Page 6 of Chasing his Ex

Three dots dance across my cell phone. I wait.

Jameson: Do you want to know what I’ve been thinking?

Me: I’d like to know how long you’ve been thinking what you’ve been thinking.

Because in reality everything was fine until a few days ago. He wanted nothing from me, apart from coffee dates, lunch occasionally and dinner on a Saturday evening if we could both fit it in.

I hate he now wants more.

Jameson: This has nothing to do with your ex.

The three dots appear again as I contemplate my reply. The elevator doors open and I look down to avoid the pesky gaps at the edge of the car.

My cell phone chimes.

“Hi Jameson,” I say.

“This is not about your ex. I’ve been thinking about this for a long time now, wanting to take it to the next step.” Jameson’s smooth, deep American accent coos into my ear.

“You don’t do exclusive, and I don’t do open relationships. We’re good as friends,” I whisper. I don’t really want everyone in the office to know he wants an open relationship.

“I only want you,” he says. “I know what I said, but I didn’t want you getting clingy. It was easier for you to not get attached.”

I burst out laughing. “It worked, but now you want to un-work it. It doesn’t pan out like that. Jameson, friends is all I can give you.”

“Have you thought about moving to the US with me? We can be a family. You, me and Emmy.”

You’re not listening!

I don’t know what it is about him mentioning her name, but anger snakes up my spine. “You didn’t want to meet her,” I hiss. “And now you want to play her daddy?”

“Ava,” he barks. “I did want to meet her, but you are protective of her and I appreciated that.”

“Why?”

“I want more now,” he says.

“And what Jameson wants...” I say and hesitate. “Anyway, I can’t work in the US.” Not wanting a full discussion about my daughter in the office.

Charlie’s eyes open wide as I walk past her.

“I’ll get you a visa and employ you in my company. You’re a lawyer. Every company has legal teams, mine is no different. That’s why I also want you to come to the corporate event at the weekend. I want the company to know about you. It’s time to show you off.”

There’s a moment of silence before he whispers, “Please.”

I glance at Charlie. I’m desperate for some ears to listen to my woes because Jameson has turned a one-eighty overnight. In reality, I know it’s only because of seeing me with Finn and finding out he was my ex, otherwise I would have been delighted.

“What’s the dress code?” I blink hard, not believing I’m agreeing to the evening. Opening the door to my office and quietly closing it behind me. I switch my computer on.

“Evening wear. I’ll have a car pick you up at six.” There’s a hesitation in his voice. “And drop you off the next morning.”

“No, Jameson, I’ll be going home.”

It’s Friday evening, the one night a week the girls get together. Telling each other about our woes, our loves, and hearing of Jade’s sex life.

We’re all in awe of her.

“I’m waiting,” Charlie says playfully, tapping her fingernails against the cocktail bar as though she has been waiting forever. We're propped against the bar, sitting on leather topped stools.

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