“And I can come home in-between the dates?”
“There are a lot of dates in the tour. It’s pretty intensive – ten dates in Europe and thirteen in the US and Canada. There is a two week break between Europe and the US, and I can’t imagine you’ll be needed all the time – but check with Jake.”
“What about my column?”
“I was going to get Jane to cover what you couldn’t manage?”
“Sure. Sounds like a plan.”
I get out of my chair. “What did you think of the piece of the interview with Jake that I sent you?”
“Really good. I emailed back a few possible changes, have a look – let me know what your thoughts are. But there’s no rush on finishing it as I think we’re going to use it as the pre-cursor for the bio.”
I start to leave her office, then stop at the door. “Why do you think Jake never mentioned the bio to me last night?”
She shrugs. “You said last night was a catch up on old times, so maybe he didn’t want to talk business with you at that point.”
“Hmm, maybe… he could have called me first thing this morning … but I guess it doesn’t matter.”
She leans forward resting her elbows on her desk. “You want my honest opinion? I think he asked you out to dinner because he wanted to see you again. I think he hired you for the bio because you’re fabulous at your job – and also because he wants to have sex with you.”
“Vicky!” I screech, eyes wide.
I can’t believe she just said that.
“What?” she says innocently. “I’m merely pointing out the conclusive facts.”
“Which conclusive facts?”
“That Jake wants to have sex with you.”
“Will you stop saying that!” My face is flushing bright red. “And Jake could have sex with anyone he wants and trust me he wouldn’t want to have it with me.”
I think of the little brush off at my door last night. I don’t tell her of course.
She frowns at me and shakes her head. “Sometimes I don’t think you realise how gorgeous you are, Tru.”
I pull a face at her skewered compliment.
“And yes, you are right. Jake could bed any women he wants to … but currently I think he wants to bed you.”
I frown at her. “It’d be an awful lot of trouble for him to go through just to get laid, when he can have it so easily accessible elsewhere.”
“Easily accessible can get boring, my darling. And you are right, it certainly would be a lot of trouble to go to.” She raises her eyebrow. “So I guess that shows the worth of the person as to the level of trouble he’s willing to go to.”
“Or just the new challenge.”
“That too.” She leans back in her chair. “Just be careful, my darling, when mixing business and pleasure. Things can get awful messy sometimes.”
“I don’t intend on mixing anything. I’m with Will, remember.”
“You are.”
“And I don’t think Jake is like that, contrary to popular belief, I think he’s professional in business, I don’t think he screws the staff – just everyone else.”
“Of course. I can imagine Jake Wethers to be the upmost professional.”
She’s being snarky.
“He was actually a real gent at dinner last night.”
“He was?” She smiles, a real genuine smile. “Good. I’m glad.”
I ignore the little nag of disappointment, tugging away inside of me, that Jake Wethers, who is well known for screwing anything that moves, had no interest in me whatsoever last night.
Of course it stings. I would never have slept with him, of course, because of Will. But I would have kissed him for sure.
But then kissing is cheating too.
Ugh, my head is all gooey right now. I need a coffee.
I’m being irrational and silly that my pride is hurt, I know, but I’m a girl and it’s my prerogative to be just so.
“You want a coffee?” I ask Vicky, as I’m leaving her office. “I’m making.”
“I’m fine, my darling, thank you.”
I’m just heading past my desk, on my way to the kitchen to fire the kettle up when my mobile starts to ring.
I lean over my desk and grab my phone. It’s Jake. I get little butterflies setting flight in my tummy.
I’m going to have to knock this off if I’m going to be working with him…
People don’t work with me, Tru. They work for me.
Okay, so working for him – whatever. I hope he’s not as bad a person to work for as it’s claimed he can be.
“You had that coffee yet?” he says before I get a chance to speak.
“No, debido a las interrupciones constantes.”
“Tru, I haven’t got a fuckin’ clue what you just said, but I’ll take the ‘no’ I caught out of that, as you haven’t.”
“No, I haven’t,” I laugh.
“Okay, well I’m not calling back again, so listen up. I’m picking you up for lunch because I want to go over with you what will happen on the tour.”
Do I get a choice?
“Shouldn’t that be your assistant’s job to talk to me about that stuff?” I question.