Page 36 of The Facilitator: Part 2
“I will. What do you think I should say? Wait, you’re being unusually calm about this,” hesaid.
“I think you should tell her you love her, and ask if she could feel the same, simple as that. And what do you mean,calm?”
“Addy said you’d explode, that you and Mackenzie, especially Mackenzie would tell me all sorts of things to warn me offher.”
“Why would we? She was married to him, it didn’t work out for various reasons I’m sure she’ll tell you, like he has told me, obviously. We’re not likely to share a table for dinner, Jerry, that would be too weird, but as for warning you off? I wonder what she means?” I was good, if I could have reached, I would have fucking patted myself on theback.
Our dishes were placed in front of us and it wasn’t long before I felt like a conniving shitbag. Jerry was most certainly in love. It wasAddy this,andAddy that. How she laughed, how she smiled, how she touched his arm all the time, how she asked him for his opinion on abso-fucking-lutely everything. I inwardly sighed, and felt evenshittier.
I don’t think I spoke a word the whole time we ate. I learned something though; Addison Miller was a fantastic actress. If I hadn’t believed Mackenzie, Gabriella as well, if I hadn’t trusted his words, I would have fallen in love with her myself, she was soperfect!
“Jerry, you’ve really fallen for her, haven’t you? Can I ask you one thing? Please be careful. She lives abroad and you’ve got your mum here. I don’t want you to have a broken heart when she goes back home,” Isaid.
It actually wasn’t an intentional blow to bring his mum into the conversation; it was a genuine concern. From how he’d spoken, he could up sticks at any moment so blinded byAddyas he was. She could be the bitch from hell, or she could be an angel. Jerry seemed unable to see around, over, behind, or under her…at all. That concerned me. Be in love, whatever it was, but he also needed to see the wood for thetrees.
“Babe, she said you’d try and put me off and I won’t be. I didn’t make any mention about Mackenzie using you, lying to you, or anything, didI?”
“I’m not trying to put you off. I’m asking you to think about what happens when she has to go home. She can’t stay here for any real length oftime.”
I made a point, as hard as it was, not to respond to the rest of Jerry’s sentence. In fact, I gritted my teeth after I’d spoken to ensure mysilence.
He didn’t seem to know where to go with that. I knew he was waiting for whateverAddyhad programmed him he was going to get, and I wasn’t playing that game. I also reminded myself, it wasn’t for me to say or do anything. He was a grown man, I repeated tomyself.
I reached across and took his hand. Kill withkindness.
“I’m thrilled you’re in love, but I can be just a little concerned for my best friend, can’t I? You do what is right for you, always. Love isn’t on every corner, we both know that, and if she is the one, then you go forit.”
“Do you meanthat?”
“Of course, I’m not sitting here wasting words,Jerry.”
He breathed out a sigh of relief and sat back in his chair. “Telling you was one of the hardest things I’ve done. I can’t tell you how relieved I am you’re okay with this. She honestly thought you’d be livid, you’d try to talk me out of our relationship, she cried, Lauren, withworry.”
I bet she fucking did,Ithought.
“Well, she was so wrong, wasn’t she? I really don’t know why she’d think or say those things to you. Anyway, I have got to get back. When can we do thisagain?”
“I promise, I’ll call in a few days. I’ve got a couple of business ventures I’d like to checkout.”
“Oh, those sound exciting, maybe I’ll invest as well. I could do with using the money I get when I sell the flat in something that will give me a goodreturn.”
“Surely Mackenzie will advise you on that,” he said, as he paid thebill.
“Of course he can, but you’re the one with the foresight to start your own business and sell it for millions!” I flattered him with my words, back to feeling like a manipulative shitbagagain.
“I’ll let you know what I find out. It might be fun, we could investtogether.”
“Remember, I don’t have anywhere near the same level of money you have, and I’m yet to sell theflat.”
We talked about property as we walked back to my office building. He didn’t walk me to my floor, but kissed my cheeks and gave me a tight hug at theentrance.
“Thank you, Lauren, you really are my bestie,” he said. I could only smile and nod inreturn.
A sense of dread settled over me. I knew he was going to get hurt, it was to what level I was unsureof.
I placed my handbag under my desk and told Carolyn I would be heading upstairs. I took the stairs; a little exercise was needed to gather my thoughts. Mackenzie’s office windows were frosted. I wondered if he hadcompany.
“You all right, dear?” Mary calledover.
