Page 65 of Best Mistake Ever
‘Yeah, well. Sometimes these things creep up on us and take us out at the knees.’
I give her a grim frown. ‘I never believed in love at first sight before. And then I met Jonah.’
‘So you love him?’ she asks me in a gentle voice.
‘It sounds crazy, I know. I’ve only just met him, but there’s something about him… I just know, deep in my bones, that he’s the man for me. It’s an instinct, not something I can explain.’
‘That’s love for you,’ Dee agrees.
‘I can’t believe this situation. It’s so messed up!’ Another tear escapes from my eye and I brush it away angrily.
‘Are you sure there’s nothing to be done here?’
‘Yes. I’m sure. You should have seen the way he looked at me when he left. He doesn’t trust me any more. He can’t. Not after I lied to him the way I did.’
‘Because I made you.’
‘You didn’t make me. I chose to do it. I could have said no.’
‘Hmm. I’m not sure about that. I basically emotionally blackmailed you into doing it.’
I bat away her words. ‘Well, it doesn’t matter any more. It’s done and can’t be undone. We’re both just going to have to move on with our lives in different directions.’ I take a breath. ‘Speaking of which, I need to let Jem know something. I’ll be back in a moment and we’ll talk some more and see if we can work out what we’re going to do about getting you a new job.’
She opens her mouth to reply, but I don’t give her the chance to speak before walking out of the kitchen and into the office.
Jem is sitting at his desk, staring at an email which is up on his computer screen.
He turns to look at me with a strange expression on his face. It’s as if he knows what I’m about to tell him.
‘We didn’t get the funding,’ I say, wanting to get it over with quickly. ‘So it looks like this business isn’t going to work out the way we’d hoped, barring any miracles.’
He just nods once, but surprisingly doesn’t look either shocked or devastated. ‘Yeah, well, maybe it’s for the best.’ He leans back in his chair and rubs his hand over his face. I see now that he looks exhausted.
‘Really? How so?’
‘I’ve been wondering whether this type of software is where we want to put all our effort. Especially with the rise of AI.’
‘Oh.’
‘And.’ He pauses, then looks me right in the eye. ‘I’ve been offered a job, which I’m seriously considering taking.’
‘Oh,’ I say again, only this time with a sting of hurt. He’s really giving up on running a business with me that easily? But then I know he needs money to pay for his mum’s care and it doesn’t look as if he’s going to be making much, if any, of that if we’re going to have to start all over again.
‘Sorry, Bea. It’s a great opportunity, but it’ll be intensive and won’t leave me any time outside of it to work on something new with you.’
There’s a small cough behind me and I turn to see that Dee’s come into the room.
Jem darts a glance at her, then looks back at me. ‘It’s based in London. I’ll be working for the guy your dad introduced me to this week. The one who owns the island we were just staying on.’
‘I see.’ This feels like another blow, though at the same time I’m really pleased for Jem. He’s a brilliant, incredibly kind man and deserves to be successful. ‘Okay. Well, far be it for me to stand in your way. I want you to be happy and if this is the way to make that happen then you have my every blessing.’
‘I’m really sorry, Bea. I wanted to make this business work with you, but it looks like it’s not meant to happen.’
I nod stiffly. ‘Yeah. We should cut our losses. And you should definitely take that job, if it’s something you want to do.’
He looks down at his keyboard and nods. ‘I think it is.’
I feel the air move behind me as Dee shifts on the spot. ‘So, you’re going to take it?’ she asks. Her voice sounds clipped and I spin around to see she has a pained expression on her face.
