Page 22 of Next Time I Fall (Excess All Areas 2)

“Okay. Two things, Jimmy. One, I honestly do understand getting caught up in your work. Bizarrely, I can do that too. But you could have at least called me and apologised like a decent human being. I ended up eating there because I didn’t know if you were going to show up, and I would definitely have chosen somewhere cheaper if I’d known I was going to eat alone. And second, the paper degrees. Why do you think I’m here? Because IknowI have a lot to learn. And I want to learn from you because you’re the best. But so far, you’ve given me nothing to do beyond book studios and do tours and show people where they can find cables. You want me to have more than paper degrees, you need to let medosomething.”

She didn’t tell him about the loan. She wanted to work up to that in the hope he’d offer to be more than a reference, that he’d be a guarantor.

Her father placed both hands on his desk. “Listen, Cerys. I didn’t work as hard as I did for as long as I did to be lectured by you. You wanted to come here, I let you. You expected me to just let you sit at the controls, ahead of my experienced team and take one of their jobs, which is foolish.”

“I didn’t want to take a job. I wanted to learn. I wanted to sitwiththem, with you. I wanted to watch, I wanted to be trusted to try. I thought you might find someone on your team who could help me get experience and grow. Stop putting words in my mouth.”

Jimmy slumped back into his chair.

Cerys stood her ground.

There was an uncomfortable silence. But she’d said what she needed to.

“Fine. I’m sorry. I should have messaged.”

“Apology accepted.”

He pulled his wallet out of his back pocket and began unfolding bills. “Here, this should cover dinner.”

“I didn’t end up paying.”

Her father looked confused. “Who did?”

“A man who realised I was sitting all alone on my birthday and felt that was wrong.”

“Cerys, you shouldn’t be letting random strangers—”

“I’m twenty-seven. Mum taught me how to handle myself. I enjoyed myself in the end. If you were so worried about a guy paying for my dinner, you should have showed up. He made sure I got home safely and was the perfect gentleman.”

“Good.”

Cerys sighed. “What about the other stuff?”

“What stuff?”

“Learning? Mentoring? Trying?”

“Let me think it through and talk with a couple of the guys. You can start with getting Jase to take care of his voice. Kid’s vocals are great, but if he keeps abusing them the way he does, he’ll be toast in ten years.”

“Fine. I’ll do that.” Small steps, she’d take them.

Her father offered her the package. “Don’t forget your gift.”

She smiled and opened the bag, then the ribbon, then the box.

“Do you like them?”

“Them?” she asked, looking down at the spiral chain necklace with the Tiffany heart on the end.

“The. It. Whatever.”

Cerys closed the lid and looked at him suspiciously. “Do you actually know what’s in here?”

Jimmy nodded. “Your gift. I paid for it.”

“No, but what did you pick?”

Finally, he huffed. “Okay. You got me. I didn’t pick it up. I had Alicia pick it up.”

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