Chapter 25 #3
‘I know,’ I said as I jumped up. ‘It was all me. Right, I’ll go and order.’
By the time I got back from the bar he was in a pensive mood, and I hoped my stupid kiss related question hadn’t impacted on his previous bright one. How ridiculous that I’d just pledged to keep a grip on my feelings and then blurted something so inappropriate!
‘Our food will only be a minute,’ I told him and gave him the glass of Coke he’d also asked for.
I’d gone for white wine to match the sauce, and I intended to make it last, so I wouldn’t lose my inhibitions and end up saying or doing something else I’d regret.
‘You weren’t long talking to Kate and Luke. ’
‘I know,’ he said and seemed to perk up a bit.
‘Did they tell you how much the events made last week?’ I asked, as he took a swig of his drink.
‘They did. I couldn’t believe it.’
‘Me neither,’ I said and shook my head. ‘I’m thrilled though.’
‘Me too,’ he said and clinked his glass against mine. ‘And you should be. Your hard work certainly paid off.’
‘Our hard work,’ I corrected. ‘Everyone got a look-in once you’d told me to back off.’
‘Oh, is that how I put it?’ he laughed.
‘As I recall,’ I stated, then turned bright red because that’s what he’d said in response to my stupid kiss question! ‘So,’ I said, ‘what else did you talk about?’
‘I’d love to tell you,’ he said, ‘but the three of us agreed that we’d keep it to ourselves for now.’
That sounded very much like what Kate, Luke and I had also agreed.
‘Fair,’ I said. ‘But funnily enough, I’m keeping a secret following my chat with them earlier, too.’
Erik’s eyes widened. ‘You are?’
‘I am.’
We stopped talking then as our lunch arrived. It looked, smelt and tasted delicious. We both slathered salted butter on to the warm baguettes and then dipped them into the sauce.
‘I do love a chip,’ I said in something akin to ecstasy, ‘but this is next level.’
‘A very good call,’ Erik agreed. ‘It’s divine.’
Once we’d finished eating, I tracked back to where we’d left the conversation off.
‘So,’ I said, when the table had been cleared and I’d drunk practically the whole glass of wine, ‘how can I convince you to give me a clue about your Prosperous Place secret?’
‘You can’t!’ Erik laughed. ‘It’s a secret remember?’
‘Fair enough,’ I shrugged. ‘That was a test. You passed.’
‘Are you going to drop a hint about yours?’
‘I can’t believe you’d even ask!’ I gasped and Erik laughed.
A few seconds of silence passed, and it was Erik who broke it.
‘Mine’s potentially to do with my future,’ he blurted.
‘And mine’s related to last week,’ I divulged, then clapped a hand over my mouth.
‘Perhaps,’ Erik said and moved to sit in the seat next to me, ‘we could share.’
‘I suppose,’ I swallowed. ‘After all, that’s what friends do, isn’t it? Share secrets?’
‘Exactly,’ he agreed.
‘You go first then,’ I nudged.
‘You promise you’ll tell me what you talked about if I do?’
‘Cross my heart,’ I said seriously and made the gesture.
‘They offered me a full-time paid position working as the property and grounds manager at Prosperous Place,’ Erik confided. ‘It’s similar to what I’m doing at the moment, but this would be an official role, with more responsibility and a salary.’
‘So, you’d be staying in Norwich for good, rather than for as long as it takes you to get your head around your life not revolving around that odd-shaped ball?’ I swallowed.
Suddenly it didn’t feel like the wine had relaxed me at all.
‘If I accepted it, then yes,’ he looked troubled for a moment. ‘Though heaven knows what Dad would make of that…’
He clearly wanted to take the job but still felt beholden to his father.
‘Well,’ I said, ‘he’d get used to it eventually. And it’s not as if you live in the same country, so at least he wouldn’t be berating you in person day in, day out.’
‘That’s a very good point,’ Erik agreed. ‘But it’s going to be hard for him if I do take it on. Rugby has been the glue that holds him together for so long and I’m worried that without it, he might fall apart.’
‘But that can’t be the reason that you don’t pursue your own happiness, Erik,’ I pointed out.
‘I know,’ he swallowed. ‘I do know that really. Now, tell me,’ he added, shifting the focus to me, ‘what was it that Kate and Luke wanted with you?
I took a deep breath.
‘They offered me a job too, working as an event organiser. They’ve got plans to host a whole calendar of workshops as well as the Spooktacular, and have asked if I’ll take the bulk of it on. And, like you, it would be in an official capacity.’
Erik looked surprised. ‘Right,’ he said. ‘And how do you feel about that?’
‘Over the moon,’ I told him, while my head chanted friend, friend, friend.
‘You’ll accept it then?’
‘Yes. I think I will.’
‘So, we’ll be working together?’
‘I suppose we will sometimes, to a certain extent.’
‘In that case,’ he said and clinked his glass against my almost empty one, ‘here’s to a successful working relationship.’
‘I’ll drink to that.’
It didn’t strike me until much later that neither of us had sounded particularly enthusiastic about the prospect.