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The knock on my office door brings me out of my memories.
I sit up in my chair and try to get my head around what I was supposed to be doing so I don’t look like an idiot.
“Yes,” I call out.
“Nicholas, I just need to remind you that your appointment with the design consultant has been pushed forward to midday, and here is the file you asked me to prepare for you,” Lucy says, stepping into my office, and I’m back in the thick of another busy day.
“Thanks, Lucy. Can you make sure Flynn has the change of time too? I want him at this meeting. And that doesn’t mean sharing my whole calendar with him,” I call after her as she leaves the room.
“You need to relax once in a while, it won’t hurt you. The only person you trust to let your hair down with is Flynn and the boys. Just go.” Her giggle makes me smirk. How Lucy puts up with my grumpy demeanor, I have no idea. But what I do know is I pay her handsomely to do it.
Like I trust Flynn, anyway. All he does is lead me astray.
I should be afraid when he says we are going drinking. Not afraid like it will cost me a fortune in expensive whiskey. No, that I can cope with. But I should definitely be afraid that tomorrow, I’m about to feel like shit!
My phone lights up with my mother’s name, making my stomach fall.
Nothing has changed since I left Australia. She never calls me at work unless it’s urgent, which is hard to manage with the time zone differences.
“Mum, what’s wrong?” I can’t help the worry from dripping from my words.
ChapterFive
NICHOLAS
The big sigh before she speaks tells me all I need to know. She’s stressed.
“Hi, Nic, sorry to bother you, but I wanted to make sure you heard it from me before any of those silly reporters plaster it on social media.” She sounds tired, but I can’t gauge her voice and guess what she is about to say. Little does she realize, I don’t pay attention to social media. That stopped the moment I became newsworthy.
“You are never a bother," I tell her. That's not exactly true, though I would never tell her that. “What’s wrong?”
“I had a car accident today. Well, that’s not entirely true, the car had an accident without me today.” Her giggle makes me relax a little, as she sounds fine.
“You’re okay, not hurt?” I’m annoyed she didn’t lead with that information, which is the most important.
“No, silly. I would have had to be in the car to get hurt.”
“What the hell are you talking about, Mum? You aren’t making any sense. Start at the beginning.” My frustration of the morning now comes out in the tone of my voice with my mother.
“I had a bad headache, so I drove instead of walking to the shops today. I parked on a street near the shopping center and forgot to put the handbrake on. The car got a little excited and decided to roll off down the road and into a tree. Well, it would have been more than rolling, because they tell me it’s not repairable. I’m so sorry, Nic, I wrecked the car you bought me.” Now her happy laugh is replaced by a little sniffle. She’s crying.
“Mum, I don’t give a fuck about the car. As long as you and everybody else around you weren’t hurt, that’s all that matters.” Standing and pacing in front of the windows in my office, I wonder what else the world can throw at me today.
“More importantly, how did you forget to put the handbrake on?” Thinking about her being on the other side of the world, I should have been there to sort this all out for her.
“I really don’t know. I’ve never done anything like that before. I’m so stupid.” I can hear in her voice it scared her.
“We all make mistakes, Mum, don’t worry about it. I’m sure it won’t happen again.” But part of me is worried at the uncertainty in her voice. I have a feeling there is more to this that she isn’t telling me. Now is not the time to push her, though.
“Yes, you’re right. Anyway, I won’t need to worry about that on the bus and train.”
“Mum, you don’t have to rely on public transport. Go and rent a car tomorrow, I’ll pay for it. Just until we can organize you a new car.”
“No, Nicholas. I’m a grown-ass woman, I can pay for it myself.” I didn’t know my dad, but it’s pretty obvious at times I have my mother’s stubbornness to stand on my own two feet. It’s what got her through raising me on her own, so I can’t say it’s a bad trait. Except when she is firing it back at me.
“And in case you haven’t noticed, I am a grown-ass man who is worth more money than I can ever spend in my lifetime. So, suck it up and let me look after you, the same way you always looked after me. I will get Lucy to deposit the money in your account whether you like it or not.” This time there is no hiding my frustration in my voice. Placing my hand on the window and leaning my forehead on it, I try to control my temper so I don’t let everything from this morning come out in this conversation with Mum.
“I don’t have a choice, do I? You are just like your father.” I don’t know that she knew him long enough to be able to make that claim, but what would I know. Part of me hopes she is right. To know I’m like him would be comforting at times, when my back is against the wall in this business.
