Page 105 of Just Do It
‘Colette,’ I said, as I grabbed her hand. ‘I never would have believed him over you. Don’t you know that?’
Her big brown eyes filled with tears. ‘I couldn’t risk it. You’re my best friend and I was scared I’d lose you.’
I shook my head. ‘Not a chance. You, my friend, are well and truly lumbered with me.’
A little while later, we’d stacked the used tea things in the slimline dishwasher and I was preparing to head home.
‘I’d better be getting on. What are you up to for the rest of the day?’
‘Greg’s coming round shortly, ostensibly for lunch but I’ve decided I need a pond in the garden.’
I screwed up my face. ‘What’s that got to do with lunch?’
‘Nothing. It has to do with free muscle.’
‘It’s a good job he loves you.’
Colette gave that dreamy smile that manifested whenever she spoke about Greg. At least something worthwhile had come out of that first evening other than a broken heart. I’d dismissed her description of Finn as the love of my life, but the truth was, as she knew, she was 100 per cent correct.
‘If you’re sure that’s what you want.’ Inis’s reply echoed Colette’s when I asked to talk to her, off the record, about Friedrich’s proposal. ‘Why are you smiling?’
‘Because I have a feeling you and my best friend are in cahoots!’
Inis spread elegant hands on the desk in front of her. ‘Perhaps we both just care about you and have your best interests at heart.’
‘And you don’t believe Friedrich does?’
There was just enough of a pause to answer the question without her needing to actually form the words.
‘Your silence speaks volumes.’
Inis didn’t deny it.
‘I just think you can get your own dig.’
‘OK, now I definitely know you and Colette have been talking.’
My boss grinned before glancing down and noticing a bit of baby dribble on the front of her silk blouse. ‘I think I need to put all of my nice clothes away until Jakob is at least eighteen.’
‘At least. Don’t worry. It doesn’t show.’
Thankfully, Inis’s pregnancy had progressed well and she’d delivered a healthy baby boy on New Year’s Eve. She was now back at work part-time while her husband had taken on the role of full-time carer for their child.
‘Thank goodness for patterned fabric.’ She gave an eye roll but it still wasn’t enough to hide the joy that radiated out from her whenever she spoke about her family. It made me think about Finn’s family and how his niece and nephew were getting on without him. I knew he’d be missing them. They grew so quickly and I recognised the same joy on his face when we’d spent time with his family as that which Inis showed now. He may not be their father but I knew that he’d still do anything for those children.
‘If you want to go for it, Lizzie, then I will back you 100 per cent.’ My boss jolted me from my wandering thoughts. ‘Of course, you’d leave a huge gap here during the time you’re away but I’ll sort something out.’ She looked down at the desk.
‘But?’
‘Sorry?’
I tilted my head to the side. ‘There’s definitely a but.’
She flashed a brief smile. ‘But.’
‘I knew it.’
‘Be careful, Lizzie. Some people will do anything, use anyone, to get to where they want to be.’
