Page 30 of The Chance
I turned around to face my new boss, Jules Devlin, wearing a bright green jumpsuit with leopard print bag and matching sandals. She was clapping her hands quickly but without sound.
"Yes. I just arrived. How do you know Sebastian?" What the fuck is going on.
Her brows pulled together. "Sebastian is the one who gave me your details. I thought you knew that?" She gave me an uncertain look.
"I thought it was my father?"
"How would I know your father?"
"Are you saying that Sebastian told you to hire me?" Was I happy or insulted?
"No, he told me you were an exceptional designer and asked me to decide for myself. He opened the door and I let you in."
I decided I was happy with that answer, more than happy in fact, but I still had to ask, "Did you hire me as a favour to him?"
"Lexi, honey, if I thought you were less than exceptional, I wouldn't have offered you the position." Her arms crossed her chest. "He gave you a chance to sell yourself and you blew me away. Just like you clearly blew him away."
Her words rattled through my head, and I stood there in a stunned silence. Jules smiled warmly at Michael. "Have you got my brother's messages, Michael?" Her block heels thudded the tiles as she drew closer to the reception desk.
"Of course, Jules. How is he?"
"A workaholic, much like his partner. The guy is only out of the hospital and he's lying in bed with his laptop open."
"Your brother is Seb's business partner?" What were the chances of that?
Jules gave me a knowing smile. "And best friend. They met at a conference a few years ago. Sebastian can tell the minute he meets someone if they're the real deal. That's why he's so good at his job."
"What did he say about me?" I blurted out, clutching my small overnight bag close to my chest.
Sucking in her lips, Jules paused. "It wasn't so much what he said, as what he didn't say, Lexi. He did tell me that he met a stunning designer who would rock my socks off." She looked at Michael with an odd head tilt and a brow waggle. "You have to understand Seb to know how much of a big statement that is. He's all about business, and to hear him talk you up like that, well..." She puffed out her cheeks. "Well, it can only mean one thing."
Michael gasped. "He loves her, Jules! Oh my, this is so romantic. I could write a book about this!"
Twelve
Michael was going to tell me where Sebastian was having his business meeting - all in the name of love, but Jules stepped in and offered to drive me to his city apartment instead. It turned out her brother had a spare key to Seb's city apartment and was happy to let me use it, if it put a smile back on his friend’s sullen face.
I turned the key in the lock, feeling like an intruder. Jules assured me Seb would be more than happy to see me, but I wasn't so sure. What if he'd moved on, and tonight, he was bringing home a date?
The luxury apartment was in the Grand Canal Quay area, only minutes away from all the bars and restaurants. There were floor to ceiling windows everywhere, bringing the low light into the fresh neutral living space. The sun was descending behind the city skyline, masking the large living space with a burnt orange radiance. As I tip toed further inside, I noted a huge framed photograph of Sophia hanging on the wall, with her endearing pigtails and cheeky smile. She was the very heart and soul of his home and, no doubt, his life. I found myself gazing to the world outside, wondering what it would feel like to live here, with Sebastian. There was nothing holding me back.
My phone rang, startling me in the eerie silence.
"Hey, Mum." Oh crap, I should've told them I was high tailing it down to Dublin, but with all the drama, I’d completely forgotten.
"Lexi," she said with a shaky waver.
"Mum, what's wrong?"
"He's had a heart attack. Your father has had a heart attack."
I didn't look back as the door slammed shut. I ran from the apartment before seeing Sebastian, before telling him how I felt. The pain in my chest made me heave on the stairwell, not once but three times. Bolting out into the balmy night, I darted down the road, searching frantically for a taxi to take me to the bus station.
My father was my rock, my constant, and I was going back to him, no matter the consequences.
* * *
"This was a warning shock, Mr. Knight." The young doctor held my father’s wrist and focused on his pulse. "You've been lucky this time."
