Page 66 of Love Me Ever After
Fraser answered the door, phone clamped to his ear, having a conversation with one of his clients. He waved me inside and I continued to observe him, listening to his side of the call. It was almost like a free training session in client management.
As I walked through the hallway, it struck me how much of a home Fraser and Darcy’s place was. Framed photographs on the wall, a vase of fresh flowers on the mantlepiece, the faint aroma of some kind of fancy air freshener. It didn’t compare with the piles of dirty clothes that often appeared in front of the washing machine, dishes crammed in the sink and three people’s stuff strewn across the living room. Maybe I was starting to grow up and realising that shared houses weren’t forever.
Fraser’s laptop was set up in the dining room, his notepad lined up neatly next to it. Christ, when I worked from home, I barely left the sofa and usually had the television on for company. His work ethic put me to shame.
I stood at the window, staring out at the garden while Fraser finished his call.
“Sorry about that,” he said. “Just someone I needed to speak to before the weekend.” He gestured to the table for me to sit down. “Can I get you a drink?”
I pulled the cans out of the carrier bag. “Got one. How about you?”
“Bit too early for me, mate.”
I glanced at the clock on the wall, seeing it was quarter past four. God only knew what time it was in my head. Fucked-up-o’clock, I thought.
“How was the interview?” Fraser sat down, casting a look at his screen before settling on me.
“Tough.” I blew out a breath and cracked open the can, taking a hefty sip.
“Do you think you’ll get it?”
The arrogant answer was ‘fuck, yes’, but I honestly didn’t know. Plus, with the thoughts which had hit me earlier, I wasn’t sure if I evenwantedit any longer.
“Don’t know. Lot of competition.”
Fraser grinned. “It didn’t go well, then?”
Briefly, I told him about the few days I’d been away, including Ems seeing Whit.
When I’d finished, he whistled between his teeth. “Shit, Mason. Bet that didn’t go down well.”
“I haven’t spoken to Ems since. Can’t get hold of her. She’s not at home, she’s not at work. I’m starting to worry.”
At the mention of Ems, Fraser changed the subject. “So if the New York offer doesn’t work out, what are you going to do?”
I shrugged. “I guess I’d better up my golf game and get more time with Robert.” I gestured to his laptop with my chin. “Unless you can shed any light on the secret project you nearly told me about.”
“Not yet.” He reached for one of the cans. “Might as well get a beer after all.”
Nursing my beer, despite the urge to neck it and then open another one, I figured I could talk to Fraser about my future and how I saw it. “You might need one.”
“Oh?” He arched an eyebrow.
“I don’t think I want the New York job, even if I get offered it. I want to stay here and make a proper go of things with Ems. That is, if I can ever find her.”
“Wow, I wasn’t expecting that.” Fraser swigged from his own can. “I thought you were all about career goals and making big money.”
“Who’s to say I can’t do that here? You do.” I waved my beer around, sloshing some onto the table. “I want what you’ve got. The house, the car, the job, the girl. I want it all.” Even as the words came out of my mouth, I truly believed them. Ihadchanged. I no longer wanted to be the player. That was the old me. It had taken being away and being presented with a fantastic opportunity to realise I was better off here. Better off with Ems.
If only I knew where she was.
“If you’re serious, then I can definitely talk to Robert about some of the new things coming up. What do you think Janine would say?”
“She was all for me going for the New York job, but I’d hope she’d be happy I was staying.” Janine had always had my back as a boss, it would be hard to move on, but I knew it would be the right thing to do.
“When do you hear back from Gareth?”
“By the end of next week.”
