Page 60 of Long Story Short

Jake stared at me for a moment, then pushed a hand through his hair with a sigh. ‘Why are we doing what she says though, Freya?’ he asked in a softer, calmer tone. ‘We were the ones who turned things around in New York, not her. We did it together. We made a good team, didn’t we?’

I sighed too. ‘Yeah, we did. But that’s in the past.’

‘Is it? I don’t know about us personally but work stuff, Freya, we should really think about it. I meant what I said that you’d make a good agent. You’re honest and loyal and you know what readers want. You gave me some bloody good advice. And I liked how you were always yourself. This…’ He gestured to me again. ‘Today, this wasn’t you. I know you don’t care what I think, that I’m nothing more than someone you work with now, but as an author, you could take my advice. I don’t think working with Hayley is the best thing for you.’

I hesitated. Jake spoke sincerely like he cared about me but I knew that he didn’t so it just made it harder to accept what he was saying. It made my heart ache for those moments back in New York when I was in his arms feeling like there was just us two in the world together. Now, I had woken up from that dream. Now, the world was very much in between us.

‘Hayley is successful,’ I said, shaking my head. ‘She wants to help me be successful too.’

‘Does she, though?’ Jake countered. ‘She certainly was comfortable with taking credit for your work back in there. Does that seem like someone who wants to support and guide you? Just be careful, Freya. Whatever you think of me, I don’t want Hayley to treat you badly.’

‘Why are you making me feel like I’ve done something wrong?’ I asked, hoping I wouldn’t start crying.

‘Freya…’ Jake lifted his arm like he was going to touch me but then he hastily put his hand back down. ‘I’m trying to get you to see that you should be yourself. Remember how you pushed me in New York? You wanted me to be honest. And you were right. I’m trying to do the same for you here. Be honest with yourself about what you really want. Do you want to be like Hayley, or do you want to be yourself? Who was the one who fixed my career, by the way. Remember that, okay? You did it, not Hayley.’

My body suddenly craved his touch all over again. I wanted to crawl back into his embrace and let him hold me and make it all okay. But I knew that was impossible. Jake was making it really hard for me not to miss what we had together the past few days. Suddenly, all the confidence I had summoned before our meeting felt like it had been sucked out of me.

‘I don’t know what I can do,’ I admitted, my anger fading fast. I had given him some home truths and that was what he was doing for me. I couldn’t be annoyed about that. And what if he was right?

‘We both have a lot to think about,’ Jake said. He gave me a sad smile. ‘I wish things were different.’

I didn’t know if he meant between us, or all this complicated work stuff, or both. And I didn’t want to hear the answer in case he didn’t think about us at all any more. I might have accepted things were over but if he regretted everything, that would hurt a lot.

‘You can always call me, Freya. I mean that,’ Jake added quietly. ‘I’ll see you soon.’ He headed off then, walking away slowly. I watched him go, thoroughly confused. He had been so harsh with me at the party and we’d both said things we couldn’t take back but now he seemed worried about me.

My phone rung then and I started walking in the opposite direction to Jake. I answered it without looking at the screen, assuming it would be Liv asking what happened at the meeting. I really didn’t want to tell her.

‘Freya, is that you?’ a man’s voice spoke.

‘Who’s this?’

‘Um… it’s Davis Mulberry. Please don’t hang up,’ he replied, adding the last bit hastily as I did almost do just that. ‘I persuaded the receptionist where you work to give me your number.’

‘What do you want?’ I asked dully, wondering if this day could get any worse.

He cleared his throat. ‘Freya, will you meet me for coffee? I have a proposition for you,’ he said, sounding a little bit less confident than he had in New York.

I snorted. ‘Are you serious? Listen, there is nothing to tell about me and Jake now…’ I began but he cut me off.

‘So, you admit that there was something to tell?’

I cringed at my slip-up, forgetting that I’d told Davis I had slapped Jake after the kiss in the lift he had seen.

‘It’s okay,’ he added, quickly before I could think of what to say. ‘This isn’t about you and Jake although I am curious…’

‘Whatever happened between us, it’s over now,’ I replied, firmly. ‘So, if you try to tell Hayley anything…’ I began, really hoping he wouldn’t do that.

‘I won’t,’ he said quickly. ‘I never actually would have; I was just trying to wind you both up.’

‘Nice,’ I replied. ‘Well, it worked; we are broken up for good. So, if you’re not going to threaten me again, why are you calling me?’ I carried on walking towards the office. The thought of going back to work and seeing Hayley again later wasn’t very appealing but I didn’t have any choice. Suddenly, the outfit that I’d previously felt super professional in felt restrictive and strange. I wondered if Jake was right that trying to be someone different wouldn’t work in the end or if I should just ignore his advice.

‘I need your help.’

My eyebrows shot up into my forehead. ‘You need my help,’ I repeated incredulously.

Davis sighed down the phone. ‘I suppose you’ve heard what happened in New York…’

‘I did,’ I replied, trying to focus on what Liv had told me, pushing Jake away from my mind. ‘You upset the conference organisers and then pushed over a table and had to be escorted out, something like that?’

---