AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Sis, are you determined to burn my eyes and leave my kids without a mom?” the lady at the desk muttered under her breath as I let out a laugh, making all eyes focus on me.
“Never,” she mocked, holding her hand over her heart before pausing to wipe the smudge of lipstick off Del’s mouth. “I had better let you get back to work. Laters Holly.”
“Bye Anise,” Holly called with a quick wave.
“I’ll see you at home, baby. I shouldn’t be too late. Just Isobel here left and I can then clock out,” Del announced before indicating for me to enter. “Well, I hope this won’t take long, Isobel. As you can tell, this meeting was pushed into my personal hours.”
“It won’t,” I announced, walking into the clean-lined office and heading straight toward the desk. “Actually, I could be out of your hair in mere moments and you could catch Anise, is it?” He nodded. “You could meet her at the entrance if you took the back stairs and ran.”
“Hit me with it.”
“I want you to give a friend of mine a job working with you?” I said bluntly, ending it as a question. “My friend Christopher has just had a medical discharge from the army and is needing some light, part-time work to keep his mind active but around familiar people.” I blew out a breath, not wanting to give too much away as Del took a seat in his office chair.
“I won’t be meeting my woman by the entrance doors, Isobel,” Del admitted. “I need more than half a story. I understand that this may be personal but I need more than what you’re giving me at the moment.”
“He’s family.” I dropped my head low, knowing it wasn’t the complete truth. In Luke and Freddie’s eyes he was but to me he wasn’t. Christopher was a guy who needed support and friendship from a small number of trustworthy people, not an entourage of groupies who thought they knew best. “Luke and Freddie…” I knew I was playing with fire as I matched Del’s gaze. “Everleigh and Dawson can vouch for the man. Christopher needs to know that one of us is here, should something happen.” I kept my gaze steady as my eyes watered.
Del stood and shifted his weight back against the edge of his desk. “Isobel, talk to me. Whatever it is, I’ll try to help. Do you need me to call Everleigh?” he asked, leaning forward as he handed me a tissue.
“I just need him to be close should he need one of us. Can you trust me on that?” I asked. I knew I couldn’t break Christopher’s trust in me. What I saw the other night was his story to reveal should he want to, not mine. I’d just be right here to help him and be the friend that he needed, whether he knew it or not.
I watched Del stand up and begin walking around the room before he stopped at the large floor to ceiling window and stared out across the city of New York, admiring the people as they went about their daily business without a clue of the glass structure that hung above them, seeing all.
“Did you know I was once given a chance by a man to rebuild my life? At the time all that I wanted to do was to hide away from the world,” Derrick remarked as I stood up and made my way over toward him.
“I didn’t—”
“Not many do,” he said, cutting me off. “Not many know that I could click my fingers and be Dawson’s direct competition tomorrow but that man saved me, Isobel. He saved me.” Del turned to face me and I swallowed harshly at his serious expression. “I can see right through you. I know Christopher has no clue about your little crusade to help him but—”
I opened my mouth to speak but Del held his hand up to stop me.
“Let me finish, Isobel. You remind me of Dawson. You remind me of the decisions I faced. Strong, determined and damn fearless. So…” Del paused and raised a finger whilst widening his eyes as his gaze penetrated mine. “…If Christopher does want to work in finance, he can work and support me. I’ll give him the best support and guidance he could ever need. Should any issues arise with him, I’d contact you. Dawson has always said I needed an extra pair of hands. Well, Christopher would be it.”
“Del, thank you,” I complimented, feeling choked up. I knew I would go in and push for what I needed for Christopher but I didn’t think that Del would hit me with emotion deep in the chest. He really did care, too. “I won’t say a word.”
“I know you won’t. Remember, I know who your boss is.” I couldn’t help but chuckle. “If he is interested, then I’ll expect to see him here Monday morning, okay?”
“Of course, I’ll see myself out. Tell Anise I said thanks.” I winked as I left the room and shut the door behind me. I closed my eyes and let out a gasp of breath I didn’t realize I’d held.
“Did it all go okay?” Holly asked, making my eyes snap open and my head turn to face her. “You seem as if you had drifted off somewhere else then.”
“Sorry, I had,” I replied sheepishly. “It went more than okay. Thanks Holly. I had better get back to Reception. Chrissie will have me buying her brownies for the next week as payback otherwise. That woman would live on the damn things if she could.”
“And would that be so bad?” Holly questioned.
“Only to her blood sugar and clothes,” I retorted. “But they’re so delicious.”
“I better try one later on.” Holly smirked as I winked, giving her a wave as I headed back to the elevator.
* * *
The final two hours of the day flew by and Chrissie’s bargaining skills had seriously intensified. I’d been so wrong with the brownies idea. Instead, I now owed her the first round of drinks at every event for the next three months. Damn, I’d taught her so well. I knew she’d bloody go for the extravagant cocktails now just to get her money’s worth.
I sent a text message to Freddie on my way out of work in the hope that today’s scouting trip for bars had gone well. I was desperate to pop over and see them—well, see Christopher and reveal all. I couldn’t wait to introduce Christopher to everyone. Del would be a fantastic support network for him, especially after what I learnt about him today. I knew it was only a stopping gap until the bar opened but it would surely help Christopher with a step back into the working world without the added pressures of forming relationships—he had us after all.
I knocked on the door and twiddled with my hair.Come on. How long does it take to answer?
“Freddie, come on… If you’re standing there watching me through the keyhole, we’ll be having words,” I shouted at the door, waiting impatiently as I watched the handle go down and the door open up.
