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10
After taking Luci for an early morning run at the park, I dressed for work in my usual jeans, faded Stones t-shirt and Chuck Taylors. I was entirely grateful for Maude’s super relaxed dress code. The thought of wearing corporate attire on a daily basis made me shudder.
As I picked up my handbag, Grayson’s cell phone vibrated along the nightstand. I was surprised it hadn’t fallen off the table, given the amount of calls that came through overnight. Grayson was obviously a busy man.
It stilled as I approached, and I hesitated before picking it up to see who wanted to talk to him so badly. Suddenly, his phone lit up with a text message.
Unknown: Josie, this is Gray. Please pick up. I need to talk to you.
The phone rang again and I swiped to answer, but the screen went black. Crap. Rummaging around my bedside, I found a phone charger and plugged it in. I tapped my finger impatiently on the screen, but it didn’t light up. Glancing at the time on my own phone, I grimaced; I was already running late. With a sigh, I left his phone on charge and raced out the door.
When I finally walked into the office, uncharacteristically late, everyone was on edge.
Some were attacking their keyboards, some were wiping away tears and some were gathered in small circles whispering amongst themselves. I was left wondering what the hell I had missed in the last ten minutes.
I poked my head into Amy’s office. “What’s going on?”
She sat at her desk, face down in her hands, before peering up at me with eyes full of anguish. “I can’t handle all this. The energy around here is…too much.”
I glanced down at the small rose-coloured crystal sitting firmly in her palm, and tried again. “What’s going on, Ames?”
“Management just called a meeting…with everyone. It’s the one we’ve all been waiting for.”
I looked towards Marlene’s office at the end of the hall. “Oh, fuck.”
Her face fell back into her hands. “I know.”
“When’s the meeting?”
“In twenty-two minutes,” she muttered through her fingers.
I entered my office and sunk into my chair. Twenty-two minutes. Shit. Everything was changing in twenty-fucking-two minutes. No, scratch that. Twenty-fucking-one.
Needing to keep my cool, I decided to keep working. There was no need to freak out just yet, but my thoughts kept travelling to the worst-case scenario. I didn’t have enough money saved for my trip so I’d have to work at Lenny’s until I found a new job. Or perhaps I could sell my apartment…no, I had Luci to think about and that place was perfect for him.
As I switched on my laptop to load my latest article, a notification pinged on my computer screen from Marlene’s assistant, Linda.
L. EVANS: All staff are to report to the conference room immediately.
I glanced through my glass wall into Amy’s office and met her worry-stricken face. I wondered if she already knew what was going to happen.
We met in the hallway between our offices and walked to our impending doom together. A handsome man in an expensive suit, exited Marlene’s office and strolled towards us. As I moved aside to let him through, his eyes met mine and I felt the slightest twinge of recognition. He smirked and tipped his head. “Ladies.”
I offered him a small smile and kept walking, wondering where I’d seen him before.
Amy glanced back at him. “He was checking you out.”
I rolled my eyes. “You think everyone is checking me out.” My thoughts drifted to Grayson and shrugged. “Guys like that really aren’t my type.” Grayson for that matter…
She scoffed. “That guy is everyone’s type.”
I shook my head and grabbed Amy’s hand tightly as we entered the conference room. Pete was already seated, and I decided to join him at the back of the room, proving to everyone that we were, despite all the rumours, still friends.
I smiled tightly. “So, it’s really happening.”
He scratched the back of his neck. “Seems that way.”
