Page 78 of Life After

“I’m fine. Really good, actually.” Suzanne lowered her book to her lap again and gazed back at Jen. “I’ve been thinking about my career.”

Jen groaned. “Please, no talk of work. I can’t be arsed going in tomorrow. Days like this with you just remind me that I hate working weekends. I feel like I don’t get to see you as much as I wish I could.”

Suzanne smiled. She hoped she could remedy that at some point in the near future. “I’m going back to work. My real work. At the company.”

“The…company? What company?” Jen’s brows drew together. Suzanne had never mentioned that John had left the company to her when he passed away. It had never seemed important when they’d met. It wasn’t as though Suzanne was heavily involved with it all.

“John’s company. Well,mycompany.”

“You have a company?” Jen’s brows rose as she sat forward, her elbows resting on her knees. “Since when?”

“Well, I worked with him when he was alive. He took care of the architecture, and I worked on the interior design. When he died, I chose to hand over the reins to the people who knew what they were doing.”

“Wow. I had no idea you had your own company.” Jen smiled. “I’m impressed.”

“I had to step away. I couldn’t be there without him. Even though it’s my company now, John was the one who made it what it is. He was the brains behind the whole thing. After around fifteen months out of work, I chose to take on a consultancy role for other companies. I was still doing what I loved. I just didn’t have to be reminded of John’s loss when I saw his friends or spoke to regular contractors and clients.”

Jen nodded slowly. “I think it’s great that you’re ready to go back. It means you’re moving forward. I’m proud of you.”

Suzanne crossed her legs and cleared her throat. “Would you like to come and work with me?”

Jen drew back a little, confusion etched on her face. “Me?”

“Yes. You.”

“I don’t know anything about architecture or interior design, babe. I should probably stay in my lane, even though I hate the place.”

Suzanne reached forward and took Jen’s hand. “I’d show you what you needed to know. I’d guide you and find a role for you within the company.”

Jen chewed her lip as she stroked her thumb across Suzanne’s knuckles. “I’d probably be terrible at it. I wouldn’t want to let you down.”

“Can I at least ask you to consider it? I won’t be offended if you decide not to take me up on the offer, but I would like you to think about it.” Suzanne desperately hoped Jen would choose to join her at the company, but she understood her reasons for being unsure. If Jen had thrown Suzanne into a school setting, she would have the very same response.

“Of course I’ll think about it.” Jen grinned and kissed the back of Suzanne’s hand. “Anything for you.”

“I just…want more for us, you know? Something we enjoy. A place we can be together. Weekends off, absolutely.”

“I mean, I can paint,” Jen said, hesitation in her tone. “And like…build stuff. You know, furniture and that.”

“You had me at painting, baby.” Suzanne’s smile matched Jen’s. “I usually hire independently if it’s not a huge project. Which could be perfect for you. But let’s not put you in one particular box just yet.” Suzanne tweaked Jen’s nose before sitting back and lifting her G&T. “What I will say for now, though, is that you could probably take fewer shifts at the courier firm. Give yourself more time to relax.”

“And what? Live on fresh air?”

“Don’t worry yourself about that. Everything will be perfectly fine.” Suzanne lifted her book again. “If you want weekends together, take them. We have everything we need, whether you have a job or not right now.”

Jen’s eyes widened. “You want me to live off you?”

“No. That’s not what I’m saying.” Suzanne waved a hand between them and laughed. “But you spend most of your time here, and I’m more than happy to take care of the shopping and whatnot. This place has no mortgage. John made sure of that long before he died.”

“Suzanne, I?—”

“Workless, livemore.”

Jen slumped back in her seat and sighed. Suzanne had no idea what she was thinking, but she did want Jen to mull over everything she had just put to her. It was important that Jen was happy in life, more so now that she was finding her new normal.

“What would Ruby tell you to do?”

Jen regarded Suzanne with a small smile. “She’d tell me to quit my job, have you pay my way for me, and buy designer labels.”

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