“What?” I say, turning my head to look at her, my happy feeling suddenly fading. It turns out that the smile can be wiped off of my face, and Kim is the one to achieve it.
“I’ve heard some things,” she tells me.
I can tell that she really doesn’t want to be having this conversation with me, but out of respect for our friendship, I decide to hear her out. I won’t let myself jump to conclusions until I have heard what she has to say.
“Go on,” I urge.
“Oh God, I don’t even know if what I have heard is just office gossip or if it’s the truth.”
“Spit it out, Kim.” I can see that she is conflicted. “Just tell me,” I say as my heart starts to pump a million miles a minute.
“Well, Nancy on floor five used to go out with him, and she said that he was… That he became––”
“Oh for goodness sake, just say it,” I interrupt, losing some patience at her inability to form the words that she needs to.
“Possessive. He was a bit full on.”
“Right, by doing what exactly?”
“She didn’t go into detail, she just thought that I should try and warn you.”
I already know what Kim is referring to. Nancy and Michael dated for two months, but it fizzled out quickly. They were out one evening and Nancy had gone to the toilet. When a few minutes had passed, Michael wondered where she had got to. He headed for the toilets and found Nancy outside with her tongue down someone else’s throat.
“I’m really not that worried about what Nancy has to say.” I feel a little relief filter through me at Kim’s revelation. I already knew, and that shows that I can trust Michael. He’s been open and honest with me, giving me no reason to disbelieve him.
“Are you serious? Do you not want to know what happened?” Kim asks, gobsmacked by my reaction.
“I don’t need to know because Michael already told me what went on between them.”
“Oh.” Kim was not expecting that answer. “And what was his explanation?”
I give Kim a quick recount of what Michael told me, and I can see that she is shocked by Nancy’s behaviour.
“But she seems so… Vanilla,” Kim exclaims.
“Yeah, well, she’s clearly not as vanilla as we thought.”
“So, it’s just a case of a bitter ex then?”
“Exactly.”
Chapter Eight
Moving forward
I don’t mention Nancy to Michael when I get to his later on that evening. I don’t need to, and I certainly don’t want to ruin the mood by bringing her name up.
We’re currently laying together on the sofa, Michael with his arms wrapped around me as I snuggle into his chest. Michael let me choose a film to put on, so I decided on a film showcasing female empowerment. It’s one of my favourites and Michael has never seen it. The story is brilliant, showing how a woman can have her world rocked in the cruellest way, only for her to come through her heartache and fight to the bitter end.
We’re halfway through the film when I feel Michael’s lips brush against my ear. I feign ignorance as I continue to watch the film, but my body responds instantly. My nipples pucker and my skin tingles. His tongue traces along my jawline and his arms squeeze me closer to him.
“Do you mind? I’m trying to watch the film,” I say teasingly.
Michael chuckles and the sound makes my insides melt. The fact that I can make him laugh brings me so much pleasure.
He doesn’t respond with an answer, instead he plants his lips on mine. I let out a muffled squeal of delight as our tongues dance together, and I forget about the film as we make-out like a couple of horny teenagers.
I don’t know how much time passes before Michael breaks our kiss and places his forehead against mine. At some point we manoeuvred our bodies so that I am laying on my back with Michael laying on top of me. My eyes are closed as I enjoy the feel of him encasing me.
“Open your eyes,” he whispers, his voice carrying an urgency even though he speaks quietly. I do as he asks and am met with his penetrating gaze.
“Everything okay?” I ask, not being able to decipher the way in which he is looking at me.
“Yeah, everything’s fine. More than fine.” He takes a deep breath and his next words literally blow my mind. “I love you.”
What?
Did I hear him correctly?
Did he just say that he loves me?
“Sorry, what did you say?” I ask, needing to hear him say it again before I say anything else.
“I said, I love you.”
I clamp my mouth shut and blink rapidly. Never in a million years would I have thought that Michael would say those words to me tonight.
“I’m sorry if I have said that to you too soon, but I can’t hide how I feel anymore. I don’t want to scare you off but––”
I cut him off by placing my fingers over his lips. He abruptly stops speaking and his eyes widen slightly.
This wonderful man has just declared his love for me, and now he is apologising because he is worried about scaring me.
He has done nothing but think about my needs in the last three months, and he has taken everything at a pace that I am comfortable with.
I already know how I feel about him, and I don’t want to waste any more time in keeping it to myself.
“I love you too.”
Chapter Nine
A bright beginning
“Miss Fields, we have been reviewing the work that you have done since starting as a temp for us,” my boss, Mr Collinson, says as I sit there wondering why I have been called into his office. I can’t recall doing anything wrong.
“Your work has been excellent, and you have acquired several new customers for us in a short amount of time. I would like to take this opportunity to offer you a permanent position within the company,” he tells me with a smile on his face.
“Oh, wow!” Now that, I was not expecting.
“Of course, if you choose to accept the position then it would mean a salary increase for you, and we would like to promote you to marketing manager.”
Holy shit! A promotion? Manager?
“You would remain on the floor that you have been working on, and essentially you will be in charge of four other staff members within the marketing team. That team will consist of Beverly Watson, Tony Smith, Henry Walker, and Tyler Morris.”
I already know who is on the marketing team, but I am not about to interrupt him. I listen as he discusses my rate of pay and what would be expected of me by taking a management position. With every word that he speaks, I feel my confidence rise.
Mr Collinson doesn’t seem to have a bad word to say about my work, and that makes me feel fantastic. I have worked my butt off whilst I have been here, but I never did it to gain a promotion. I did it to keep myself busy. I did it to occupy my mind when Tom and I broke up, and for it to result in this seems like some kind of reward for all of the shit that I have been through.
“That being said,” Mr Collinson continues, and I realise that I zoned out for a few minutes there. “You have forty eight hours in which to make your decision.”
“Oh, I don’t need to think about it. I accept,” I reply, not wanting to waste any time.