me.
‘Didn’t sleep well.’ I forced a smile onto my otherwise bland face.
After logging into her computer with the password NeverGiveUp100, I searched for the spreadsheet she’d insisted was on her desktop.
Where my desktop was alphabetically organised in folders, hers appeared to be a scavenger hunt designed by a four-year-old.
XYZ. Who titled a document like that? My gaze hopped from one icon to another, until finally, during my last moment of patience, I found Gerry’s Gyms next to what appeared to be a spa voucher.
Thankfully, our companies used the same programs, and I powered through her to-do list with smug satisfaction. Her assumption that my dick got me to where I was had struck a chord, but today I proved myself despite this role being an exceptional demotion.
I only hoped Nora wasn’t giving my father a reason to pull any of my brothers from their happy lives and stuff them into my unfortunate office.
I opened the internet browser and tried remotely logging into my desktop at Zealy Insurance.
The security system denied my access, and I groaned.
Their blocking systems were way too advanced for me.
‘Working through lunch again?’ The lady next to me grabbed a tiny cream bag and hung it on her shoulder like a Christmas decoration.
‘Work through lunch? Absolutely not.’
If the poor souls in cubicles could control anything, it was their lunch breaks and work hours.
In fact, that might be the only thing they had control over.
I snatched my wallet from my desk and walked to the elevator.
I’d caught the train to work with Nora who’d insisted the car would draw too much attention, so I scanned the street for something nearby.
‘I don’t think we’ve ever had a lunch break at the same time.’
Christ, I couldn’t escape this lady.
‘Would you like me to show you my favourite Japanese place? They have the best sushi.’ She smiled hopefully.
Noting the shopfronts I could see only sold clothing, I begrudgingly nodded.
As we walked, the soundtrack of this lady’s life spewed from her mouth in a series of unfortunate events while I avoided cracks in the path.
Wobbling in Nora’s painful heels wasn’t easy, but they still fitted between the smooth concrete squares easier than my own larger feet.
‘… and then I decided enough was enough. Now he has our daughter twenty per cent of the time, yet he still manages to bring her home two hours early, especially when he…’
I’d drowned out her never-ending story for six hundred and five steps. That’s how long she’d gone on.
‘Here we are.’ She managed to adjust the cheer in her voice after that down-in-the-dump’s tale.
I wished she was Paddy. He’d have quietly dropped a cheeseburger on my desk and left me to my foul mood until I was ready to talk. This lady, however, opened the door while I trailed behind as everyone shouted a Japanese greeting in unison.
‘Should we eat in or get takeaway?’ she asked.
‘Takeaway,’ I responded.
Her absurdly long lashes fluttered, and she raised her eyebrows making me realise I’d responded too quickly.
‘I don’t want to be back late. So much to do.’ For once, Nora and her obsessive need for validation worked to my advantage.
We walked to the counter and placed our order.
Long Lashes combed her fingers through the golden tangles of her hair and nodded. ‘You know, Nora, I’m really sorry you didn’t get that promotion.’
I crossed my arms over my chest and accidentally punched my right breast in the process. My eyes watered at the sensational ache that pounded through my boob.
‘Oh, I didn’t mean to upset you.’ She placed her hand on my shoulder.
I ached to shrug her touch away, but I had no idea how close she was with Nora. ‘It’s a little disappointing, but Freddie obviously deserved the position. I’m sure he’ll do a great job.’
Her sympathetic smile lowered to uncertainty, and she finally removed her hand from me. ‘You can’t be serious?’
‘Of course I am. Management knows what they’re doing. They’ve always got their eyes on us, even when we don’t think they do.’ I should know. I once watched a guy win solitaire for two hours straight through the reflection of a window behind his screen in the afternoon sun.
‘Nora, Freddie was nowhere near as perfect for Terry’s job as you.
I mean, seriously, haven’t you been watching him pace his office all morning?
I remember seeing Terry’s to-do list on his desk before he left.
Deadline after deadline, all mapped out, but far too long and intimidating for the likes of Freddie. ’
‘I’m sure he’s got it all under control. He probably paces to figure things out. Like a stress walker or something.’
‘Just don’t stop believing in yourself,’ she said.
