Page 94 of The Life-Changing Magic of Falling in Love

I wait a few seconds and get:

All good with me, thanks. No need to worry. Haven’t even had an inkling of a panic attack. Have a good weekend.

Oh.

That was that, then.

I’ll check on him on Monday. After his meeting with work. That would be a legitimate reason to see how he is.

Suddenly I become aware of Oz’s openly interested gaze.

‘What?’ I ask.

‘That isn’t Carlos you’re messaging with. You have a dreamy light in your eyes.’

‘I do not,’ I scoff.

‘Are you sexting Zach, who you didn’t have sex with? Is this some quaint courting ritual?’

Time to change the subject. ‘How much do you think I could get for the angel wings?’

Chapter Twenty-Eight

TAKING THE DEAL

George

As the elevator whizzes me up to my meeting with Harrison and Barbara-from-Human-Resources, I wish I’d had the gumption to schedule this meeting somewhere more neutral. Possibly Switzerland.

Not that where we meet is down to me and let’s face it, this is all part of my punishment, isn’t it? The walk of shame through the corridors of the place I once called my second home.

I was up all night preparing what to say to keep my job.

I mean I obviously have a lot of apologising to do but after that? Truthfully, somewhere around five o’clock this morning, my plan became to wing it. That’s right. I’m going to wing it in the most important meeting of my life. Maybe I’m having some sort of breakdown?

Where has my resourceful, innovative, and creative spirit gone because if I ever needed to be able to market myself as a sure bet when it comes to being a desirable employee, now is the time to pull that right out the bag…

The elevator doors swish open. Anxiety kicks me in the arse, booting me straight out of the elevator and into what suddenly feels like alien territory. They’ve definitely been expecting me because I’m ushered straight into a meeting room – thank goodness, not the glass one.

I assume I smile as I sit down. My face feels stiff, my mouth dry.

I try to listen as Barbara-from-Human-Resources outlines the process the meeting will take. This is about my job, after all.

My career.

I definitely hear Harrison talking about how sorry he is that it has come to this. How, if he had known how stressed I was feeling, he’d have made sure I had more support.

I think I frown at this because he’s making it seem as if the reason that I dumped noodles over Tim’s head was because I couldn’t handle the stress of my promotion.

Before I can establish that’s the path that he intends taking this meeting down, he’s talking about Tim not pressing any charges and that he’s certain both parties will be happy with the outcome of this meeting, here today.

He stops talking and I take that as my turn to apologise profusely.

It’s the right thing to do.

Even if, inside, I feel smaller and somewhat defeated.

What little planning I had done I remember that I’d wanted to use simple, straightforward language so there could be no doubting my sincerity but now as I watch Barbra-from-Human-Resources shift the papers before her and add a few notes on her laptop, it feels as if my apology is somehow lost in translation.

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