AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Look, it’s sweet that you’re taking an interest in my career suddenly, but that’s definitely not what this weekend is about. I like my job. I love it. And if I didn’t, I would have been applying for other positions within the company way before this. I’m not – I haven’t. You can verify that with HR. I’m happy where I am, so you can ignore what Ashton said, and whatever this face,” she drew an imaginary circle around his head, “is telling me. Just… leave it.”
“You wanted to work in corporate finance.”
“I do work in corporate finance.”
“You’re an executive assistant.”
“You’re really starting to piss me off.”
“I appreciate that your job is one of the most difficult in the company. I am not disrespecting the work you do nor the role in general, only it’s not what you came to us for. It’s not what you went to uni for.”
“What can I say? Sometimes life takes you on a road you weren’t expecting.”
He considered that as he watched her dancing in a circle of friends – men, women, all laughing, drinking champagne, having a ball. The formalities of the reception were concluded. And all he could do was brood.
Bronte was as smart as a whip and a damned hard worker. How could she possibly have been passed over for a position after her internship? Had she made some enormous mistake? Even then, the internship programme was about teaching, and evaluating potential. Mistakes were a necessary evil, but didn’t exclude the likelihood of raw potential. He suspected Bronte had that in spades.
Sometimes life takes you on a road you weren’t expecting.
Wasn’t that the truth?
The last few years of his life had been an education in that – from his relationship with Katie to Gianfelice’s death, Yaya’s stroke and Raf’s accident. There was no way to predict what was around the corner.
“You’re looking very sombre, darling.”
He lifted his brows, as Clara Hill took the empty seat beside him, a glass of wine in hand and a contented glow in her cheeks.
“I was lost in thought.”
“I could see that.” Clara followed his gaze to where Bronte was whispering something in Alice’s ear. A second later, both girls laughed, heads thrown back in a
gesture that rung with sibling sameness.
“She’s been through the ringer, you know.”
His only response was to tighten his grip on the scotch glass.
Clara sighed heavily. “Bronte’s always had a far bigger heart than the world knew what to do with. As a child we had to forbid her from bringing stray pets home because she’d take pity on any animal she saw in the street. One time she brought home a bird that had been run over by a truck, it had tyre tracks right across its tiny little back, but she wrapped it up in her school jumper anyway and carried it home, tears on her face, insisting she could make it better.”
He turned to face Clara, something he didn’t particularly like shifting in his gut. “Did she?”
“No. There was no hope. But that’s Bronte. She loves with all of herself.” Another heavy sigh. “It was the same with Ashton. Any of us could see they weren’t a good match. Oh,” she waved her hand through the air impatiently. “There were a ‘good’ match, in that they made a thousand kinds of sense, but that sort of dull sense isn’t what a relationship is really about, is it?”
He flicked his lips in what he hoped would pass as agreement. He wasn’t sure he could admit to Bronte’s mum that when it came to love and relationships, he didn’t intend to gain any more experience than the limited amount he currently had.
“I don’t think I saw them argue once, the whole time they were together.”
He took a drink of his scotch, his eyes moving back to Bronte. “Isn’t that a positive?”
“God, no. Doesn’t that sound – dull?”
He didn’t feel qualified to answer. He’d never argued with Katie. Then again, he hadn’t loved her either. Their relationship wouldn’t have existed had it not been for her pregnancy.
“Arguing with someone is how you know you love them. You care enough to want – with all your heart – to bring them around to your opinion. You care enough to tell them they’re wrong.” She laughed softly. “But it’s also because you love them enough –and feel loved enough – to know your relationship is a safe space. You can express you opinion and know the other person won’t judge you for it. Yes, Luca, I think arguing is very important.”
It was an interesting point to consider, from a purely academic stand point. He supposed there was merit to it, though in his experience, it wasn’t always the case.
“I was raised by my grandparents,” he said thoughtfully. “I would classify their marriage as happy, and yet I don’t know if they ever fought.”
