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“There’ll be changes, of course, but don’t panic, you're akeeper.”
“Will you do me a favour? Will you ask reception to leave this for Scott?” I handed him anenvelope.
When his affair had been discovered, and I’d gotten over the initial shock, one of the first things I’d done was contact the hotel and ask for my own room. The hotel had been full; we’d taken all the rooms. Jerry had offered me a side of his bed, if I wanted to share the suite I’d booked him. Of course, I declined that generous offer and booked myself into a nearby hotel. It wasn’t ideal, but there was no way in hell I was sharing a room withJerry.
“What isit?”
“Divorce papers. The last lot I posted to him went missing, funnilyenough.”
Scott didn’t want a divorce; neither did he want reconciliation, not that it was on the cards. He’d refused to instruct a solicitor, and I’d been trying to get him to sign the damn papers forweeks.
“I’ll do better than that, I’ll hand them to him myself. So, plans for tonight?” Jerryasked.
“I have to go to the conference hall this afternoon, and you have a dinner arranged with your new partner. I booked you a table for six o’clock, as instructed. Although why you want to eat that early, I don’tknow.”
“Because I’m always hungry by then. You can join us if you want,” hesaid.
“Jerry, you are a great friend, and I get enough shit because of that friendship. Once they know that I knew of this deal before them, my life will be even more lonely than it isnow.”
I didn’t have ‘friends’ at work. I’d been working with Jerry since the beginning. He’d asked for my help in marketing his newly formed company, and we became close, with that came the gossip. I’d often wondered if Scott’s affair had been a result of his insane jealousy of the relationship Jerry and Ihad.
“Fuck them, have dinner withus.”
I laughed. “No, I’ve got too much to do, then I want an earlynight.”
“Oh well, your loss,” he said, as he took out some papers from his holdall in the footwell and read through them. I did thesame.
2
“Miss Perry,”Iheard.
Jerry’s driver had alerted me that we were nearing my hotel. I’d been engrossed in my work and hadn’t taken notice of thejourney.
“I don’t like it that you’re not staying with us,” Jerrysaid.
“I can’t. I can’t stomach seeing him laughing and joking with his minions. And the hotel was full when I tried to book my ownroom.”
The car door was opened for me and I stepped out. “I’ll ring you later, but see you in the morning,” Isaid.
My overnight bag was handed to a porter and I followed him in. I checked in, collected my key, and headed for my room. I enjoyed hotel stays, and it didn’t bother me being on my own. I’d travelled a lot on business; I’d gotten used to eating alone, but as I inserted the key card into the reader, a pang of nervousness hitme.
I’d managed to successfully avoid Scott over the past six months. Whatever communication was needed was done through my assistant and his new one. The previous hadleft. We sat in meetings, avoiding eye contact, and I’d kept it as professional as possible. But I wasn’t looking forward to the ball on Saturday evening. I wasn’t looking forward to seeing him enjoy himself, while I pretendedto.
I unpacked my overnight bag, plugged my laptop in to charge, and decided on some lunch from room service before I headed to the conferencecentre.
* * *
The conference centrewas theatre style, and capable of housing the employees who’d sit through Jerry’s round up of the financial year and plans for the one coming. A large overhead monitor would display his presentation while he stood at a lectern on a small stage. Having been to many of our year end conferences, I knew the employees. Those attending for the first time, were in for a treat. Jerry liked to throw in a few jokes, drop the F bomb on a regular basis, and make the experience an overall enjoyableone.
Although the hotel had a room large enough to house us all, it was the theatre style seating that had sold the facility to me. No matter where people sat, they’d be able to see our wonderfulleader.
When I was done checking the room, then making sure all the materials I needed were sitting with the front desk, I jumped into a taxi and headed to the other hotel. I made a point of not wringing my hands at the thought of bumping into Scott. I’d been tempted to call ahead and ask if he’d checked in, but didn’t want reception notifying him that someone had enquired. He’d know it wasme.
“Hi,” I heard, and saw Jenny, my assistant, make her way over to me as soon as Ientered.
I’d texted her to let her know I was on myway.
“How are we doing?” Iasked.
