Chapter 8 #2
“I’ll be sending you the contract, and then we can start your onboarding as soon as possible,” the woman says.
“First there’s the medicals and then we have mandatory training you’ll both need to complete, all online, before you transfer to the island.
What I need from you right now are the details of how soon you could start.
The position is for the seventh of January, but ideally we will have a handover period of a couple days, where the current management team will be onsite to help out.
” She pauses for a moment. “You’re still there? ”
“Yes. Still here. I’m putting you on speakerphone,” I say as I do so. “Lexi—Alexandra—is here with me, and I want her to listen in.”
“Lexi? Cute.” There’s a smile in her voice. “It would be great to speak to you both at the same time.”
I place the phone on the kitchen counter. Lexi, eyes like saucers, looks like she’s seeing multiple ghosts.
“I spoke to her fifteen minutes ago,” Lexi mouths at me, pointing at the phone.
“We’re both here now,” I say as I throw my hands up in an I-don’t-know gesture.
“Excellent. So, I was hoping to book flights for you to Ne’emba Island on the first of January.
That means you’ll arrive on the island on the third, giving us at least three days of handover with the current management there.
Would that suit you? We need to get the ball rolling because there are the work permits on that side that our agent will sort out.
If you are agreeable on the dates, I’d like to get started. ”
I stare at Lexi, watching an array of emotions and hesitation play out on her face.
She’s torn between this perfect solution and being Little Miss Perfect who never does anything remotely questionable.
Her anxiety is palpable. But I’m not making the decision for her, and if there’s a time to speak up, it’s now.
“Yes,” Lexi says and clears her throat. “The first of January is fine with us, isn’t it, Tristan?”
I lift my eyebrows at her, hoping she gets my question here. Are you sure? Last moment to pull out? Lexi raises her hands in defeat and shakes her head. She has nothing more to say? I give her two more seconds. “Yes,” I say. “That should work.”
“Wonderful. You’ll have everything from me via email. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
“We will, thank you.”
The recruiter disconnects, and I clutch my phone in my hand. “You know what you just signed up for, right?”
“A small moral conundrum? One that’s going to give me sleepless nights?” she says.
“Hopefully the idea of being engaged to me doesn’t give you sleepless nights.” Of that sort. Fucking gutterhead. I blame it on that prim and proper corporate suit she’s wearing.
“Ugh,” she groans and rolls her eyes. “It’s only three months, and we’re in this together.
Nathan Beaumont said it’s a probation period.
If all goes well, he could have a job for me in Massachusetts next year, but I’d go anywhere with them.
” She slips off her jacket, tosses it on the sofa, and fans herself with her hands.
“That’s all I want, Tristan—a job with Beaumont at the end of this—so let’s not mess this up. ”
“Three months will fly by. You’ll see.” As for messing this up, that’s one thing neither of us can afford. At least I have a plan now when I call Nick back. And I can send Dad his fuck-off notice in the post.
Evan comes down the stairs, yawning. He has a dress shirt and tie on but is still in sleeping shorts and barefoot. Ah, the luxury of Zoom meetings. “What can’t you mess up?” he asks.
Lexi shoots me a look. “We just committed to the crazy,” she says.
“You did?” Evan’s face splits into a grin that could shred a pair of panties. That’s my bro. Naughty little fuck. He’s been rooting for this from day one. Makes me wonder what’s really going on in his head.
“Fantastic. Lexi, you’re employed and can now flip off St Chalamet in style. Check. Tris, you’ve got three months of endless diving and will meet your deadline. Check.” Evan looks like he wants to pat himself on the shoulder. “When are you leaving?”
The way he says it sounds as if we’ve overstayed our welcome. “We’ve been cramping your style, have we?” I ask with a dry chuckle.
“Nah, for real.”
“First of January,” Lexi pipes up, her voice small. “I can’t believe I signed up for it. I’m a good girl!”
“That you are,” Evan says with a tease, but his eyes are serious. “Just for the record, I wouldn’t let you do crazy shit like this with anyone but Tristan.”
“What?” Lexi sounds somewhat offended.
“I wouldn’t let you go to some random island in the middle of the Indian Ocean with just any guy.
I know Tristan will look after you, so I don’t need to freak out when there’s no internet and I can’t get ahold of you.
” Evan’s gaze meets mine. That grin is still spread on his face, but his eyes tell me everything he isn’t saying.
Don’t break her heart twice. “I trust Tristan to take care of you.”
“I can take care of myself, thank you very much.”
Fuuuuck, Lexi. This whole situation has taken on a sexual edge, which she seems totally unaware of. I bet you take good care of yourself, babes, but I promise you, I can do it better. “I’m going to take a shower.”
Preferably a cold one. I’ve signed up to be Lexi’s fiancé for three months, and we haven’t discussed or thought about any of the logistics this is going to entail.