“Erin,” I say, like we’re old friends. “What a surprise.”
“I could say the same, Tom. I assumed you’d be back in Europe by now.”
Her tone’s as fake as mine. I doubt she’d bother with the performance if she knew I was at her place a few days ago. I guess Laurent hadn’t told her.
“I’m staying on the island. Calvin leaves for Miami next week and someone has to take care of those lazy dogs of his.”
She pretends I’m air and turns back to Yosh.
“How’s the construction at your place? Any progress?”
“They’re starting tomorrow. Bathroom first. Kitchen after. The rest still needs planning.”
“Good. I’d love to stop by and see how it’s coming along.”
Yosh nods, polite. The smile he gives her could win awards.
Why is she still here?
“But…you’ll need to be back right after New Year’s.”
Yosh straightens. “Why? My leave runs until mid-January. HR approved it months ago.”
“I know. It’s just that Nils is leaving on the thirty-first. We need someone to lead the department.”
There it is.
I look at Yosh.
No. Don’t tell me.
He got it. Not cockroach Terrence.
“Oh my God, Yosh! Congratulations.” I’m already pushing back my chair to hug him. He’s worked his ass off for this.
Then I see his face, and the excitement drains straight out of me.
“I don’t want the position.”
“Excuse me?” Erin snaps.
“I don’t want it,” he says again. “I’m done with the extra hours and overtime. I’d rather spend my days off surfing, doing stuff with friends. Give the position to Terrence, or anyone else. I really don’t care anymore.”
I take his words in with a nod. It makes sense, but I know him well enough to realize this is massive.
When we first met, he lived for work. Always studying, always pushing, always chasing a better version of himself. I admired that, but later I realized he’d been running from loneliness.
So I’ve made it my mission to get him out of that cycle. He can ease up, and I can get my act together. Somewhere in the middle, we meet.
I know it sounds a bit cliché, but I believe that between his discipline and my lack of it, there’s a version of us that works.
Right now, I want to tell him how brave this is, but Erin is still standing at our table.
“Honey, haven’t you heard?” she says, more serious now. “Terrence got arrested.”
It takes a few seconds for the information to reach the right part of my brain, but then my jaw drops on its own.
No fucking way.
