Page 4 of The Moon Also Rises
“Sharon!” I exclaim. “Give me that back!”
Sharon's voice booms like only Sharon's voice can, a perfect match for her solid physique and her short jet-black hair with its gravity-defying spikes. “Jake, I'd like to introduce you to Rami Kazimi. Our new Head of Events.”
She nods at the postman as she says that which means... he's not the postman at all.
“Oh,” I say, eyes widening. I’m about to apologise but then I see the time on the clock behind his head. “But you're two hours early for our meeting.”
“Yes, well, funny story,” he begins, smiling in a way that is nervous and jolly and I have time for neither.
As if detecting this, Sharon jumps in, “Rami's going to be working from your office today, and tomorrow too.”
“What?” My jaw drops.
“Maybe next week as well,” she adds quickly as she scratches at the back of her pixie-cut. I swear I see her lips curl with glee as she watches for my reaction, her dark eyes sparkling a little.
“Here? Why isn't he getting Tasha's old office?”
“No can do. Tony nabbed that before her stiletto heel marks had been buffered out of the marble floor. Rami was supposed to be moving intohisold office.”
“Oh, God, the dungeon,” I say before I can stop myself, glancing at Rami whose smile looks like it could be slipping. Shame, it's quite a nice smile full of bright white teeth and framed with dusty pink lips that don't seem to thin out even when stretched into his awkward grin.
Sharon flashes an unconvincing grin up at Rami as she stretches her short, round body to put my phone on my desk.
“It's not really a dungeon, but it does indeed need better internet apparently, and there's not even a working phoneline connection down there so maintenance is going to address all the above as soon as is humanly possible. But it will be fine you, Rami, working here for the foreseeable, won't it Jake?”
Uh oh. She's usingthatvoice with me.
“Can't he share your office?” I try one more time.
“I don't have an office, I have a corridor.” Sharon’s thunderous look tells me exactly what she thinks about that.
“But I literally just got my own private office for the first time in well, ever. Do you know how long I've waited and how hard I’ve worked to get to a place where I can just fart in peace?”
“You think I don't hear some of those rippers? Now, quit your moaning. It won't be for long. Just as soon as maintenance can drill some big holes and poke pipes down channels or something.”
“Now I know I'm really angry because I don't even want to play with the blatant innuendo you just served me on a silver platter!” I cross my arms like the cranky toddler I apparently am.
“Should I go?” Rami points to the door. “I could always work in reception. In fact, maybe that would be better...”
Sharon holds up her hand to him. “No, Rami. Jake is mid-way through his gay flap so just five more minutes and it will all be over.”
“Gayflap? How very dare you, Sharon? I'll report you to HR for homophobia.”I point my finger at her.
“Homophobia? I'm a gold-card-carrying lesbian, and you know it, you nimcompoop,” Sharon says with a dismissive eye roll. “You play Words with Friends with my wife, for crying out loud.”
“Ugh.” I grunt but reach for my phone in the next breath. “That reminds me, it's my turn. And actually, what is Daniel doing the last weekend in May? He'd make a lovely looking date for this blasted wedding.”
“There's no way you’re taking my son anywhere. Poor boy is still recovering from when you came over and plucked his eyebrows last week,” Sharon mutters. “Besides, he's twenty-three, hardly an appropriate age for your date.”
“Tell that to my sister,” I mumble referring to Jenna's partner Marty who is many years her junior. “Anyway, he should be thanking me. Those brows added real definition to his face, which has sadly acquired your substandard bone structure.”
Sharon points a stubby finger at me. “You may be turning forty this year, Jake Forester, but you're not too old to go over my knee and—”
Rami coughs again, much louder this time. His smile has completely vanished too. “I think I'm going to go and get a coffee, or something. Anything that will take me somewhere else—”
“You stay right here. Look there's already a desk for you—” Sharon grabs hold of his arm and practically hurls him towards my table.
“That's my important meeting table for important meetings with important people!”I stand up.
