Chapter Five
DAN
Fiction books are the worlds I wish were real sometimes, the places I can escape to when there’s nowhere else to go.
Often, the only company I need, other than Salem, of course, who stares at me and meows for five whole seconds when I step out of the shower, my skin prickling from the morning chill.
My body decided to wake me up before the sun, so it’s still dark inside.
After changing into chinos and a polo, I make a coffee and some toast. Salem is caught off-guard when the toast pops up and does a mini backflip in response.
I tell him it’s just a toaster and step over to my bookshelf, looking at the books I’ve read and loved, smiling as I remember how good they were, how they made me feel.
The books I haven’t read sit there, too.
Lots of them, because naturally, I buy two books for every book I read.
When I was younger, Dad used to get annoyed at me for spending all my money on books.
But one day, I said, ‘At least I’m not addicted to drugs.
’ Dad simply nodded and never bugged me after that, only when he started running his own op shop, at which point book donations were always encouraged .
As I’m reading, the meet-cute in chapter three makes me put the book down and check LinkedIn, to Kallen’s profile.
Disappointment pokes at my stomach when I discover he hasn’t responded to my request there.
Maybe he doesn’t like me after all. Not sure why I sent him a request in the first place.
He doesn’t seem like the type to use LinkedIn unless he has to.
Other than the obvious physical attraction I have for him, he seems so confident and crassly hilarious, and I’m well, not that. People have always known me to be the shy guy, reserved. Until they get to know me and I become more comfortable around them. It’s only then they can’t shut me up.
Maybe I should take Ruby and co’s advice and ask Kallen to hang out away from the desk.
But what if he doesn’t want to? Then I’ll be even more anxious to go to work, let alone sit next to the guy.
Chloe and Ruby’s voices enter my brain as I walk home, and it’s the same simple question that buzzes in my brain: ‘ But what if it works out? ’
*
‘The strategy we talked about on Monday isn’t quite working out,’ Lisa announces at our morning meeting.
I watch Kallen welcome her statement with rolling eyes.
‘Lisa, I think there’s something going on city-wide because even our competitors aren’t appearing on the viral hit list as often anymore,’ Cherry explains after a few seconds of silence from the rest of us.
I’m new – I don’t know enough about this company to have an opinion on the matter.
‘Maybe people are getting sick of clickbait articles and are getting their news from social media videos,’ Kallen comes out with it.
‘I mean, these influencers are giving them the whole story a lot of the time. Why would they waste time searching for a link in bio or clicking and reading an article?’
Lisa shoots a condescending fake-smile at Kallen. ‘Kallen, let me remind you that if it wasn’t for the page views from our audience, you likely wouldn’t have a job here. We just need to get more creative with the content, because even our bread-and-butter topics aren’t doing it.’
Lisa huffs out a huge sigh and stares out the window.
‘Uh, what would you like us to do?’ Blake asks.
‘Well, the good news is we’ve likely secured some big upcoming brand partnerships, so revenue forecast is still good.
But in the meantime, I’ve set a task for each of you to find story ideas that aren’t being done by our competitors.
Finding true hidden gems, not just piggybacking on viral trends.
I think it’s something we need to be doing moving forward. ’
‘Makes sense,’ I say, watching Kallen stare at me from the corner of my eye. ‘Especially since there’s a fair few competitors in this space now.’
‘Too many,’ Lisa agrees. ‘They just keep popping up. So yes, I’ve sent a spreadsheet link there as you can see. Please add to it, and whenever you’re stuck for stories to write, you can pick one of them, okay?’
The four of us nod in Lisa’s direction before Kallen and I look at each other.
He waggles his eyebrows at me, and I don’t know how to respond, so I just get up now that the meeting is over to head back to my desk.
Well, my desk, then the kitchenette for a coffee, hearing the voices of Kallen and Blake on the way.
I stand beside the door, stealthily, like I’m a spy about to crash a party.
‘Oh my God, I’m so glad the conversation is going well already,’ Blake says with an excitement I can’t get behind.
‘Yeah, we’re going on a date on Sunday,’ Kallen singsongs.
‘ Hudson ,’ Blake says with emphasis.
‘Hudson,’ Kallen repeats. ‘He seems nice. Who knows, I may be coming around to the idea of dating someone.’
Rusty pieces of my heart start to crumble from the small centre that’s still alive.
‘Aw, Dycock,’ Blake shrieks. ‘I have a good feeling about this. And you deserve to have someone to date. Someone who’s crazy about you.’
‘Hey, baby steps,’ Kallen reminds her .
And there goes the idea of asking Kallen Jeffries out, let alone the option of a yes or a no. I can’t listen to them talk about Kallen’s upcoming date anymore, hence why I walk out of the office and opt for a coffee downstairs instead.
Maybe I just need to sleep with a Brisbane local to get this out of my system.