The man behind the counter called our number. I stood and grabbed our food while she hung her decorative bag back on her shoulder. I mean, seriously, she could probably fit no more than a credit card and phone in there.
‘Never have, never will.’ I grinned with the full force of Nora’s irritatingly cheerful smile.
Making it home at almost five in the evening to Nora’s – my – shocked face in the living room wasn’t the welcome home I’d expected.
On my toes, I reached for the hook hammered far too high for this body in the beige wall to hang my keys.
This apartment would taunt me until my dick was snug in my briefs again.
A tiny stitch of composure unravelled at not knowing how we’d make that happen, and panic crept back in.
‘Why did you leave work so early?’ she gasped.
‘I didn’t. I left at four-thirty.’
‘Which is basically early,’ she exploded.
Nora threw her arms to the side and whacked the leather couch.
The way she used my voice to deliver a scolding like a mother made my lips shrivel.
How dare she make me sound so maternal. I’ve been known to win beer pong, deliver the best right hook in Muay Thai, and turn an unproductive department into high achievers, but never once have I been known for scolding with such a whiny undertone.
‘No amount of ass-kissing is going to get you that job. Now, can we focus on switching back?’ The torturous heels flew from my feet to the corner by the coat rack.
‘Yes, because if we don’t, you’re going to ruin my career.’ She stalked to the kitchen and poured an expensive bottle of merlot into a crystal glass.
‘No, please. Help yourself to everything you can’t afford.’
The sting of my words hit me before they’d even made it to Nora’s ears. When it came to her and Paddy, there wasn’t much difference. Both of them worked hard with what they had, but here I was being a certified douchebag to a woman who’d had her sole career goal ripped out from beneath her.
She placed her hands on her hips and glared at me. ‘I poured this for you.’
My cheeks warmed, and my face softened. ‘For me?’
‘Yeah, for you. Unless you don’t want it?’ She shrugged.
‘No, I do. I just…’
How could I explain to her that no one aside from Paddy offered thoughtful gestures like these to me? I was Corey Flemmington. Work asshole, tough best friend, the ball and chain of my family.
‘Normal people usually say thank you.’ She handed me the glass, then sat on a wooden bar stool and leaned an elbow on the counter.
‘Thank you.’ The unfamiliar word sat in my mouth.
I pulled out the seat next to her and drummed my fingers on the white marble countertop. One sip of wine, and my blood sizzled and raced through my veins as another stitch of composure came loose. Thread by thread, I was losing my cool. ‘Have you pissed off any witches lately?’ I asked.
‘Loads.’ She rolled her eyes. ‘You?’
‘Only you.’
Her eyes flashed and she balled her fists. ‘Maybe we should focus on figuring out how to switch back if we don’t know why this happened.’ She clenched her teeth.
‘Sure.’
‘I have some ideas.’ She opened the Notes app on her phone, then held the screen in front of me.
‘Meditating?’ I raised my eyebrow.
‘We’re trying anything and everything.’
‘Let’s try this one first, it makes the most sense.’ I tapped the screen.
Collide with each other.
‘Not my first pick, but I suppose we need to try everything eventually.’ Nora jumped off her stool and waved me away with her hand.
She stood in the kitchen while I walked through the door on the other side to stand against my bedroom wall.
‘Are you ready?’ I asked.
She nodded, but there was no mistaking the terror in her eyes. That’s likely how I looked the first time I walked into my dad’s depressing building eleven years ago.
‘On three,’ she suggested.
‘One,’ I said.
‘Two,’ she continued.
‘Three,’ we shouted at the same time and ran towards each other like footballers preparing for a tackle.
Nora had her feet apart, body low, and eyes on the breasts she desperately wanted back.
The sight of her incoming body terrified me, and my eyes involuntarily shut themselves moments before impact.
Our limbs tangled and an ache pulsed through my chest where a shoulder-shaped bruise would appear tomorrow after the way she’d charged me.
Nora’s hand rested against her head, and she grumbled an undignified groan followed by a gasp.
‘Oh my gosh, it worked,’ she shrieked.
Her fingers tugged the long black locks and yanked me cheek to cheek with her.
‘That’s still connected to me,’ I muttered.
She released the hair and let out a sob, allowing me to scramble to my tiny feet and put some distance between us.