Chapter Four
KALLEN
The elevator door dings open, and Dan, wearing another one of his suave coats, almost runs into me. We dance to either side, more times than either of us deem reasonable. The patches of pink on his face are like a mirror, because I feel my own face run hot.
‘Forgot my laptop charger,’ I say through a grimace, breath hitching.
He hides a smirk before we shuffle out of each other’s way.
‘Uh, want me to keep the door open?’ Dan calls out as I reach my apartment door and push the key in.
I exhale heavily and flick my hand forward. ‘Oh no, it’s okay.’
‘Cool, see you in the office,’ he says as I burst into my apartment.
After grabbing my laptop charger and freshening up, I dart for Howard Smith Wharves, breath visible in the air as I power walk to the office. A text from Blake vibrates my phone:
Fuck, I forgot to set an alarm. Totally gonna be late today lol
Whenever Blake isn’t at work, which is hardly ever, I feel somewhat lost, as if there’s something, or someone, missing .
As I approach the towering glass doors to the office building, Freddie calls out to me from Spilt Milk, the hole in the wall café right next to the entry. ‘Kallen, you want a coffee while I’m here?’ he asks, third in line to order.
Stopping to a halt, I wonder for a brief moment what alternate universe I stepped into today, and why Freddie is being overly nice. As much as a barista-made coffee would hit the spot, I fumble my words as I say, ‘Uh, nah, it’s all good. I just had a coffee before I left home. Thanks though.’
Freddie winks at me. ‘No worries, dude. See ya up there.’
Sometimes I think Freddie flirts with me.
At Friday after-work drinks, he often asks if I’m seeing anyone, to which I politely say no.
But then, when I get the inkling that Freddie might be flirting with me, I remember he has a girlfriend, like a long-term girlfriend he’s been with for years.
Hence concluding that Freddie, as much as I think he might be flirting with me, is probably just being friendly.
Once I reach the seventh floor, I’m met with Dan and Cherry deep in loud conversation, sitting in the same spot Blake usually is. They’re laughing, eyes on each other like twinkling fucking stars or something.
I almost make it to the office door before they notice me.
‘Morning, Kallen,’ Cherry greets me.
Fuck. Forcing a smile to my face, I take my hand off the doorknob and turn around. ‘Morning, guys,’ I say, shooting them each a look for no longer than a split second.
‘You made it,’ Dan greets me with a brief wave, his face red from laughter. He tries to control himself, as does Cherry.
‘I did indeed,’ I say coolly, leaning on the bench. ‘You’re going to have to share what’s so funny now.’
Dan bursts into a fit of cackles.
‘Oh, we just found a bunch of…’ Cherry half-explains, before howling again. ‘Oh God. Memes…about how cold it is today.’
I feel my eyes widen. ‘Yeah, it’s pretty fuckin’ cold.’
Dan looks at his watch. ‘Shit. Better go in.’
Heavens, am I glad about the time, because just like that, I’m saved from this situation, only to be plunged into another situation, the one where Dan now sits next to me for the undisclosed future.
As I switch on the kettle, a simple mantra chants in my head on replay: Change is good. Change is good. Change is goo-
Freddie gives me another wink as he walks into the office, holding one coffee cup. He sees that I’m making a coffee when I literally just denied his offer of a fresh one from the café, and now I feel like an absolute idiot. What’s new though?
Blake makes it to the office just before the nine-thirty meeting, her face a tad sweaty, breath far from caught.
‘Thank God you’re here,’ I whisper to her.
She pushes out a sigh and takes a gulp of water from her metal bottle as we head into the meeting room.
I offer her a half-smile, and she gives me the face of someone who’s not okay but is about to make out they are.
‘First of all, before we get into it,’ Lisa announces shrilly. ‘I’d like to give Dan here a shout out for a great first day. He had the best performing content of the day yesterday, so great work. Keep it up.’
Out of all of our claps, mine are the least enthused, yet no one notices. I’ve been acting extra professional at work the past few weeks so I could maybe be promoted to this Content Creator position. But now, with each passing moment, it feels like it’s being snatched from me.
Look at him there – the smug smile on his face.
If only he weren’t so attractive. It’s like he pretends to be shy, as if we should all bow down to his talent or something.
Or maybe I’m just being a dick. Either way, I feel like saying, Dan, you wrote about an incredibly serene and unique cabin stay near Brisbane. Of course, it’s going to do well.
‘So, what’s on everyone’s agenda for the week now that Monday is done and gone?’ Lisa asks us.
‘Well, Blake and I have got the New Farm Food we thought she might be the one, as you know – but we found out last night that she’s decided not to be a surrogate right now. Too much going on in her life, which is totally understandable.’
‘Oh, hon, I’m sorry,’ I say as we stop by the river’s edge.
I turn to Blake – to the sadness in her eyes – placing a comforting hand across her shoulder.
I’m not sure what else I can do, but I know she needs me right now.
I can remember Blake’s excitement when she told me they were forming a close relationship with Jasmine at the Brisbane surrogacy group meetings.
After a few meetings, Jasmine had told Blake she would love to enter an altruistic surrogacy with them.
Blake wanted to wait a little longer and get to know Jasmine a bit more before deciding, but her decision didn’t take too long.