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“If I dealt with anyone at work in such a radical way, I’d be on unemployment.” She rested a cheek on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. “Let’s sit down and talk. I can make a pot of coffee, and I think the resort even provided me with toast makings if you’d like to have some?”
“I love coffee and toast.”
“Love them?”
“More than life itself.”
Once they settled at the kitchen table with steaming mugs of coffee in front of them, Will offered Arabella an encouraging smile. “Okay, what did you want to talk about?”
She toyed with her spoon, stirring the coffee and pulling it out a couple of times before answering. “It’s the weirdest thing. Since I’ve been on the island, I’ve been remembering things I liked, things I wanted to do. In college, I ran every day. I went out with friends and laughed. I don’t do that now.”
“You’re busy,” he said. “Lots of people are. Theory is, it’s the only way to get ahead.”
“But ahead of what? Of whom?” She set the spoon down and laid her hands flat on the table. “I worked sixty hours the first few years then seventy, and now it’s pretty much every minute I’m awake. I was thinking of remodeling my bathroom to be like the one here, but then I realized I don’t actually know what my bathroom looks like.”
She laughed. “I mean, I do, but not really. I’m in and out of my apartment, like a guest. I have a twice-a-week housekeeper who probably loves me because I never make a mess. I haven’t eaten at home for months. I leave before breakfast and come home after dinner.
“I haven’t gone out with a friend to a movie or dinner or a Broadway show, and I haven’t even seen my dad since Christmas. I send him checks to help him make ends meet, but I know he’d rather see me. I have headaches all the time, and my neck hurts and my feet…by the end of the day, I want to scream.”
“I understand,” he murmured, buttering a piece of rye toast and reaching for the jam. “So what are you going to do about it?”
“I thought I might switch to flats.”
He blinked. “That’s your solution for the dysfunction you described?”
She shook her head slowly. “No, just for my sore feet and, I’m guessing, also my back aches.”
“And about your long work days?”
“Watch me.” She reached for her cell phone on the counter behind her and slid it closer then hit speed dial 1. “Emily, how is everything? Listen, I want to thank you for buying such nice clothes. I loved everything. Yes. And thanks for all you do. I know I don’t tell you nearly often enough.” She listened a moment then said, “Great. Would you please put me through to Harley?” What was she up to?
Arabella covered the phone with her hand. “Here’s the part where I apply the solution.” She hit speaker. “Hi, Harley.”
“I told you you’d be fired if you called again,” growled a voice from the other end of the line.
“I understand. No problem. It’s been nice working for you.”
“What? Arabella, you can’t be that mad about taking a vacation. Aren’t you having a good time? You can’t think I’d really fire you for a phone call.”
“No, you’ve always been a man of your word, and I know this time is no different. I’ve enjoyed working for you, Harley, but I’ve put in enough hours for a lifetime, so I accept the firing and wish you well. Bye, Harley.” She clicked end.
“And that is that.” She shrugged her shoulders. “I feel better already.”
“Bella, I agree changes sometimes have to be made. I made a big one myself. But are you going to be okay?”
Her grin brightened her face, all the way to her sea-green eyes. “Sure! When he fired me, he opened my golden umbrella. My contract provided for a very generous severance pay. And because all I’ve done is work, I never had time to spend money. I’ll be fine.”
“If you are used to working so many hours, though, what will you do now? Going from the rat race to no race is not so good, either.”
“I’m going to update the business plan I made in grad school and implement it. I thought I’d feel guilty about tricking Harley into firing me, but I don’t. Do you know what he said when he sent me here? Of course you don’t. How could you? He said, ‘You’ll be able to work twice as hard when you come back.’ There aren’t enough hours left in the day for that to happen. They got great value out of me, far above what they will give me as I set out on my own. I won’t have to answer to stockholders, and I can work when and where I please, as an online firm. Try for sane hours and rebuild a life.”
He lifted his mug. “A toast to…what will your company be called, anyway?”
“Never Settle.”
“I like it.” He took a big drink and set the coffee down. “You can’t cook, can you?”
“No, but I’m thinking of learning.”
