Page 3 of Wish You Weren't Here
‘I’m here, I’m here,’ Jennifer Carter says as she drops her handbag down on the floor.
The real Jennifer Carter, that is.
My heart sinks as she marches straight to the desk, dropping into her chair with a huff. Then she turns her attention to the man and a smile slowly spreads across her lips.
‘Oh, you’re here,’ she says to the man – no doubt changing her tune now that she can see what a hottie he is. ‘Can I get you a coffee?’
‘Sure,’ he replies, glancing at me with a mischievous twinkle in his eye.
‘Pemberton, can you get us two coffees?’ Jennifer barks at me, her tone sharp.
Shit. I wasn’t even supposed to be in here, in her actual office, never mind cosplaying as her to pass the time. If this guy says anything to her about this, I’m dead.
‘Pemberton,’ Jennifer says slowly and loudly, trying to get through to me. ‘Honestly, you can’t get the staff, can you?’ Jennifer mutters as she turns back to the man. ‘My assistant is off, again – she’s always bloody off.’
‘Annual leave?’ the man asks, clearly unsure what else to say.
‘Annual bloody maternity leave,’ Jennifer replies, rolling her eyes. ‘Honestly, that girl is like a log flume. She’s a bloody good assistant, when she’s here – but you can’t fire them for getting pregnant again and again, can you?’
‘I don’t suppose you can,’ he says, looking as uncomfortable as I feel.
‘You can’t, I’ve checked,’ Jennifer confirms, oblivious to the awkwardness in the room. ‘So I’ve got Pemberton here, from downstairs, who I told to sitoutsidemy office and answer my phone…’
‘I was just, er—’ I start, but the man cuts me off.
‘She was just showing me in,’ he says smoothly, throwing me a lifeline.
‘Oh, well, that’s something,’ Jennifer says dismissively. ‘Come on then, Pemberton, two coffees. I’ll take mine black – I’m cutting out milk.’
‘Just milk for me,’ the man says, turning to me again. ‘I’m sweet enough.’
I scurry out of the room, my heart pounding as I head to the small kitchenette next door.
I chew my lip as I make their drinks. He can’t have ratted me out yet, because if he had Jennifer would be in here with more steam coming out of her ears than the kettle is currently pushing out, and if he hasn’t done it yet then perhaps he isn’t going to? I mean, he did just lie for me, so that’s something.
I return with their coffees, trying to steady the tray with my shaking hands.
‘Just put them down there, Pemberton,’ Jennifer says, barely looking up. ‘And I’m going to need you to stay up here a bit longer, until the temp arrives. Hold all my calls.’
‘Okay, sure,’ I say, placing the drinks on the desk before retreating back to the desk outside the office, where I’m supposed to be.
I fidget in my chair, twirling it from side to side, trying to listen in to their conversation but I’m getting nothing through the wall.
After what feels like an eternity, the man finally emerges from Jennifer’s office. He closes the door quietly behind him and then saunters over to where I’m sitting, a grin spreading across his face as he approaches.
‘Pemberton?’ he says, pointing at me.
‘That’s my last name,’ I reply quickly, feeling a little flustered. ‘I’m Lana.’
‘Ethan,’ he says, extending his hand. Now that he’s holding me, I don’t want him to let go.
‘You’re not an IT technician, are you, Ethan?’ I say, narrowing my eyes at him.
‘And you’re not Jennifer Carter or a COO,’ he replies, making my heart sink. ‘I would still like to take you out for Valentine’s Day, though.’
Holy shit. Did he just?—?
‘Er, yeah, okay,’ I say, trying not to sound too eager.
