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‘Could it be—and this is just a wild guess,’ Tori says, ‘all the sex you’re having?’
Jules taps her chin and pretends to think it over seriously. ‘Maybe.’
She drops the act and laughs, stepping into the skirt and pulling it up over her hips, zipping it at the back and checking her reflection in the mirror.
‘I’m actually … Not to be brash but I think that is actually a part of it. The freedom and the spontaneity and being in the moment. I know it’s sappy, but …’ Jules shrugs. ‘I don’t know. It got me thinking about being more confident. Making changes.’
Jules pulls the blouse on and tucks it into her skirt, trying to figure out how to phrase the nebulous thoughts that have been floating in her head these past few days.
‘You know I’ve been toying with the idea of resigning?’ She picks up her phone and sits on the edge of the bed.
‘Yeah.’ Her friends nod.
‘Well … I actually finished a draft resignation letter,’ she confesses.
Her friends erupt in a flurry of well-wishes, Tori knocking over Cat’s water. Jules laughs at the unfettered enthusiasm and support.
‘We need to celebrate when you get back!’ Tori announces, mopping up the spill with a stack of napkins while Cat pats at the splash on her slacks. ‘A toast to you finally taking charge of your professional life. I’ll make any dessert you like.’
‘Bombe alaska?’
‘I’ll make any other dessert you’d like.’
Jules laughs. ‘Thanks, Tor. I’ll think on it.’
She carries her phone into the bathroom to start on her hair and make-up.
‘So you were lying when you said Cameron doesn’t have a magical penis,’ Tori says, which Jules is sure would be getting her some strange looks in the cafe.
‘No, it’s not like that,’ Jules says, grabbing her hairbrush. ‘I haven’t been sexed into a revelation. I mean, that probably laid a bit of the groundwork, because, like I said, it’s been freeing not really having any plans and not thinking ahead so much, just taking opportunities as they come.’ Like in the Opera House green room. ‘Which is not my usual way.’
‘Yes,’ Tori says. ‘You normally wave at the opportunities as they go by.’
‘Okay, there’s a little more that usually happens.’
Like Jules talking herself into and out of reaching beyond her comfort zone for so long that all she can do is wave, having missed the window of opportunity. It’s just so nice and safe and stable in there. But she said yes to Cameron’s offer this week and it’s worked out wonderfully. She asked James for his presentation slides and he said yes. Speaking of.
‘But actually, I saw a talk on Monday by this guy called James McCarthy about research methodology.’
Tori does a large fake yawn and Cat elbows her in the ribs.
‘Ow!’ Tori rubs her side.
‘Don’t disrespect Jules’s emotional moment.’
‘Thank you, Cat.’ Jules smooths foundation over her face. ‘Anyway. My point is, I was sitting there and it was like lightbulbs going off over my head. Everything he said was so interesting. I had a look at his website, and he has a whole business teaching courses and workshops and contracting out to businesses. It sounds really awesome. I mean, you two know how much I loved all the research we did before we revamped the e-commerce site.’
‘Yes,’ Tori nods. ‘You nerd-ed out about it every night for weeks and made us be a practise focus group.’
Jules laughs as she refits the lid on her foundation bottle before returning it to her make-up bag. ‘They don’t have any job openings at the moment, but even just looking for them made me realise I want that feeling again that I had listening to him talk. I haven’t been excited like that since my first promotion at Infinity.’
Cat nods fervently. ‘That is so great, Jules.’
‘Yeah. I know it’s a little outside of my previous experience but … I don’t know.’ Jules shrugs and starts working on her eyes. ‘I spoke to James a bit after his talk and he gave me a business card without me asking for one and I was just thinking … this is one of those opportunities right?’
‘Lady, it’s like a sign from on high,’ Tori says.
‘Definitely worth pursuing,’ Cat agrees.
